22 TCM case question

[NHPaul]

I would be willing to do some testing for you. the armscor brass that I am measuring is pretty consistent at .016 thickness over a sample of 20 cases , this is brasss from factory loaded ammo that I have fired. the "new" brass I bought is all over the place from .014 - .018. the lake city brass that I formed cases from is very consistent at .012.

[GRUMPA]

One thing I found out when I make the 221 Fireball brass, the results are a guessing game if you don't ream the necks. I have had so much praise from people that got the brass from me it isn't funny, I made sure the necks are all the same and straight. Those results you got that were all over the place is rather unimpressive to me, and I'm sure that if run through a chrony the readings are on the wild side. Things like that to me point to one thing, profits come before quality.

[NHPaul]

Where did you get your reamer die?
I think its the way to go to get more consistent neck thickness
Are you using a reamer die like ch makes or a straight machine reamer in .2245? When I expand the neck it does nothing to address case thickness. I think it should be reamed first time and expanded after that. Notice the hornady die set that ammo supply is getting is a 3 die set rather than a rifle style 2 die. I will make it a 4 die set when I get the crimp die finished.

[GRUMPA]

I know you'll know what I'm talking about here. Mount a press on the table of the mill, form and leave the case in the die and ream so the neck won't expand outwards. Dies vary considerably so the reamer size will change accordingly and I use an altered reamer from McMaster Carr (sp) and I don't always get it right the first time either, sometimes I have to order 2-3 different sizes to find the right one. When the time comes I'll be getting a carbide reamer that's close to the size I want, let's face it some of those special sizes are pricey if you can get them.

[NHPaul]

That will do it for sure and we'll end up with consistent neck wall thicknesses I relally think that .016 is the proper thickness for this case at the neck which is exactly what I will get with a .2240 reamer in the die set that I have. If we just wnated it to go bang we could settle for factory loads!!!

[GRUMPA]

OK folks, I got some factory brass from HATCH (Thank You) and got the gauges made from them. I have to wait till I get my jig (You listening VonZep?) and at that point I can go faster than how I'm doing it now (don't ask). I have HATCH and PaulMarquis for field testers so far. I would like to get 5 field testers that will abuse the heck out of 100pcs and write how well they worked or didn't work in the VS section of the site where my name is under the thread 22TCM (Under Development).

I will say this about making them, reaming is mandatory because if you don't you might as well make a sling shot. Brass thickness varies and I don't care what the head stamp is either. Even when using the same head stamp it varies.

[golfhack]

Need a 3rd field tester? Sign me up!

Been waiting for the Hornady dies to arrive at Ammo Supply Warehouse, and just happened to see this thread while looking for an update over on the Hi-Tek coating thread. Have a 22 TCM/9MM and one last box of TCM left (harder to find than .22LR), so I'm game to be a guinea....I mean tester.

[golfhack]

I am making some expander/powder dies for lee powder measures if anyone is interested. I think this will make the reloading of this little beauty a lot quicker , at least for me YMMV

I'm definitely interested if this will case-activate with a Lee Pro-Auto Disk!

[GRUMPA]

Let's clear the air on this, it's not loaded ammo folks it's just the brass....

[golfhack]

Thanks for clarification - I am planning to reload. Hoping to get some of the Hornady dies from Ammo Supply Warehouse in Sept. Lots of bullets now available, only other issues are finding some H110/W296 and a powder through die or insert that will work with my Lee Pro-Auto disk.

[NHPaul]

I got the first expander/funnel and yes it works with the lee autodisk measure just fine , I used a 40 cal lee powder die and made the funnel. belling the case just .005 made all the difference , it loads as easy as any pistol caliber now. I do need to finish up a collet type crimp die, wasnt able to modify anything I could find and get it right. I will end up using a shortended lee FCD for .223 outer die and a custom collet I still have to make , need to make a slitting saw arbor for the milling machine first. its never ending.

[vonzep]

Yeah yeah yeah, my ears were burning. Jig is on the counter for you. Can try to get it out monday if I dont get called in. You need it priority 2-3 days or first class 3-4 days. Just pm me.