25-20 cases

[bones37]

That's why you don't want to mix cases, as they also have different capacities and metal hardness, think annealing. Ask around here, some know this stuff and save grief in doing new stuff.

BvT

Exactly. I did ask around here. . Wealth of Knowledge(the forum members)

[snaketail]

If you want to get rid of the .25-20 shoot me a PM. I've been scrounging for brass since last summer.

Michael

[wrench man]

I pondered the Starline 32-20 to 25-20 a couple of yeas ago?, didn't do it, also pondered necking up 218 too?
I've been lucky enough to pick up several bags of NEW Winchester brass, only issue it has are the primer pockets NEED uniforming!?
My person experience with Remington brass is NEVER! again, it's garbage!, all of them are brittle, they have neck/shoulder splits right out of the box!, and I'm not the only one to have this issue!, don't recall if it was on here?, or over on Marlin Owners? but one other guy had the exact same issue!, no more Remington brass in my 25-20!

[Baron von Trollwhack]

My own belief is that the R brass is thinner and thus work hardens very quickly, thus the neck splits. Even in first time use you may get a split making the ammo, no matter the brand, and secondarily if you don't use it reasonably quickly because of neck tension stress. I anneal my new R and all other brass before starting the uniforming process for that reason, and no longer make large batches of varmint, woods loafing ammo. Seems fresh ammo in 25-20 lasts longer and shoots a tiny bit better. BTW the cast boollits may be a bit harder than j bullets on this brass because they are of larger diameter and require the m die/neck bell procedures which require more neck rework, so tiny case mouth splits are common. Save these for anneal and trim for jacketed as you won't have gas seal issues despite a short neck.

Time to start mailing vendors about difficulty finding these cases, saying please get some, Privi also about making them, S & B, etc. And then laying in a lot of extra brass for legacy reasons. If the brass disappears entirely, the firearms will reduce in value.

In any event, necking 32-20 down requires annealing as I believe Starline brass is a bit harder also. Seems like none of it(in caliber specific) requires initial full length sizing, but I don't have a minimum dimension chamber either.

BvT

[Gunnut 45/454]

Maybe a dumb question but is the case head the same diameter as 30-30 or smaller? If the same couldn't one cut down and reform 30-30 too 25-20?

[LtFrankDrebbin]

Maybe a dumb question but is the case head the same diameter as 30-30 or smaller? If the same couldn't one cut down and reform 30-30 too 25-20?

You must be thinking of 25-35. The 32-20 is the parent case for 25-20

[bones37]

I used what I could get, and NO factory formed 25-20 brass was/has been available in my area. I have a LGS that has two boxes of factory loaded j-words, but I'm not paying $89.99 per 50 rounds for that. The way I see it, I'm still money ahead buying the form and trim die, two bags of Rem 32-20 brass and forming it to 25-20. I'm on my 3rd reload with no neck splits yet, however your mileage and opinion may vary, so each to his own.

bones37.

[Camba]

Cases formed from the 32-20 to 218 Bee are ready to be reloaded? Or. Do they need neck turning and all the other stuff?
My last supply of 218 Bee is two 50 rnd boxes of HSM ammo that I would hate to shoot it just to make room for reloading. The main reason is that I am not having a good luck getting more than two to 3 reloads with each case.
When reusing the once fired 218 Bee case, 1 out of 3 cases gets a vertical ding at the slope of the neck. When that round gets fired, it splits the neck vertically from the same location of where the ding was seen. Any suggestion on what may be causing that problem?
Here is a picture after the fact fired and split right at the location were the ding was seen:


Camba

[TCFAN]

Might be to much case lube in the FL sizer??I neck size my 218 bee cases and get excellent case life.When I form 218 bee from 32-20 I have to go to 25-20 first and then 218. If I use to much case lube I get lube dents similar to what you have in your photo............Terry