Forming 8mm Mauser from 30 06

[game chicken]

I watched a couple of videos and then tried forming 8mm Mauser cases from ‘06 cases. I think i succeeded because my cases now pass the Wilson gauge plunk test perfectly. I haven’t fired them yet. Short version: I simply used an 8mm Mauser full length die on them and then trimmed and annealed. My question is: I have seen that there are forming dies sold for this operation. Are they simply trim dies or do they actually form the case easier than I can the way I’m doing it? Sometimes I have to force the old rock chucker so hard I’m afraid I’m gonna bend something. I am using the proper amount of lube, I believe, because I’m not getting any shoulder dents nor stuck cases.
Thanks

 

[denton]

I've made 8x57 from 30-06 many times. If you anneal first, it doesn't take a lot of force. You do have to anneal a little farther down the case than you normally would. Anneal, form in your regular die, trim. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

 

[game chicken]

Ok will definitely try annealing before instead of after.

 

[FROGO207]

Yep I also anneal first to make things easier. Also to keep confusion down I use LC brass so there are no 30-06 headstamps to confuse things.

 

[Bcwitt]

Forming dies are nessesary for more complex operations, but 8x57 from 06 is very easy. Ive used an FL for that & several others w no difficulty. You can actually make a nice no go gauge the same way.

 

[N555]

I started doing this around 1999.
I trim them down to about 58 to 59mm, anneal, final trim.

 

[GooseGestapo]

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/72658

Why form 8mm. It’s cheap enough to buy!
I prefer my ‘06 as they are! Too many “mouths to feed” to cut up my ‘06 brass.
I don’t find it laying on the ground as in years past...

 

[AJC1]

I wonder if the necks would be to thick from 270, I have piles of it and not a lot of call for it.

 

[FROGO207]

Well the only way to find out is to size down one of each headstamp you have and measure. Bet they are going to be close. The RP will be the thinnest.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I wonder if the necks would be to thick from 270, I have piles of it and not a lot of call for it.

270 is longer than 30-06.

 

[N555]

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/72658

Why form 8mm. It’s cheap enough to buy!
I prefer my ‘06 as they are! Too many “mouths to feed” to cut up my ‘06 brass.
I don’t find it laying on the ground as in years past...

For a while during the plandemic 8mm Mauser brass was $2 to $3 per new case if you could find it and yahoo's were selling fired boxer brass for $1 each at one point.

 

[Kp321]

For forming such as this, Imperial Wax is the best lube. Using it after annealing reduces the handle effort significantly. Be sure to check the neck thickness. Some 06 brass, especially GI, is thick enough to require neck reaming.