7x57 Ackley -- brass

[bandur60]

I recently acquired this caliber, with a set of Redding dies, not expecting brass availability to be a problem. 2 sporting goods stores and 2 reloading stores in town and no brass to be had in any of them. And I can't bring myself to lay out the $$$ for loaded ammo just to get the brass.
Midway lists 7x57 brass, but seasonal runs and not available until August 30. They do have 8x57 --- should I expect a neck thickness problem if I squeeze them down to 7mm, or just load a few and if they chamber OK, then just fire away? I've been trying to imagine where the material will go, or how it will move around, in the downsizing/fireforming process.
The barrel is stamped "7x57 / Mauser / Banzet" on top of the chamber, and on the opposite side (covered by the stock) is "1954" and in script "Ashton". Slow twist, about 1/12" or a little less. Ring any bells?

I don't really know where I'm going with this, it's my first experience with an Ackley but I think I'll have fun with it regardless.

 

[powell&hyde]

You can use 30/06 brass to make your 7x57 ackley ammo by necking and shortening the case.

 

[powell&hyde]

Here are 2 scanned pics from my books, might help you out. I have a 30/06 AI and it has been a darned good shooter. If you use 30/06 brass, go ahead and run it thru your 7x57AI FL sizing die and trim to length. The first pic is specs for your 7x57AI and 2nd is of the /06. As you can see from the pics, this might be your best choice.

 

[steveno]

it would be a heck of a lot easier just to buy the loaded 7 x 57 ammo rather than reforming any other brass. that is the good thing about an Ackley chamber as the headspace deminsion is the same

 

[bandur60]

I ran one R-P '06 case through the die yesterday and it sized it OK, but collapsed the shoulder instead of lowering it. I had rough trimmed the case from 63mm (?), and I mean rough, back to about 57 mm, before sizing it. Also lubed the neck, trying not to get lube on the shoulder, and the body of the case. No oil dents on the shoulder afterward.

It seems to me that moving the shoulder back 6mm is asking a lot of that case body in terms of getting the brass to go where it needs to be. Is it a lube situation or problem where I am missing some technique?

If I could stumble across some 7x57 brass this would be so simple ....

 

[bandur60]

I was writing when Steveno posted. The thing to do seems to be to just bite the bullet (pun intended) and buy "A" box of cartridges, which I haven't done since '06 was around $7/20.

I'm still curious about re-forming the '06 brass, though.

 

[35 Whelen]

Plenty o' brass out there:

MidSouth 7x57 Brass

Graf & Son's 7x57 Brass

Fireforming is easy: Prime the case, charge it with 8-10 grs. of pistol powder (I use Unique, but most anything along those lines will work), fill the case almost full with Cream of Wheat, seal the mouth of the case with a plug of wax out of (the backside of) one of your wifes candles, chamber and fire in a safe direction!

I've done lots of 257 AI's and 338-06 AI's using this method. Works great.

35W

 

[bandur60]

Just remembered the step I missed. My first go at this, and while I've read about annealing I've never done it. .... the education continues....

 

[steveno]

you can if you want but you don't need to use the real light powder charges for fireforming. just load them with a standard 7 x 57 load and that will work also