.264 LBC questions

[aftcg]

I've had a .243 LBC barrel on order for a while and it might be longer still. My son has decided he'd like to try a .264 LBC and it appears I can get one of those barrels with just a phone call.

To anyone out there shooting and loading for one, did you start with 7.62 x 39 brass, or 6.5 Grendel?

Are you using 6.5 Grendel dies, and did you full length size?

Is there any fire forming to be done, or just figure it's going to form enough upon being fired after resize?

Are you getting half way decent brass life?

And what bullet/powder combinations have you found to be a great place to start?

Thanks for any answers.

[djmfl]

I really hate it when some know it all starts by saying that I don't have one, BUT. Geez, sorry for that but, I can be of some major help as my very best friend has a 6.5 you know what and I have a BHW Railed lefthanded upper and .264 lbc barrel on order.

The two rounds are virtually identical. The chamber is ever so slightly different but both rounds will shot in either chamber. I've ordered RCBS .264 lbc dies from Natchez Shooter Supply. Wholesale they are under 50 bucks. RCBS are wonderful dies. Similar 6.5 dies are much higher. You can now buy .264 lbc brass made by Hornady or order 6.5 you know what. Stick with the Hornady brass in the .264 lbc or the Lapua brass in 6.5 G. Lapua brass is wonderful and my shooting friend has over 9 reloads with his Lapua brass. They are pretty pricey. If you use the .264 lbc or 6.5 G brass there is, obviously, no fire forming.

Since I'm thinking that you are going to use the AR platform for the new .264 lbc. If correct, you MUST full length resize all your brass in order to have proper functioning in an AR. The RCBS dies are small base and they size way down to insure proper operation in an AR. In a bolt gun you can get away with neck sizing if you are an experienced reloader. Black Hills makes factory ammo in .264 lbc. I think they are using the Hornady brass.

I'll be working up a load with my new rifle once the upper receiver and barrel arrive, I have time to build it and then take it to the range. Since there are a lot of legal issues with recommending specific loading data, I'd simply suggest that you check online. You'll find tons of specs and data for the 6.5 G. The .264 lbc chamber is designed toward using the Hornady 123 gr. bullet. It is an awesome bullet. I've seen my friend shoot South Dakota Prairie dogs at 1000 yards (many, many times) with that bullet and 6.5 G load.

Good luck! I can't wait to get my stuff!

[GLSHOOTER]

Aug 30, 2011 14:00:57 GMT -8 aftcg said:

I've had a .243 LBC barrel on order for a while and it might be longer still. My son has decided he'd like to try a .264 LBC and it appears I can get one of those barrels with just a phone call.

To anyone out there shooting and loading for one, did you start with 7.62 x 39 brass, or 6.5 Grendel?

Are you using 6.5 Grendel dies, and did you full length size?

Is there any fire forming to be done, or just figure it's going to form enough upon being fired after resize?

Are you getting half way decent brass life?

And what bullet/powder combinations have you found to be a great place to start?

Thanks for any answers.

First off welcome to the fun of the LBC family. Don't even think about 7.62X39 dies for this. Just buy the Grendel dies form RCBS or Hornady. I'm doing the 20 LBC with Hornady brass and it looks like it will hold up well.

The brass will do fine just chamfer it and load it up. No fire forming needed. For a good starting powder look at the IMR 8208 XBR. It is working SUPER in various LBC configurations. Bullet choice will be up to you but I would be looking at the 123 grain area if it were I.

Keep us posted.

Greg

[aftcg]

Thanks both of you for your responses - great info. Yes this will be for an AR build.

I'll check Nachez for a 6.5 whatever die set. As for 7.62 x 39 I was only asking about brass not dies. I load for everything I own and that includes an AK-47, for which I have a good pile of Fiochi brass so if it was possible to form them I'd give it a shot.

I do run Lapua brass in one of my 700 .243s so I'm familiar with how well it runs. Heck I'm way over 10 reloads and have yet to lose a case.

I've yet to try 8208 XBR, so I'll need to get a pound for starters.

[GLSHOOTER]

Aug 30, 2011 20:47:23 GMT -8 aftcg said:

Thanks both of you for your responses - great info. Yes this will be for an AR build.

I'll check Nachez for a 6.5 whatever die set. As for 7.62 x 39 I was only asking about brass not dies. I load for everything I own and that includes an AK-47, for which I have a good pile of Fiochi brass so if it was possible to form them I'd give it a shot.

I do run Lapua brass in one of my 700 .243s so I'm familiar with how well it runs. Heck I'm way over 10 reloads and have yet to lose a case.

I've yet to try 8208 XBR, so I'll need to get a pound for starters.

One of the other fellows on here has been using some Lapua in his LBC's and feels like it is a bit soft and not doing well on primer pockets. The Hornady was working better for him.

Sorry about my confusion on the 7.62 but it just is not worth the effort to make it up when for a few pennies more you can buy the real deal and go shooting a lot sooner.

Greg

[guncollector]

Aug 30, 2011 14:00:57 GMT -8 aftcg said:

I've had a .243 LBC barrel on order for a while and it might be longer still. My son has decided he'd like to try a .264 LBC and it appears I can get one of those barrels with just a phone call.

To anyone out there shooting and loading for one, did you start with 7.62 x 39 brass, or 6.5 Grendel?

Are you using 6.5 Grendel dies, and did you full length size?

Is there any fire forming to be done, or just figure it's going to form enough upon being fired after resize?

Are you getting half way decent brass life?

And what bullet/powder combinations have you found to be a great place to start?

Thanks for any answers.

I have an Alexander Arms 6.5G. I have formed 7.62X39 brass into 6.5G. It is not difficult if you have a quality set of 6.5G/264LBC dies. All that is required is to run new 7.62X39 brass into the 6.5g die. This will size the neck down. Then just load with a fairly stiff load and fire in you 264LBC rifle. This will fire form the body and shoulder. I had a lot of brand new IMI 7.62X39 brass that I bought years ago.They have worked great. I have several reloads on them with no problems. It is probably better to buy 6.5G brass than to fire form 7.62X39 unless, like me, you have a bunch of 7.62X39 laying around. I hope this was helpful

Guncollector.

[aftcg]

Great info thanks. I guess with the 6.5 brass being available I'll just skip the step of sizing down 7.62 x 39 (I don't have so much on hand that it makes a whole lot of sense anyway now that I think about it).

Looking forward to doing a build and doing some long range shooting.

[puravida]

Aug 30, 2011 14:00:57 GMT -8 aftcg said:

I've had a .243 LBC barrel on order for a while and it might be longer still. My son has decided he'd like to try a .264 LBC and it appears I can get one of those barrels with just a phone call.

To anyone out there shooting and loading for one, did you start with 7.62 x 39 brass, or 6.5 Grendel?

Are you using 6.5 Grendel dies, and did you full length size?

Is there any fire forming to be done, or just figure it's going to form enough upon being fired after resize?

Are you getting half way decent brass life?

And what bullet/powder combinations have you found to be a great place to start?

Thanks for any answers.

yes you can buy brass from Hornady or from Les Baer's website. they have it in stock.
also look at the spreadsheet that is attached for loads to use, all the loads work great in my BHW 24 inch bull barrel and I am reaching the speeds that 97 reached as per my pact crony.
as always it goes without saying these are safe loads in MY GUN they may not me in yours so please work up to this load[b/]
I hope you enjoy your new barrel mine is constantly grouping under an MOA with .5 MOA groups becoming the norm all the way out to 1000 yards with the new Match burner 140 grainers from Barnes. Amax 140 grains stay under .75 MOA and the Amax 123 beat them at .65 MOA.
I have learned that grendel lapua brass is good by you have to use the RCBS full small base re-size die on them every time for them to cycle at all. where the Hornady LBC and grendel brass you just run them through the hornady full size die and am good to go.
wolf grendel brass works well also but they use large rifle primers and only last 4 to 5 reloads before splitting, where hornady are lasting 12-14 before their primer pockets become to loose (have not split a neck yet) and lapua is still going strong at 15 reloads (it is just really really hard brass so not fun to work with).
well I hope this helps.

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[GLSHOOTER]

Interesting information I had seen it previously but thanks for the repost. I have never used a small based die on a BHW chamber yet. Perhaps I have been lucky but no one else that has been shooting these for long has ever seemed to need them.

AS long as the shoulder height is adjusted properly it has not been a problem. We have loaded Grendel/LBC rounds in the BHW barrel using 6 PPC does that don't even come close to the base of the cartridge and so far, knock on wood, we are doing very well.

Greg

BTW The last post prior to this one was almost 15 months ago.