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Thread: About Forming Brass, Boys...?

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    About Forming Brass, Boys...?

    I am finally gonna do it. I am going to try and make the 45-75 bottleneck from 50 Alaskan. As far as I know, after much research, it seems as easy as running it through the dies and trimming to length. There's conflicting info on case dimensions... and I might have to reduce the case rim diameter a couple thou and it's thickness as well.

    Obviously I'd like to buy a metal lathe for this... but one of the guys on another forum said you can just chuck the brass up in a drill press, and do some minor surgery that way.

    Any of you guys ever do it that way? Any info from anyone who's tried this would be sincerely appreciated!

    Hope you all are staying safe and surviving these idiotic lock downs...

    Guy

  2. #2
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Sounds like a cool project.

    You might need to do some aneling, but it sure seems doable.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Huvius's Avatar
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    Pretty easy if you have a press with a big enough chuck to take the case.
    I’ve done that before I got my lathe using a small file - one with one smooth side which is the side against the case while thinning the rim from the front.
    You will want the case in the chuck as far as you can get it while leaving room for the file so you are gripping down on the web of the case. With the 50 Alaskan a 1/2” wood dowel in the case will help support it if needed.
    If you are in need of altering the rim, do this before forming in the die since it will be a cylindrical case and easier to work with.
    And yes, you will want to anneal after fixing the rim so your neck reduction goes smoothly. Just down to where the shoulder will be.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Doing it in a drill press will be slow tedious and time consuming. The by hand will require a lot of checking and attention. You will want a insert for in the case to keep from collapsing it when chucked. Then you will need to make a few passes with the file and check. Holding size and squareness will be hard.

    The mini lathe will be easier and faster. Turn your mandrell in the chuck and slide case on it lock with live center in flash hole primer pocket. once set up its just changing cases and making the cuts. Also trimming and other work can be done in the mini lathe. The mini lathes arnt super expensive are light enough to store on a shelf when not in use. I believe mine is around 80 lbs in weight so it can be picked up and moved,

    To do what you want in the mini lathe first turn a stub to just fit in the case a nice sliding fit and put a center in it. set this aside. now turn a stb to fit the primer pocket close. leave this in the chuck as its running dead tru being turned to the spindle... Sldie the stub in a case center out and use the live center to lock it to the face of the mandrel on the primer stub. Set up the tool and cut rim dia write the number on the dial down. thin the rim with an indicator against carriage and zero when right. A parting type tool allows both cuts to be made with now tool change. or you can do batch work rim dia first then thickness.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master marlinman93's Avatar
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    Yes, I've often used my drill press even though I own a lathe. Sometimes it's just faster to use the drill press, so it gets the nod.
    When using the drill press or lathe to turn down the web just above the rim I always turn a mandrel to fit inside the neck, or you'll mess up the case trying to clamp it in the chuck. A close fit mandrel will allow the chuck to clamp the brass and not deform it. It also helps if the rod is drilled to accept a decapping pin. This way it supports the neck, but the pin through the primer pocket also helps support the base from deflecting.
    I use a file more than a cutter to remove metal, and keep my calipers handy to check the diameter as I turn the brass down. A file for me is easier to take it down than running a cut that might be too deep if the case slips during cutting. Never damaged a case turning them down in my drill press or lathe if using a file.

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    Thanks guys.

    As for annealing - do you anneal just at the shoulder, or from the shoulder on all the way up the case...? The .45-75 has a very long bottle neck...

  7. #7
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guy La Pourqe View Post
    Thanks guys.

    As for annealing - do you anneal just at the shoulder, or from the shoulder on all the way up the case...? The .45-75 has a very long bottle neck...
    Take a look at 5.56 or 7.62 NATO GI brass.
    That's what the heat marks at the neck & shoulder are from in their forming process,
    where civilian stuff has had the heat marks polished off. I'd do it like they do.

    Dig around here a little, there are threads on how to do it,
    and guys here who have figured out quickie ways to plow through it.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  8. #8
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    I turned the rims down on 38 super brass with a cordless hand drill and a file. It was a piece of cake. Chuck the case in the drill and hold the file on the rim parallel to the case body and spin until the file just touches the case body. Break the edges of the rim with the edge of the file and move on to the next case. I think it would have taken longer in a lathe. Might be more precise in a lathe but that precision was unnecessary. I only need to take the rim off so the cases would fit in a single stack 7.62 x 25 magazine. Still and all it was smarter to just buy 9 x 23 brass. I only modify brass for experiments and when there is no choice otherwise just buy factory brass.

    Tim
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  9. #9
    Boolit Master marlinman93's Avatar
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    Annealing can be tricky, and I avoid it as much as possible before forming. But sometimes there's no other option, as the amount of forming requires annealing. But too much annealing can result in crumpled cases, and too far down the case can ruined cases.
    I anneal my brass after forming, but never to the point of getting red in dim lighting. I simply discolor the brass, and nothing more. And if it's a bottleneck case just down to the shoulder, as further will result in the brass constantly stretching at each firing.
    In my early attempts to open up bottleneck cases to use for larger calibers I found I lost a bunch of brass by annealing first. Taking .30-40 Krag brass out to .40 caliber I lost every case I annealed. Fortunately I only annealed 10 cases. But expanding them without annealing I didn't lose any cases. Then annealing them lightly after trimming/forming, the cases have lasted forever.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guy La Pourqe View Post
    I am finally gonna do it. I am going to try and make the 45-75 bottleneck from 50 Alaskan. As far as I know, after much research, it seems as easy as running it through the dies and trimming to length. There's conflicting info on case dimensions... and I might have to reduce the case rim diameter a couple thou and it's thickness as well.

    Obviously I'd like to buy a metal lathe for this... but one of the guys on another forum said you can just chuck the brass up in a drill press, and do some minor surgery that way.

    Any of you guys ever do it that way? Any info from anyone who's tried this would be sincerely appreciated!

    Hope you all are staying safe and surviving these idiotic lock downs...

    Guy
    I made mine from 348 winchester (was the base case for the 50 Alaskan) Uberti Rifle - check rim dimensions in your rifle before you go messing with that - mine fits fine (I suspect the repros might have been made for the modern brass) Rim diameter of the alaskan and the 348 is already smaller than 45/75 specs so it will only be thickness that differs - check it first!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check