8x57 brass - a slightly different route

[wmitty]

I would normally use an 8 x 57 form/trim die and .30-06 brass but couldn’t find one on eBay so went a different way. Did find set of RCBS full length dies and used .270 brass; which allows chambering the sized brass ( neck o.d. of .309” on the .270). Used 6.0 gr 700X and filled case to top of neck with corn meal and held it in place with a small wad of cleaning patch cloth. Fired these into a container of rags to muffle the report, which is substantial; and wound up with fire formed cases which require trimming roughly .4 inches. The rcbs case trimmer with handle removed and driven by a 1/2” chuck battery powered drill made this easy work. Did spend some time making a neck expanding pin to be held in the bullet puller collet. Overall, the file/trim die with hacksaw is a lot quicker, but I did manage to come up with twenty cases which will get me shooting the Zastava.

[kycrawler]

I just knock most of the extra length off with bench grinder de bur. Run into8x57 fl die. Trim then light anneal

[EDG]

I have formed both 7.65 and 8x57 cases in that manner but I did not fire form them with squib loads.
I trim to maximum length that will fit in my chamber. When fired in my rifle with normal loads the cases get .004 to .006 shorter as the rounded shoulders blow out to match the chamber shoulder.
The cases wind up being longer than the trim to length but I just trim them all to match the shortest one and rarely have to trim them as they stretch back to the maximum length of the chamber.

I would normally use an 8 x 57 form/trim die and .30-06 brass but couldn’t find one on eBay so went a different way. Did find set of RCBS full length dies and used .270 brass; which allows chambering the sized brass ( neck o.d. of .309” on the .270). Used 6.0 gr 700X and filled case to top of neck with corn meal and held it in place with a small wad of cleaning patch cloth. Fired these into a container of rags to muffle the report, which is substantial; and wound up with fire formed cases which require trimming roughly .4 inches. The rcbs case trimmer with handle removed and driven by a 1/2” chuck battery powered drill made this easy work. Did spend some time making a neck expanding pin to be held in the bullet puller collet. Overall, the file/trim die with hacksaw is a lot quicker, but I did manage to come up with twenty cases which will get me shooting the Zastava.

[RED BEAR]

Can I ask why not just but 8mm brass? Is it that much cheaper to form it? I run across once fired 8mm brass now and then.

[wmitty]

Well, in my case I’d paid seven cents apiece for the .270 brass so I could not find a cheaper route to travel.

[wmitty]

EDG- I also trim cases to maximum length and found the Zastava’s chamber would accept a neck .020” longer than max length shown in the Lyman manual. The longer, the better; as far as boolits are concerned. I’d even considered reaming the chamber neck longer and using more of the brass I am cutting off, but not too many folks are interested in a dedicated cast boolit rifle.

[RED BEAR]

Well, in my case I’d paid seven cents apiece for the .270 brass so I could not find a cheaper route to travel.

You might try sleeping faint brass they have 8mms brass for 41.99 per 100 and this doesn't need trimming. If you want to use 30-06 it's even cheaper. Now this doesn't include shipping but if I remember right it wasn't that much. There are a couple other places for 8mms brass just do a search.
Oh I am sorry not sure where my brain is this morning you are already a lot cheaper.

[Texas by God]

.270 brass is almost free around here. That's why I used it to make 8x57mm brass. I even have correct 8x57mm brass- I just wanted to see if I could.

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[TNsailorman]

I have made 8x57 from .25-06, .270 Win., .280 Rem., and .30-06 using a multi-step process. I use Lyman M dies to open up the mouth to .32 or .338 and then use a 8x57 Redding form and trim die. Then cut the excess neck off using a hacksaw and a cutoff die. The its just a matter of chamfering inside and outside, running thru a full length sizing die, trimming to final length with a Forster case trimmer and check on a Forster case length/headspace die and then check in a rifle. It takes time but once I form them they do not need to be "fireformed", they are ready to load. Oh yes, some I anneal and some I don't. Some need also to have the neck inside reamed (military brass especially). I can do the final trim and inside neck ream at the same time with the Forster trimmer. My way is more time consuming with the extra steps than most but I enjoy doing it this way and they are ready to load without fireforming when I finish. I have never had one not chamber in my mausers after this process and I have done several hundred this way. james

[RED BEAR]

Where are you getting your 270 brass i have more time than money.

[Beagle333]

I might try making some too. I have a large amount of 270 brass.

[wmitty]

The $.07 price for the .270 brass was from carters country in Houston about twenty years ago - sorry; that was rather misleading

[EDG]

That is one of the benefits of being an older reloader.
In my area it seems that no one reloads the .270 so the brass goes begging. In one shop I found a lot of 300 once fired cases all in the original boxes, all the same brand and all had been fired in the same rifle. Asking price was $14. I did not own a .270 30 years ago and I still don't. As the years have passed other lots of .270 brass have been acquired faster than I have used them to form other cases. So I am approaching 1000 once fired .270 cases from gun stores and indoor rifle ranges. These cases have never been on the ground and some day they will be used to form some really nice Xx57 or other more difficult to find brass.

The $.07 price for the .270 brass was from carters country in Houston about twenty years ago - sorry; that was rather misleading

[sharps4590]

Around here it's 30-06 that's as common as dirt...and cheaper...as in free. I was just given something over 1000 rounds of -06 brass and I don't own an -06..nor am I likely to. Consequently most of my X57 cases are made from -06. I still do it the old way, I guess. Full length size in whatever X57 die, cut off excess, trim to square the mouths and fire form. The last batch I did were fine from the get-go. Right now I'm working with a Wilhelm Brenneke in 7 X 64 Brenneke and a G.L. Raasch by C.G. Haenel in 9 X 57 that I'm using -06 brass for Working great so far!

[yeahbub]

Does anyone have any berdan Yugoslav nny 8x57 they'd like to turn into money? I convert it to boxer in my spare time and it works very well. I'd like to get 200-300 if I could.

[RED BEAR]

My only concern is leaving the head stamps and getting them mixed up. My eyes ain't what they used to be.

[TNsailorman]

I often black the head with a magic marker, works for me anyway. james

[sharps4590]

I shoot a LOT of X57 cartridges and couple Mannlicher/Schoenauer cartridges made from -06 and just about an equal number of European cartridges I make from 30-30 brass. I don't find it an inconvenience or a challenge to keep them separate. I keep them in very well identified cartridge boxes with not only the cartridge but the load data on it as well, almost to the point of a big "WARNING" on the boxes. No confusion to date but, I do a great deal of case forming and turning.