....so what you're saying is that your wife won't let you buy another rifle so you had to improvise???:biglaugh:

 

You are closer to the truth there than you realise.

Also - I am just cheap

EDIT: The funny part is - I used up all my .308 brass by cutting it down to form .45ACP brass, Do I detect a pattern here :scratch:

 

Not sure what your background in this is, so you may already know, but you may have thick necks (since what is now the neck used to be the body). Make sure you check overall neck size with a seated bullet. If neck is too large, pressure can go through the roof.

 

Good point. My "cheap" calibers show it to be the same (or very close), but I will mike it at the shop tomorrow with some more reliable equipment. If I have to adjust the wall thickness would turning the outside be ok? or should I ream the inside.

Thank you for the advise - I tend to get ahead of myself sometimes.

 

You'll probably get as many responses on outside turning vs inside reaming (kind of like full length vs GI guide rod or shok-buff vs no shok-buff :biglaugh: ) but unless you are shooting benchrest competition, outside should be fine. Just watch it as you get close to the neck-shoulder junction.

 

Thanks for the info FMJ230. If they both work - outside would be a lot easier for me to do (equipment wise).

 

Well, congrats!!!

Before you get all ready to turn or ream the necks, measure them carefully.
Once fired brass is already stretching and thinning. Depending upon caliber change and parent cartridge and number of firings, many of my formed cases are already within spec, so I don't turn or ream at all. You might not be so lucky, but you don't know until you measure carefully.

Most importantly, go here and learn some new things:
http://www.6mmbr.com/260AIforming.html

 

By the way, I use a Wen electric scriber to scratch across the old headstamp. Of course it doesn't erase the existing headstamp, it just makes a few shallow scratches, but it scratches the markings enough to make a visual check much easier. After a few firings I usually need to scratch again.

 

Nick A
TheGerk
Thank you both for your input. I appreciate any advise you and any other member can give me. I am fairly new to reloading shouldered brass. My experience so far has been in straight cases - mostly .45acp (about 5000 + rounds).
Thank you again.
I have some 150 grain bullets that I might try in the fire-forming. This part is new to me. My original plan was to use cornmeal on top of longshot - with a small wad. The other thought that crossed my mind for forming was to use some (don't laugh please ) black powder. I have been a blackpowder shooter for years - it is something that I am very confident in. My theory was that it could not over pressure anything, and the sudden violent explosion of a charge with no bullet (compared to smokeless with no bullet) would form the brass.
But it would be messy . I have 10+ pounds of blackpowder on hand now (mill my own), other than that I have Bullseye, Longshot, Red dot, and Reloader 15. Any suggestions on these would be appreciated.
I am still curious as to the blank blackpowder charge - at least it would not get me into trouble.

AC

 

I would stand down on the black powder
You don’t want this anywhere near your smokeless powder gun, components or loading gear.
Besides, the black powder has poor energy potential
You need to develop enough energy so the case “forms” in the chamber
From the powders you mentioned, RL-15 would be my choice
A minimum or starting charge of say 30 – 35 grains of the RL-15 with the 150 grainers seated against the lands will generate enough pressure spike to “form” the brass
With the bullet seated against the lands this will keep the case from “flowing”
Something you don’t want and make it “form” to the chamber instead, this is desired
Good Luck

 

With the bullet seated against the lands this will keep the case from “flowing”
Something you don’t want and make it “form” to the chamber instead, this is desired

That Makes a lot of sense. Thank you.
I will try your advise this weekend.

I also have 1/2 pound of Win 231 in a can. I haven't got much use for it and wouldn't mind burning it up. I have no idea as to how fast/slow it is. How would it compare (speed wise) to the other powders that I listed above.

Thanks again.

AC

 

231 is a relatively fast pistol powder and not recommended
You want to use a fast rifle powder as I stated before

 

Sell the .06 brass and replace with .308 to prevent the hassle and possible problems?

 

I do not think it is his wife controlling his expenditures on firearms or components, it seems more like his government.

I went to Calgary, Canada in summer of 2008 I talked to several gun store owners and they reported that nothing was coming into the country legaly, no guns, bullets, powder, gun parts..ect. I was assisting a friend purchase a 1911 magazine, we could not find one.

 

That's strange - I could buy any one of a hundred different handguns this afternoon, Legally, if wished. I would have to wait 1 to 2 days to take possession of them. I could buy as much ammo as I wanted today also - in any caliber I desired, from .22 rimfire to .50 BMG.
Rifles & shotguns are not a problem either.
The only thing slowing down the import of parts and firearms from the USA is that some suppliers in the USA do not want to bother with the US export permit paperwork.
I have parts on the way right now from EGW and Wolff.
My .308 Stainless hunter was bought at the 2008 Shot Show and legally imported

Here are links to the two local shops:
http://www.backcountryfsj.com/
http://www.rockymountainrifles.com/home.php

The only reason for this project is to learn some and challenge myself. This is why I was forming .45acp brass from .308 a few months ago (It worked well)

 

My thinking is the same as Gerk's thinking. Kinda scary, huh?

Even while fire forming, you get reasonably accuracy. I don't use a wad/filler method. I load those die formed cases with bullets and several powder selections and start developing loads right away. You won't be able to fine tune a load, but you'll eliminate the bad loads.

Just exactly like Gerk says, jamb the bullets lightly against the lands. It helps pressure develop more fully so the brass forms outward into the shoulder of the chamber.

Oh, and by the way. Don't forget to clean your chamber real good before you fire form. Don't ask me and my extractor how we know.

 

Thanks Nick:

I plan on loading a few with the Reloader 15 and 150 grain Winchester bullets over the next few nights.
I will follow the advise of you and Geek and seat the bullets so that they just touch the lands.
I will shoot them on Saturday and post some pictures of the fully formed brass.
Wish me luck

AC