This might be the wrong section, but I did not see a better one. I have plenty of 308 brass, and need some 358. Will it work? Wallacem in Ga
This might be the wrong section, but I did not see a better one. I have plenty of 308 brass, and need some 358. Will it work? Wallacem in Ga
I've been loading for the 358 Win for several years and 308 brass is all I've ever used.
A single pass through the full-length die and it's ready to load. I do have a tapered expander ball in my full length 358 die.
Q.....Can I make 358 Win brass from 308Win??
A..... All day long ! !
+1 on what High Standard 40 said..
Yep, and .243, and .338 Federal, and 7mm-08, and, and........
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
I've been doing just this for years, when proper 358Win brass wasn't available.
Easy to do, and it works just fine-
HOWEVER-- if you do this, DO NOT let any of this ammo (358Win in 308Win headstamped cases) anywhere near a 308Win rifle! Some fool might just try to force the bolt closed and succeed-- not a pretty thought! You can load and fire 308Win in a 358Win chamber (I've done it, but not intentionally!), and the bullet just rattles on down the .050 oversize bore, with no accuracy at all, but the neck blows out nicely, and you extract a perfectly formed new 358Win case--
Always, exercise caution when using reformed cases--
358wcf
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Yes.
You can neck the .308 case up, or you can fire form them.
Re-sized cases will need to be trimmed to the correct length.
If necking up, it will help to first anneal the cases.
If you expand the neck, first lubricate the inside of the neck. Then use an 8mm or .33 expander plug, as an intermediate step before using the .35 plug. This will help prevent split necks.
You can fire form cases with 5 grains of Bullseye (or other fast powder) and a cotton or tissue paper wad.
Paul
Last edited by paul edward; 07-31-2010 at 11:34 PM.
Yes, I do mine 358's that way works great. -
- I have some 243 made by necking down 308 - be aware if you necking up your thinning the neck if you neck down your thickening the neck and need to fix it (remove extra brass from the neck).
My .358 is my most used gun and I don't have one brass that's stamped .358. A quick neck annealing and resizing. I don't lose one brass in a hundred. Ron.D
A good tapered expander ball such as the ones that come factory installed in Hornady new dimension dies make this a one pull no muss no fuss event. That excellent seater die is just an added bonus.
I started with once fired LC .308 brass. That way there's no .308 numbers on the head. I just lube the cases and use mica on the inside of the necks.My lee .358 dies have a tapered plug and out of 200 cases,I only lost one. I have yet had to trim as they are sliighty shorter than spec.
Madsenshooter
Please NOT 6.5 jap cases. If you got those extra I will swap you 308s for them.
Ignorence killed the cat---Curiosity was framed.
Friday Jones
BigDave,
Madsen Shooter probably does the same as I. We convert 308 Win case TO 6.5 Jap.
I use a set of swaging dies made by Roy Boone down in Mississippi who is a huge Japanese weapons collector/rice farmer and a damn good machinist too boot.
Bruce
I Cast my Boolits, Therefore I am Happy.
Bona Fide member of the Jeff Brown Hunt Club
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 |