Necking up/down brass

[eastwood44mag]

I'm a newbie to the whole making brass from other brass bit, so can anyone tell me in REALLY stupid terms just how one goes about necking brass up/down to fit another bullet than the one it was originally designed for?

Thanks.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Some conversions are quite simple, such as 35 whelen where you simply cram a 30-06 case into a Whelen die

 

[sargenv]

Other conversions can take some time and several steps and trimming involved. Nothing comes to mind right off the bat but I know there are cases out there like that.

I once made 300 Savage brass from .308 Winchester cases. Ran the brass through the savage sizing die, trimmed the case, and there ya go.

You usually need several steps when you have to step down say from 35 cal down to 32 cal down to like 28 cal. Stepping down in this way usually results in a better chance to not screw up too many pieces of brass.

Then there are the ways you fireform cases. Going from something like a 348 winchester to a 348 ackley improved. All you need do is fire the standard round in the new chamber and the pressure blows the case out to fireform it to the new cartridge size, then you neck size it.

 

[KI.W.]

I make from 8mm Mauser to 9,3x57 using also LEE-universal expander. It goes from .22Hornet to .458 Win Mag.

 

[nicholst55]

It will depend largely on what you're trying to form. Some are very simple conversions, such as forming 7mm-08 from .308 - simply run the lubed .308 brass into a 7mm-08 sizing die. Some require multiple forming dies, trimming, inside reaming, etc.

I routinely form 6.5-06 brass by simply running .30-06 brass into the 6.5-06 sizing die. I form .257 Weatherby brass by necking 7mm Rem Mag brass down in the sizing die, and then fire-form it to my rifle's chamber. That involves loading a less-than-maximum charge of powder and a bullet, and then firing the round in my rifle. The fired brass has the case shoulder blown out to conform to the Weatherby double radius shoulder.

As krochus stated, .35 Whelen is formed by simply running a .30-06 case into the .35 Whelen sizing die, which has a tapered expander. This actually yields a case about .030-040" short; I prefer to do it with either .270 Winchester or .280 Remington brass. The .270 brass yields cases around .003-005" inch short; the .280 brass yields a case slightly longer than the maximum length specified for the Whelen that must be trimmed before use.

 

[redneck2]

Actually, it's typically a lot simpler than it sounds.

Using Rooster CFL or Imperial Sizing Wax helps a LOT. Regular case lube doesn't work nearly as well if you are doing anything more than minor reforming.

If you're sizing the neck up, polish the expander in a regular die with oiled emery cloth. Chuck the stem in a drill. Grease the ball and neck with CFL and they pop right open.

Go to Varmint Al's site for some pointers.