30-30 to 375 Winchester

[AbitNutz]

I need some unobtainable 375 Win brass. Should I start by fireforming or try to expand the case mouth using a 35 Remington die and then 375 Win? Or maybe a combination of both?

[racepres]

I think I have a Small bit...
Will Look...I love trades!!! I may be able to use some of what ya gots..
Drop me a PM...

[26Charlie]

Six grains of a fast pistol powder, fill case with cornmeal, and put a little plug of grease or parafin on top. Fire it straight up, and you have a .375 fireformed case. Be careful not to get anything in range of the muzzle, it will suffer blast damage.

[racepres]

Six grains of a fast pistol powder, fill case with cornmeal, and put a little plug of grease or parafin on top. Fire it straight up, and you have a .375 fireformed case. Be careful not to get anything in range of the muzzle, it will suffer blast damage.
I agree [FWIW] with the FireForm Method...But, See no reason to point bit up. I shoot over my pond to feed the Fish!!!

[DocSavage]

Doesn't Starline make 38/55 brass you should be able use that rather than than reforming 30/30 or 32 Winchester special brass.

[reed1911]

Doesn't Starline make 38/55 brass

That depends on the firearm. The .38-55 has a slightly larger rim and some firearms will allow it to be chambered some will not. The thickness is the same so there is no problem with headspace, just the rim diameter.

[Leadmelter]

http://www.captechintl.com/products.php?cat=7&pg=2
They have 375 Win. A little pricey
Leadmelter
MI

[Drm50]

I was heavy into 375, still am for Ohio deer season. Got me a #3 Ruger and had no ammo. A
couple yrs ago they were getting $1.50-$2 for fired cases. So I made up a batch from 30/30s.
Do not use Rem. brass, a lot of failures due to low copper content. I used Win brass. found that
annealing case necks helped, not necessary but did better job. Loaded 7gr Bullseye/ cornmeal
did fine job fire forming. Loaded them up with CBs and IMR-3031, they shot excellently. I wont
use them for hot JB loads, but they are fine for cast. Shot some very nice groups at 100yds.
Burris 2x8 scope off a Caldwell Lead Sled.190246190247

[dogmower]

I just anneal the case (Winchester works best) and run them into my lee 375 sizer die with the tapered expander. Usually ends up with a little circular depression where the base of the neck used to be, which disappears after first firing. First loading is my usual load (not reduced), and after that you can't tell a 30-30 from a factory 375, except it's a little shorter. After the first firing, I trim them all to the same length which squares up the case mouth. You lose a few (maybe 1 or 2 per hundred), but then they last forever. This method works in both the 375 I have (Winchester 94 lever) and 38-55 (h&r handi rifle).

[Reverend Al]

Same here when I had my .375 Winchester 94 Big Bore ... I annealed the .30-30 necks first, then used salvaged large rifle primers with about 6 to 7 grains of fast pistol or shotgun powder, push a 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue over the powder charge, fill with bulk cornmeal to the case mouth, finish with another 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue to hold it all in place. If you hold the muzzle straight up vertical I found that the cases will form square. If you hold the rifle horizontally some of them formed a bit lop-sided (but that will square up the first time you load them with a boolit and a full charge). I use a lot of reformed .30-30 cases to make slightly short "shooter" .32-40's and .38-55's ...

[ScotMc]

Same here when I had my .375 Winchester 94 Big Bore ... I annealed the .30-30 necks first, then used salvaged large rifle primers with about 6 to 7 grains of fast pistol or shotgun powder, push a 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue over the powder charge, fill with bulk cornmeal to the case mouth, finish with another 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue to hold it all in place. If you hold the muzzle straight up vertical I found that the cases will form square. If you hold the rifle horizontally some of them formed a bit lop-sided (but that will square up the first time you load them with a boolit and a full charge). I use a lot of reformed .30-30 cases to make slightly short "shooter" .32-40's and .38-55's ...

Thank you Reverend Al!!!!!
I was wondering why my 06 trim formed to 7X57, then fire formed with cream O'wheat in Ackley improved 7X57 were coming out lopsided on one side.
I have learned soooo much since I joined here. I am honored to be able to post with such a great group of individuals.
Now I have to find a place to fire form vertically. The range officers at my range would have kittens if I did it there....
Thanks again!

[enfield]

I built 2 "38-55" rolling blocks using 375 big bore take off barrels. The starline ( short) 38-55 brass is almost identical length to the .375 brass and it chambers no problem in the 2 guns. I am only shooting BP so I am not sure how the construction of actual 375 brass compares with the starline 38-55 ( I cant bring myself to cut either one in half to look ) . hope that helps

[indian joe]

I need some unobtainable 375 Win brass. Should I start by fireforming or try to expand the case mouth using a 35 Remington die and then 375 Win? Or maybe a combination of both?

I did this years ago - used new 30/30 pmc brass (gone now!) made a tapered expander from a grade eight high tensile bolt with a thread that fitted into one of my 7/8th die bodies - you might get lucky and find a 3/8th bolt that is a little fat and turns downcorrect - more likely you need a 7/16th - anyway it worked - one pass - lee case lube ---hey presto 375big bore case - afer i got done some expert went to a lot of trouble telling me the blurb about 375 cases being stronger -- I sectioned a WIN 375 BB case and one of the PMC 30/30 converts, no difference I could see -gotta ask- what fool would set up a factory production line to make this family of cases (30/30,38/55,375BB,) with three different base thicknesses?? Wouldnt they have to use a common basic case ? change the pointy end bit and whack on the appropriate headstamp ... but ... winchester was busily engaged in going broke since about 1960 - maybe this kind of thing helped it come a bit quicker.