ALTERED BRASS: 22-250 to 250 Savage, 6mm Rem to 6.5 x 55

[ELFEGO BACA]

For those that have trouble finding the right brass you might have what you need without knowing it.

Years ago when I purchased a 250-3000 brass was not available. The cure was to purchase 22-250 and neck it up to 250-3000. Originally the reverse was done - 250-3000 brass was necked down to 22-250.

When I purchased a Swede over a dozen years ago I could not buy any 6.5 x 55 brass at least not the inexpensive kind. I necked up some 6 mm Remington brass to 6.5 x 55 - I am still using some of these for my cast bullet loads:)

[NickSS]

I have made the following brass from 30-06 brass, 6.5X55, 7X57, 8X57, 7.65X53, 7.7 Jap, 25-06, 270 Win, 338-06, 35 Whellen. I have made the following from 308 Brass. 243 Win, 6.5-08 (260 Rem), 7-08 and 358 Win. I have allso made 7.5X55 Swiss brass from 284 Win and 7.62X39 from 6.5 Carcano, and the list goes on and on. If you do not have the right stuff and can't find it or are just cheap like me you can do a lot with conversion of brass to another caliber.

[trk]

...
When I purchased a Swede over a dozen years ago I could not buy any 6.5 x 55 brass at least not the inexpensive kind. I necked up some 6 mm Remington brass to 6.5 x 55 - I am still using some of these for my cast bullet loads:)

THANKS!

Now I know what to do with that 6mmRem brass that I pick up at the range!

[BruceB]

Another good use for 6mm Remington cases is making 7x57 and 8x57 brass. .220 Swift 'reverse-engineers' into 6mm Lee Navy, for those esoteric souls who own one.

My own personal "most elegant" transformation is taking the Remington Ultra-Mags back to their roots.....the fabulous .404 Jeffery!! By far the easiest one of the UMs to re-form is the .375 RUM, which makes perfect .404 brass with a combination of mechanical resizing in a .404 sizer die and then fireforming to complete the change. If done correctly, they don't even need squaring-up of the necks.

A litle desperation can do wonders for creative thinking.

[NVcurmudgeon]

When forming 6.5 X 55 from common .470" base cases please watch for head expansion with stout loads.

[Bullshop Junior]

BruceB
A question for ya. Is there enough diameter to those to leave a sholder if necked to 50 cal?
BIC/BS

[BruceB]

Bullshop Junior; "A question for ya. Is there enough diameter to those to leave a sholder if necked to 50 cal?"

Diameter of the .375 RUM brass fireformed in my .404 is .545" just ahead of the extractor groove. Since we have to allow for at least a wee bit of taper for good extraction, and also take neck wall thickness into account, I'm afraid that it would be a very "iffy" concept in .50 caliber. The case would be virtually straight, like a .458 Winchester, but without that belt which after all does give a place to headspace the round when using a straight case.

It might be workable in .475 diameter, but I think .50 caliber would be a touchy proposition.

[drinks]

The .220 Swift can also make .303 Savage and 6.5x54 MS and, by adding a sleeve of .40 brass to a .30-30 family case both can be made, just have to turn the rim off for the MS and cut an extractor groove.

[Charley]

Now that 6.5x55 brass is readily available, I use IT to form 7.5x54 French.
.

[bruce drake]

35 Remington and 220 Swift can also be used to form 6.5 JAP. 35 Remington is a two stage reform with a 308 Win sizing die and then the 6.5 Jap size die. The 220 Swift case needs to be trimmed to the proper length and then its a simple neck up.

Bruce

[castshooter-too]

Bruce, My own 6.5 jap has a oversize chamber which leaves a rather large stretch at the web area; just what trim length is required on 220 swift brass to convert to the jap round? Also will a lee pacesettewr die work for this convertion?

[bruce drake]

I use Lee PAce Setter Dies for my rifle as well. THe 220 Swift brass is 2.205 inches (56mm) in length. It's a simple cutdown to 50mm and then reform.

Loading the first cases hot will result in stretched cases usually in Winchester brass. My Remington cases are a little thicker but don't bulge as often

[castshooter-too]

Thanks Bruce for the quick reply. Thank you ELFEGO BACA ; for starting this thread. I've searched the internet for anything that would clue me in to case conversions on the jap case without much sucsess. glad I came across this.

[drinks]

Cat2;
Can also be made from .30-30 family brass, just chuck a case in a drill motor and turn down the rim with a file then go to the auto parts and buy a roll of SS trim tape, cut it in 1/2" strips and wrap it around the case just ahead of the rim until it is .445"dia.
The body will expand ahead of the case but will not expand at the head/body junction so will not cause a weak place there.
Of course, run the case into a 6.5jap die.
The best case would be a .25-35, just a slight expansion, but .30-30 or .32 SP should do fine.