33 WCF from 45-70

[clearwater]

I can order a form/trim die for a bunch o' money. Do not have a 38-56 sizing die.

Is there a reasonable way to use the 33 WCF dies, or something else, to get some brass made?

Someone said something about using the seater die? Is that a thing?

[405grain]

I don't know the answers to the case forming questions, but I do intend to make a single shot in 33 Winchester in the future. I've got the reamer, bullet molds & reloading dies, and will be getting a barrel blank soon. From searching the internet on the subject I see that 33 WCF can be formed from 40-65 brass. Perhaps a 40-65 sizing die could be used as an intermediary step between 45-70 and 33 Winchester.

[Nueces]

I have Redding case forming dies in 33 WCF and the first pass is indeed similar to a 40-65 die. Best to form the body taper before going after the neck.

[Mk42gunner]

The seater die is normally a few thousandths larger than the sizing die, so it makes it slightly easier to use it when necking down brass. I would not try it for a first step going from .45-70 to .33 WCF though.

My first step would be a .40-65 then a .38-56 then the .33 WCF dies; that is if you have all those oddball/ uncommon dies.

Robert

[Chill Wills]

I found, after trying other dies and not liking the result, like 40-65 that the RCBS (in my case) two die set to convert 45-70 to 33 Winchester was the way to go. Using the conversion dies, if you go easy and use the "in and out a little farther each time" method, 100% of the cases can be converted - this without annealing. And, back then I really didn't have the experience to anneal correctly, so I didn't.

Since then, I have made many hundreds of 33 Winchester cases.

There is no doubt you can make cases by just cobbling up what dies you have, but it doesn't go easy and it doesn't do it without brass loss.

[clearwater]

Thanks,

[rockrat]

How many cases are you talking about forming?

[clearwater]

Made 40 pieces of brass yesterday.

What we learned.

Once fired 45-70 brass, even annealed is much harder to form than new.
The seater die works as the intermediate step.

Now trying to find an inexpensive way to trim?

[Gav-n-Tn]

Made 40 pieces of brass yesterday.

What we learned.

Once fired 45-70 brass, even annealed is much harder to form than new.
The seater die works as the intermediate step.

Now trying to find an inexpensive way to trim?

I don’t know how much neck you’re working with but a mini tubing cutter might work. That’s what I’m using for 348 to 45-75 prior to conversion.

[fordwannabe]

Lee makes a trim setup for the 33. It's the lock and spud type. The whole setup woud be about $30 but the next caliber would be $10-15 as you have the cutter and lock ring holder. I wanted one slightly shorter than their standard to get the crimp in a crim groove on a cast bullet and they made one custom for less than $30