Forming 270 from 30-06

[sigep1764]

Hey Guys and Gals,
Newer to rifle reloading and just realized I could use my full length sizing die to neck down 30-06 to 270. It does leave the cases a bit short, but my understanding is that the cases will grow and require trimming at some point just like normal brass. My question revolves around neck reaming. Do you all think its necessary since I'm not necking down too awful lot? Empty cases chambered just fine and the expander rod pulled easily through the brass.

[Duckiller]

I did it with military brass to avoid headstamp problems. Military eadstamp is just where and when. Have had no problems. Must admit that I am in So. Cal and rifle is in No. Mich.

[Tom W.]

The length needs to be checked, but That little bit of short won't hurt. You do need to make a dummy load to see that the neck didn't thicken up enough to cause problems feeding.

[GRUMPA]

Hey Guys and Gals,
Newer to rifle reloading and just realized I could use my full length sizing die to neck down 30-06 to 270. It does leave the cases a bit short, but my understanding is that the cases will grow and require trimming at some point just like normal brass. My question revolves around neck reaming. Do you all think its necessary since I'm not necking down too awful lot? Empty cases chambered just fine and the expander rod pulled easily through the brass.

0nly way to know for sure is to make a dummy round and see how it chambers...

[sigep1764]

Other than the brass being short, they chambered just fine. The neck brass does seem to be a little thicker. Will fire these on Sunday to test.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

You should have no problems. Been there and done that!

Now, when I take .308 brass down to .243, I do turn the necks. Years back a friend pass an article to me about a nice pre 64 Winchester being turn to scrap because of an overly thick neck on a piece of formed .308 brass.

Since that point I have made it a practice to take the time/effort to do the neck turning on that cse forming, but never on the "06" to 270.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Rcmaveric]

I turn necks after neck up or down. Brass flows and i want to ensure the necks have even thickness.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yes, I know that brass flows, but "think" that is mostly a forward progression, especially with improper/excessive case sizing, coupled with overly high chamber pressures.

However, the post above is correct in a way most of may not expect. Although the difference is small enough that it would take a tubing micrometer to detect, the case neck thickness MANY to most of the time varies from point to point or side to side.

This is very evident when I turn the necks on cases formed from .308 down to .243. To the point that many times little to no metal is removed from one side of the case neck while turning. Seldom is the amount of metal removed uniform from side to side.

In the past I have done some cases of other those being formed, but the level of accuracy from my rifles is normally high enough without that extra step so as to make the effort involved questionable in value.

But, years back it seemed that new brass came to us in better condition then seems typical these days. I can't recall the need to run case necks into the sizing die for an 1/8" or so +/- to make sure they are round and of proper size before the first loading, so I suppose that the case neck thickness uninformative could also be suffering.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[sigep1764]

Fired them today. Same smaller than dime size groups at 25 yards(max for my indoor range). No drop off in accuracy from start to finish. Fired as fast as I could single load and get a good sight picture. Took maybe 6 minutes to fire 36 rounds.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

WOW, that is a good pace to toast a barrel!

Good that things went OK.

CDOC

[sigep1764]

Its a reduced load. 10grains of red dot. Maybe 1500-1600fps. It doesn't get too hot. One more reason I decided to cast for it, to get lots of practice behind it.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Way to go Sigep!!!!!!!!!

I use a bit more Red Dot for reduced practice "06" loads for young or inexperienced shooters.

Not only does it reduce the recoil and muzzle blast, but greatly as you indicate, increases the number of shots you can shoot in a session without "toasting" a barrel.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[sigep1764]

So far it has a little over 600 rounds of cast through it with one barrel scrub. I've just been running wet patches then dry patches. It might just be me but I do think it is getting better the more I shoot. Might be I'm just getting used to the gun. 3006 is much more prevalent at my range than 270 so finding brass is now gonna be easier.

[fast ronnie]

I almost never find 06 brass at our range, but .270 turns up in the fall. Seems like most here don't reload .270.
.270 makes good 7 x 57 and .280 Remington with a very little work.

[docbrown]

Nice going! Sounds like a solid job converting the brass and on the load.

Correct me if I am wrong, but as a rifle round is fired, the case will "stretch" in the neck area, so that even if it is a little short now, it will get longer as it is fired.

[Walks]

I necked up/down brass & reformed it as a kid.

But When it became legal to order components & ammo through the U.S. Mail. I gave that up. Brass became cheap and plentiful, the only case forming I've done in 30yrs is for .40-82 in an original 1886. And I pick up enough once-fired brass at the range every time I go.

I guess if ya wanna mess with it, go ahead. But as for me I got enough brass collected up to last the rest of my life. And I is only 64yrs young.

[sigep1764]

They do stretch in the neck so it will grow. It hasnt affected accuracy.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

In reality, I believe the increased case length comes from the base of the case, just ahead of the case head.

If brass is over sized, in which case the shoulder is pushed back excessively each time the case is sized, each time the case is fired the case wall grips the chamber and the head is forced to the rear before being stopped by the bolt face, stretching just in front of the case head.

This is the reason for head separations, of course along with possible excessive pressures or poor brass quality.

Providing the brass is of good quality to begin with, the "flow" of metal toward the case mouth can MANY times be decreased by proper full length sizing die adjustment.

This increases usable case life and increases the consistency of the handloads.

Brass fired in your chamber and sized in your sizing die should be sized the minimum amount possible to allow for that brass to again smoothly chamber in your chamber.

Many to most of the loading equipment companies such as RCBS, Hornady and lee don't seem to have a clue. Yes, following their set up directions will allow a person to reload fired brass, but Hornady is the only one of those three companies that seems to get it. They include a "foot Note" with their die set up instructions which says that setting a full length sizing die down to the shell holder or enough more to let the press ram cam over at the top of the stroke could lead to over sizing.

Of course, in such things like semi- automatics or in other firearms such as pumps or actions that do NOT lock up as tightly as the typical bolt action or falling block single shots, brass life may need to be secondary to functionality.

But, even in cases where the brass is properly sized there will be some migration of brass from the case head to the case mouth. It will just typically be slower, meaning longer usable brass life and less case trimming.

Taking something like a paper clip that has been straightened except for a small hook at the end that can be sharpened, can be used to "feel" an internal groove just in front of the case head even before the tell tail ring shows up just in front or the case head.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[sigep1764]

CDOC is correct, most bras failures come from case necks splitting or the case head separating about a half an inch above the case head. My brass shows a small line at that level from the first full jacketed load. I full length side my brass once as some of the brass was fired in a friends Ruger American. After that, I have neck sized only and brass hasn't grown appreciably. Of course, if you are shooting heavier loads, you might have to trim more often. But if you neck size only and don't fire full house loads, the brass will last a lot longer. Some of my cases have 5 or so firings and it still looks great. I will probably anneal the case necks after I load all of them up and fire once more. Need to buy a propane torch! More toys!

[Walks]

I take any pickup brass I use and neck it up one caliber. Then neck size it down until the bolt will just close. That way headspace is held to a minumum. I've never had a case head separation doing it this way.

And I only pickup brass after the folks next to throw away the factory box and leave.