Fireforming 40-60 maynard cases

[hickstick_10]

hello fellas

I just got a rolling block chambered for 40-60 maynard and need to fireform some cases. Would annealing and using straight BP or pyrodex with cornmeal filler be sufficient to fireform the cases?

I've never fireformed a case besides an old K hornet I had (and that doesn't really count since you can use factory loads). So Im wondering what you guys who are familiar with forming these bpcr cases think.

Thanks very much.

[Red River Rick]

Hickstick 10:

What parent case are you using for your 40-60 Maynard brass, .303 or .30-40?

RRR

[hickstick_10]

Rick

I was hoping to use the 303 british, as I have a sack of em from the martini enfield. But from what I've been reading you might get thin necks and be a hair short with the 303, so I also have some 30-40 krags about 60-70 of em, if the 303 case does not pan out. All the cases I have are once fired.

So to answer your question I have a little of both, but would REALLY like the 303 british to work out.

[powderburnerr]

while I havent blown out any maynard cases , I have made some,with parent brass and feel that the bullet raises pressure a lot better than any filler , and you need pressure to blow them out,, an example is it takes 5-6 firings with a 405 in a 44-77 and only 2 with a 500 gn. in the same case.

[hickstick_10]

Were your bullets already the caliber required?

In my case I'l have a 30 caliber bouncing around a 40 caliber barrel, im kind of hesitant to do that, but maybe my inhibitions are unfounded.

[4060MAY]

I have blown out 40-60 cases more than once
the 40-60 Maynard is suppose to be 2.21" long
.303 Brit cases will work if the chamber is close to 2.21

I used Bullseye and grits to do about 500 cases, grease wad to seal the end
after firing, anneal the necks use a bullet and fire again then trim to length

I did this the first time in 1990 and I am still using the cases
I don't size the brass, just use a Lyman taper crimp die to just hold the bullet in the case, BP of course

Recently I have gone to PP successfully

The gun is a 1871 Danish/Swede Roller that was RF that I converted to CF, with a Douglas 1-16 barrel.

The barrel is still fine..

HTH

[hickstick_10]

I have blown out 40-60 cases more than once
the 40-60 Maynard is suppose to be 2.21" long
.303 Brit cases will work if the chamber is close to 2.21

I used Bullseye and grits to do about 500 cases, grease wad to seal the end
after firing, anneal the necks use a bullet and fire again then trim to length

I did this the first time in 1990 and I am still using the cases
I don't size the brass, just use a Lyman taper crimp die to just hold the bullet in the case, BP of course

Recently I have gone to PP successfully

The gun is a 1871 Danish/Swede Roller that was RF that I converted to CF, with a Douglas 1-16 barrel.

The barrel is still fine..

HTH

Wow...........even your username is relevant to my question!!!!!!

This is exactley what I wanted to know, for the identical type of gun (1875 swede roller), thanks for your input.

My question is how much bullseye did you use?

[Red River Rick]

Hickstick 10:

I've been taking IVI .303 brass and running a tapered expander into the necks. Problem is, the brass gets shorter when you expand the necks. So, I made up some tooling to stretch .303 brass, which makes life a lot easier.

Here's a picture of a line up. Starting with an un-altered .303 case and progressively working up. In the end, with the correct tooling, I was able to strech the brass to 2.900". Without making it useless. The interior of the stretched brass is no thinner than factory Winchester.

Actually, IVI and Privi brass are the most heavily walled constucted. So, by stealing some of the brass near the base of the case, one can stretch the entire case without reducing the wall thickness at the neck portion.

RRR

[hickstick_10]

You know rick I was eyeballing one of those case stretchers that buffalo arms sells, basically just for yanking out a 64th extra length out of the brass, but your setup is something else, enough to make me wish I thaat barrel reamed to 40-70 sharps straight or 40-70 maynard.

I see you sell those units (at a price that doesn't break the bank eather!), Il keep you in mind if this brass forming doesn't work out.

Also wanted to say thank you to everyone for your input, I was really scouring the net, the ASSRA, Shiloh, BPCR.net and this site as well for some more in depth info on this cartridge and Im amazed from the knowledge of the guys here.

[Red River Rick]

Hickstick 10:

Send me a PM with your mailing address. I'll send you some samples of these stretched cases. Close up and hands on is better.

RRR

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have a rifle chambered for the 40 Krag. To make usable brass I annealed both 303 and 30-40 Krag cases. After annealing I put 11 grains of unique in each case and then filled the case with cornmeal topped off with a small wad of paper. Upon firing each case expanded perfectly. The .303 cases are of course slightly shorter.