401 WSL via 7.62x39mm

[cwtebay]

I read an amazingly complete account on how someone was making 401 WSL from 7.62x39mm brass and I'll be darned if I can locate it!! It had photos and vivid detail. Anyone have any help? My 14 year old left 2 magazine's worth in an aspen grove shooting at a raghorn bull - hence my question.

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[beechbum444]

following closely

[Battis]

I make it out of 414 Super Mag brass. Don't think I ever tried the 7.62x39.

[cwtebay]

I make it out of 414 Super Mag brass. Don't think I ever tried the 7.62x39.

Would you mind sharing your process?


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[Battis]

I cut the 414 Super Mag brass to length (1.495"). I do not cut an extractor groove.
Reduce the head diameter (.460") with a drill press and file
I use Accurate Mold #41-208L (206 gr bullets)
Or Western Bullets 250-gr. lead plain base #410426
IMR 4227: 22 grs minimum

I found an old .401 die set somewhere.

This is from a 2004 post on another forum. I did try it but had no luck at all.
"7.62X39 to .401WSL.
1. Run the well lubed 7.62X39 case into a .41 mag. sizer die...it won't go all the way, just up to the solid head of the case. When you withdraw it, will look like a mini-belted mag. case.
2. Remove the belt. Lathe would be nice, but you can do it with a drill press and a file. DO NOT reduce the rim size...with the body reduced, that rim-less case will be come a semi-rim and you need that semi-rim to headspace.
3. Fire form load: 7gr. of Bullseye, fill with grits (or cream of wheat), plug with bulllet lube to compress it slightly, point in a safe direction, and fire. NO BULLET! You'll eject a nearly perfect .401case.
4. Trim the cases to an even length. This is usually a bit less than the 1.5" recommended, but it's better to have them all even at 1.45" than uneven at 1.5"."

[cwtebay]

Battis

Thank you so much for your help! I ordered some brass from Starline.

Cheers!

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[Battis]

I actually found the 401 die set before I found the gun. Yesterday, another poster on this forum, blackbahart, told me that Wolff Springs sells a recoil spring for a Winchester Model 1911 shotgun that is basically the same spring as that for the WSL 401. The 1911 spring is longer but it can be cut to the proper 401 length. I ordered one - no one else sells springs for that WSL. Good, strong buffers and springs in the WSLs are important.
I took this pic at the Cody museum in Cody, Wyoming.

[cwtebay]

Thank you for the information! I replaced all of my WSL springs about 2 years ago with custom made jobs from Lee Springs. I was pretty much told that they would all be junk when I disassembled. I was surprised to find there was little wrong with 3/7 of them, but I replaced them all the same. I also replaced buffers at the same time, big difference! The slap recoil feel isn't normal it turned out!


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[Battis]

The only WSL that I have that had buffers and springs in good shape is the .32. The gun is in great overall shape, and I think it's because it wasn't used very much. I read that the .32 WSL is the most useless caliber ever made - too small for big game, too big for small game. But it's a great gun to shoot. I also noticed that the .35 has more felt recoil than the .351.

[badgeredd]

I found this after a search, post #13. Hope it helps anyone wanting to try making brass for their 401SL.

https://www.shootersforum.com/rifles...0-sl-ammo.html

[Battis]

I thought that method was worth a try a few years ago, so I tried it, with no luck. For me, 414 Super Mag brass is a no brainer.

[timinpa]

Hi, made cases out of 7.62 brass with mixed results. First I expanded case necks to 40 caliber. Second I sized the cases in a 41 magnum die. I soldered a flat piece of steel to a shell holder so the cases went all the way in the sizing die, this left no step on the base. I then knocked them out of the die with a 3/8" steel rod.

That all went well, but when I would seat bullets a lot of the cases would buckle where the shoulder points used to be. Also, if you go this route, use new brass. Once-fired brass will split at the crimp segments on the case mouth when expanded, annealing didn't help this.

Tim

[Loudenboomer]

I have made 414 Super mag brass from 30-30 win. The case head is a little small on the 30-30. You get a wasp waist looking brass full length sizing with a 41 mag die then seating a 41 cal bullet. I say this only to show that a 38-55 win case with the rim turned should work OK in a pinch with a 40 cal bullet.

Not always easy to find but if you can get 9.3 X 72R cases. Turn rim to .457 dia and back chamfer. Cut case to 1.55 and taper expand to .410 dia Trim to length and size in .401 die with the expander removed. Inside neck ream, chamfer and F/L size and fire form in chamber.

.401 WSL from Starline .414 super mag brass will be much easier!

[1-12 INF]

Battis - I have some formed 7.62 Soviet from Buffalo Arms when they sold it a couple of years ago. I am using a 200g FMJ bullet, but if I load to overall length of 2.005 the bullet is not seated very deeply at all. Since the Soviet brass is a touch short, what OAL did you use? I also have turned down some .414 Supermag brass, but haven't loaded them yet. Thanks.

[cwtebay]

Not Battis - but I happened to be messing with this cartridge so figured that I would share this.
OAL is pretty darn important in the 05/07/10 not only for chambering but for proper magazine and feeding.
Doesn't seem to matter if it's made up with long bullets, short brass or vice versa.

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[55BoysATR]

Wish I had a 351 WSL with the law enforcement mods...

I do have ammo in my pile of relics though.

[cwtebay]

Wish I had a 351 WSL with the law enforcement mods...

I do have ammo in my pile of relics though.

Nice period boxes!
Do you also have some 351 WSL ammunition?

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[55BoysATR]

I've got a few stray 351 cartridges, but I don't think I've got a box.

BTW, the boxes are still full.

[partsman57]

So far 7.62 x39 works along with 414 supermag and even modified 6.5 grendel basic brass has worked for me using 200 grain bullets and imr4227.

[No3steel]

I read an amazingly complete account on how someone was making 401 WSL from 7.62x39mm brass and I'll be darned if I can locate it!! It had photos and vivid detail. Anyone have any help? My 14 year old left 2 magazine's worth in an aspen grove shooting at a raghorn bull - hence my question.

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I was just talking with a guy that has 401 brass on Facebook.Not sure what he wants for it. I was trying to find some 351wsl brass. My first time on here just joined. I hope this is aloud.