.308 Jackets From .223 Brass Using Corbin 9mm to .308 Dies
223 brass is plentiful and can usually be picked up from leave-behinds of .223/5.56 shooters at many ranges. This has resulted many to ask the question: “Can I make .308 jackets from .223 cases similar to making .223 bullets from 22LR? “ BT Sniper did some work several years ago on this issue, but seems to be in the backwater now. This thread will be dedicated to how I make .308 jackets from .223 Brass for HEAVY bullets.
I make most of my 175 grain .308 bullets from 5/16 inch copper tubing using a set of dies that BT Sniper made for me a few years ago. The cost of copper tubing has incrementally increased since then from about 5 cents per jacket then; to a current 10 cents per jacket based on 50 foot 5/16 ACR Refrigerator copper tubing prices. Reduction of material costs for 175 grain .308 jackets can be achieved by using 5.7 x 28 once fired brass compared to 5/16 ACR copper tubing (once again – thanks to BT Sniper for his past efforts in this area). At times I find a few of these abandoned at the ranges I use every once in a while; so I collect them and make .308 jackets when I accumulate enough. Prices for these have also risen over the last two years going from 3 cents per case 2 years ago, to an average of 10 cents per case from various sources on the Internet currently.
My copper tubing jacket maker is optimized for 175 grain jackets. I could make heavier .308 bullets using these jackets; but I would then have an exposed lead nose – whereas the current jackets have the core coming to a really nice point with the lead just below the closed opening.
I will need to have BT Sniper make up some additional punches so I can also make jackets for lighter fully jacketed bullets (147/150 grain) and heavier fully jacketed bullets 180 to 210 grains.