.223 to .222

[John Van Gelder]

I do not have a .223, but keep finding .223 brass, I have a .222..so why not reform the cases. A pretty simple conversion, I just run the .223s through a .222 trim die, trim to length and there I have a good supply of .222 brass.

[BigAlofPa.]

I reform 270 into 30.06. They need to be trimmed then. I load them for light target since the neck gets thinned some.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I do not have a .223, but keep finding .223 brass, I have a .222..so why not reform the cases. A pretty simple conversion, I just run the .223s through a .222 trim die, trim to length and there I have a good supply of .222 brass.

Maybe? or maybe not.
Depending on the brass and your technique, the lower portion of the neck "can" get thicker, looks like a donut, and needs to be reamed/trimmed, if not, could cause a fail to chamber or high pressure situation.

this is a pretty good thread, if you read it, be sure to read post #16 very carefully.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...orm-223-to-222
Grumpa did excellent work (RIP Grumpa), I'm happy to have a bunch of his reformed cases (222 from LC), they are better than factory new.

[John Van Gelder]

My method has worked well for a number of years, with no difficulties..After forming the cases and trimming I run them through my sizer / decapper die and that irons out the necks.

[uscra112]

My method has worked well for a number of years, with no difficulties..After forming the cases and trimming I run them through my sizer / decapper die and that irons out the necks.

Then if a neck mikes a bit thick, O.D. turn them as needed.

[mattw]

I would also be sure to use commercial .223 cases, not military cases. I would suspect the volumetric differences to be much greater if using military cases, this could cause some possible pressure issues for the .222. You may also want to anneal the case necks before sizing them down, or at least after the sizing.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

The thick case/reduced case volume situation is not limited to just military brass!!!!!!!!

A few months ago, I reclaimed a RUGER #1 with AAA black walnut that I put together in the 80s. I have a target on my "brag board" shot on 3/6/82 with 5 shots going into 3/8" and fired from military brass. But on to the point ---------------

I have lots of "pickup" and military brass, but wanted the consistency of brass from all one lot number as I again test and develop loads for the safe queen reclaimed.

So, I bought a few hundred new Starline brass and when attempting to load starting level test loads found that the brass would NOT hold even beginning loads amounts of powder. My starting loads are reduced well below typical starting load levels, due to the reduced case capacity of the Starline brass.

No big thing, as this is after all what load development and "working up" is all about, start low and go slow.

However the point which needs to be made is, you may well find that it is NOT ONLY military brass that has heavier/thicker case walls and therefore reduced internal case capacity.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[elysianfield]

John,
Re-forming .223 brass to .222 is just adding one or several more variables to your reloading of the cartridge. If you are looking for gilt edged accuracy, stick with .222 brass of a single lot, if possible. If accuracy is not a great concern, go for it...I did the conversion years ago without apparent safety issues.

[John Van Gelder]

Not looking for any great accuracy just cheap shooting with cast bullets.

[gnostic]

I make 221 Fireball from 223 with a trim die all the time... The neck gets thicker not thinner and requires inside neck reaming...

[richhodg66]

I've done it and decided it's more trouble than it's worth. Had a high reject rate if you don't do it just a slight amount at a time. This video is pretty much the procedure I used.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzPnJljG3nw

[izzyjoe]

I also tried it with some LC cases, and I just run the die down a little at a time, but I still ended up having to many dented necks, which is cause from to much lube. At that time I was using STP oil treatment for sizing lube, but I've abandoned that since I'm using Imperial sizing lube now. I ended up buying some 222 brass, but I do want to give it another try just to see if the Imperail will work better!

[jsn]

One of the 300 Blackout web sites has a list of good potential donor brass--if it has a .011" thickness after chopping for conversion to 300 BLK, it's a good candidate for 222 Rem. You may have a slight donut, but you may not have a donut problem, depending on how tight the neck portion of the chamber is and how far into the neck the bullet is to be seated. You may not need to ream the inside of the neck.

It would help to use brass of the same headstamp, preferably of the same lot. There are notes on the list referenced above how some FC brass, for example, can appear the same externally but have different manufacturers and thickness of the case wall.

[Littlewolf]

i use 7/8" ID machine bushings, i forget the bushing thickness. however it takes 5 bushings between the prees and the die nut for stage one. the decapping rod is not in the die if there are bushings on the press/die. i use anhydrus lanolin as 222 forming lube a lil dab on my finger tip does 3-5 cases smeared thin on the base 1/3 of the case. this limits shoulder dents i still however make sure to rag wipe the shoulder after each forming stage. with this method i have a 95% success rate then after cases have been formed and decapped regardless of headstamp the primer pockets get swaged then they go through the forster trimmer with outside neck turner. neck wall thickness .010".
yes i go through a lot of trouble to be able to drop red fox squirrels that present targets the size of grapes and coyotes from 300y

[Littlewolf]

PS: stage one 5 bushings just touches the case mouth of the 223rem

[John Van Gelder]

I have been using my method for a number of years, with no strange looking cases or pressure issues. The occasional oil dent, which pretty well "iron" out after the first couple of firings. As far as differences in case volume, any time you change from one brand to another of commercial brass this can be an issue.

This was fun I wonder what kind of response I'll get on making .44 "shorts" out of .45ACP brass..!

[Larry Gibson]

When I lived in NE Oregon I used several 222s, mostly Rem M788s. I used basically the same method with the FL die with the decap rod removed. Primers already had been punched out with a Lee decap die. Formed the 222 case in 3 stages of die adjustment. I used a thin coat of lanolin for lube. Once formed I trimmed the necks with a turned down pilot for a Forster trimmer. Once trimmed the necks were expanded with a 22 M-die then FL sized again with the decap/expander rod in place. The necks were then lightly trued up with a Forster outside neck turner on the trimmer.

I made over a thousand cases for myself and a couple other guys that way using LC and TW cases with very few rejects. I found case capacity was pretty much equal to factory rem cases and used the same loads (H335 under 50 or 55 gr SXs) in all 3 cases. Velocities were basically the same as was accuracy, which was excellent with the M788s.

[John Van Gelder]

Larry Gibson

I have been loading for 60+ years.. This is not my first "Rodeo".. There is a lot that goes into Bench Rest shooting, from weighing cases, checking volume, gauging flash holes, spinning completed rounds, etc. etc. My goal is ammunition that is capable of one minute of ground squirrel at 100 yards or less with my favourite cast bullet. My reformed .223 cases work just fine for me.

[Larry Gibson]

The formed 222 cases from 5.56/223 cases worked just fine for me too. I shot quite a few ground squirrels (picket pins) with cast out of my 222 and 223s before I got my 22 Hornet. One time I had 300 of the 225415s loaded in the 222 for the M788 and shot them up in one day....... I did prefer the 50/55 gr SXs for red diggers up in the mountain meadow/clearcuts as the ranges could easily stretch to 300 yards. Even with the Hornet I preferred 40 & 45 gr jacketed Hornet bullets for the red diggers.

This was taken up out of Telocaset toward Main Eagle on the south end of Eagle Cap Wilderness. The Colt/Sako my friend is shooting is a 222 and I believe he's using cases I formed. I was using the #3 in 22 Hornet on that hunt.

Attachment 239534

[John Van Gelder]

My favourite summer "entertainment" hunting is going for ground squirrels. I work the edges of clear cuts, most of my shots are at 50 yards or less. My load of choice in the .222 for those ranges is my 55 gr. Loveran (sp?) cast bullet without a GC and 3.5 gr. of Red Dot. I have an old Remington 600 carbine, a very handy little rifle.