BruceB
04-20-2007, 10:39 AM
Been expanding my supply of .404 brass by including a box of .375 Ultra Mag brass with every Midway order. It costs about $16 per 20 rounds, compared with $60 per 20 for "real" .404 cases. I took out the latest 20 for fireforming yesterday.
The process is simple. Using a well-lubed .375 case, and with the expander assembly removed from the .404 sizer die, I progressively increase the amount of sizing until the case JUST BARELY allows the rifle bolt to cam home. I then prime and size all the .375 brass at that setting, in a single pass through the die. Case loss to date: zero.
21.0 grains of 2400 is charged in each case, and 4.7 cc of cornmeal is dropped on top of the powder. (The Lee set of powder scoops is perfect for this job.) A tuft of dacron in the remaining neck space holds the whole mess together.
Pointing the rifle vertically upward and firing the 'rounds" gives me nice square mouths and fully-formed .404 cases. If the rifle is NOT vertical, I find that some mouths are off-square and need to be trimmed. This is LOUD, so don't do it in your garage.
I have enough brass on hand now to allow all attendees at the NCBS 2007 to get a real "feel" of how a nice English "medium" express rifle performs. I've removed the scope, and it's all shallow-V irons from here on out. Trust me, y'all will know that the primer functioned correctly. You'll also appreciate the Pachmayr Decelerator pad installed by Duncan's Gun Works in San Marcos, CA.
I must be a bit punchy, because I'm greedily eyeing the new Ruger Hawkeye rifle and its new .375 Ruger cartridge. Heck, it weighs 7.5 pounds, and its ONLY a .375! What a varminter!
The process is simple. Using a well-lubed .375 case, and with the expander assembly removed from the .404 sizer die, I progressively increase the amount of sizing until the case JUST BARELY allows the rifle bolt to cam home. I then prime and size all the .375 brass at that setting, in a single pass through the die. Case loss to date: zero.
21.0 grains of 2400 is charged in each case, and 4.7 cc of cornmeal is dropped on top of the powder. (The Lee set of powder scoops is perfect for this job.) A tuft of dacron in the remaining neck space holds the whole mess together.
Pointing the rifle vertically upward and firing the 'rounds" gives me nice square mouths and fully-formed .404 cases. If the rifle is NOT vertical, I find that some mouths are off-square and need to be trimmed. This is LOUD, so don't do it in your garage.
I have enough brass on hand now to allow all attendees at the NCBS 2007 to get a real "feel" of how a nice English "medium" express rifle performs. I've removed the scope, and it's all shallow-V irons from here on out. Trust me, y'all will know that the primer functioned correctly. You'll also appreciate the Pachmayr Decelerator pad installed by Duncan's Gun Works in San Marcos, CA.
I must be a bit punchy, because I'm greedily eyeing the new Ruger Hawkeye rifle and its new .375 Ruger cartridge. Heck, it weighs 7.5 pounds, and its ONLY a .375! What a varminter!