9.3x57r dies- question about an alternate

[mdevlin53]

So i picked up a Model 33 Husqvarna in 9.3x57r. The 9.3 rimmed family comes in a variety of lengths from 57 to 82, I can get both 9.3x72r brass and dies. Buffalo Arms has a C&H set for just north of 100 bucks. Just so there is no confusion these are both straight walled cartridges, and should not be confused with the 9.3x74r that has a necked down case. Here is the question. The 72r cartridge is 15mm longer than the 57r that translates to 0.590. Could i find a machinist with a lathe and just trim off the difference and re-chamfer the ID. Anybody have any experience or thought on this idea.
Thanks
Michael

[samari46]

Just a thought. Dies are hardened and regular high speed steel won't work. Think you would be better off trying carbide tooling or maybe find a shop that has a surface grinder. I think the model 33 is probably one of the best looking rolling blocks out there. Especially is it has the longer full sized forend rather than one that has been either cut down or made that way. Sadly I've never seen one for sale down here in Louisiana. Frank

[mart]

I believe I have a set of RCBS 9.3x57R. If so I'll trade you straight for a set of RCBS standard 9.3x57 dies.

[Reverend Al]

Rather than re-working expensive 9.3x72R brass why don't you just reform .303 British brass? When 7x57R was in short supply and there were a number of Brno combo guns in my area in 12 ga / 7x57R we used an RCBS #7 shell holder (for .303 Brit) and a standard set of 7x57 Mauser dies to form 7x57R cases. After forming they are nearly the perfect length and require little or no trimming. Works equally as well to make 8x57R (for Drillings and combo guns) and should work equally as well to make your needed 9.3x57R cases. If you already have some .30-40 Krag brass that would work too, but it would require trimming to correct finished length for sure as they are over-length to start.

[mdevlin53]

Mart PM Sent

[mdevlin53]

I have thought about the 303 route but i don't have A. brass, B experience expanding necks, and C any expander plugs between .312 and .366 I could buy them already expanded on Buffalo arms but they are even more than the 9.3 brass
trimming the long brass should be pretty simple with a power case trimmer.

[mart]

CH4D sells a nice expander die for pretty reasonable. Going up isn't to difficult unless it's a long ways, like .308 to .411. Then it takes a couple of different expander plugs.

Here's a link to some new Norma 7x57 Rimmed brass. This and an expander die with one .284 to .338 plug would get you there pretty easily. You could do the final expansion with the FL die. It would be better to take it up to with a second plug to .375 and then run it into the sizing die, being careful to form the shoulder to where the action closes but with just a little resistance. The first firing will form the case and then the sizing die should be set to just kiss the shoulder enough to allow the action to close with just a sniff of resistance. You'll want to anneal the case necks after the expanding and then again every 3-4 firings.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/812255623

[Reverend Al]

I have thought about the 303 route but i don't have A. brass, B experience expanding necks, and C any expander plugs between .312 and .366 I could buy them already expanded on Buffalo arms but they are even more than the 9.3 brass
trimming the long brass should be pretty simple with a power case trimmer.

Could still be done fairly simply. Find some .303 Brit brass (common as dirt up here in Canada, but likely not hard to find in the US either), run it through a set of 7x57 dies (anneal them first), then fire-form them in your 9.3x57R chamber with blank, fire-forming loads. Voila ... formed 9.3x57R cases! When I fire form a variety of brass cases for other cartridges I prime them, load about 7 or 8 grains of a fast shotgun or pistol powder (Red Dot, 700X, Nitro Trap 100, etc.), then push a 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue into the case with a wooden dowel, fill to the case mouth with bulk yellow cornmeal, and then top it off with another 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue. When you fire-form them point the muzzle straight up into the air and it'll help form the cases concentric to the chamber (no bulges on one side). Easy peasy ...

[Reverend Al]

That's the method I use for fire-forming .303 Brit cases straight for my Lee-Enfield No. 1 MK III in .410 Musket ...

https://i.imgur.com/FToT3vI.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/zeyZGLc.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/fy3HB4D.jpg

[mdevlin53]

I will keep my eye out for some 303 brass. It could work but i think i might need to do some rim/base work as well. the 303 rim is at .540. a 38-55 with a .506 rim is quite snug. the rim for a correct cartridge is .481. Then there is the base dimension i would have to go from .460 to .425. the full length sizer might get it but my experience with that is they seldom get all the way to the base. might have to turn them as well. When i say turn them for both the rim and the base for me it would be a hand drill and a file as i have no lathe. I did this for about 50 32 S&W to 32 Colt and while it worked it was a lot of effort ( took me 4 or 5 hours to form,trim fit each one of these to the rifles chamber)

[mdevlin53]

The same general issue exists with the 7x57 rimmed cartridge rim and base are bigger and would need some work to get them to fit.

[mdevlin53]

I just re-read my last two posts and i said to myself that guy is making all kinds of excuses when presented with good information and helpful suggestions. Please don't get me wrong love getting old rifles to shoot i have several oddball extinct cartridges that i have made ammo for. One in particular defies being identified in Cartridges of the world. I appreciate your suggestions and i am still trying to decide the way to go here. If it weren't for the guys here that have done it before i would not have been successful with many of the projects i have attempted.
Thanks for all the help.
Michael

[Wayne Smith]

Send CH4D a chamber cast. Dies are not cheap but custom for your chamber.

[mdevlin53]

Thanks to Mart i now have a proper set of dies on the way.
I was casting about (pun intended) at my gun club for any of the fellows there that might have 20 or so 303 British or 30-40 Krag that i might be able to talk them out of. After explaining what i was going to use them for one of the guys said he might have just the ticket. He called me a day later and said he had a couple dozen 38-55 basic brass that he had intended for a project that never got done. They are 38-55 brass at 2.25 long. As a standard 38-55 seems to fit the chamber (but short) these might just work out. Compared to the chamber cast the only issue might be the rim thickness but i am working on a solution for that now.The bullets will be 193gr JSP, these are a two diameter bullet that was designed for the 9.3x72r.
I am still looking for the 303 brass as it would be a good winter project. Here in Maine the winter project season is rather long.
Thanks again for all the help and i will update this thread with further progress.
Michael