Nagant seat/crimp die??

[Wayne Smith]

Well, I've got the 7.7-06 going and worked down the expander buttons. Now my next project might well be making brass for my Nagant revolver out of .223 brass cut down and run through a .30 Carbine die. No problem doing that, I've done worse.

My question is, does anyone make a die that will seat the bullet deep in the case and crimp suitable to enter the forcing cone like the original ammo? I'm sure I can jury rig it with something I have here, but if there is a reasonable seat die I'd like to look at it.

[mooman76]

Midsouth shooter has a nagant pistol die(Lee) that was converted from a 32-20 die. If I remember right I had to do a little work on the die parts to get it to seat the bullet bellow the neck. It did cripm but not very even in my die but good enough to get by. I tried to make the Nagant brass from 223 following the steps someone gave here but I was tearing up my bench trying. I don't know if maybe my die wouldn't do as well of a job or not. I used Lee 30 carbine carbide die. If you can do it I'd like the info of how you did.

[Wayne Smith]

First thing is I wouldn't try to use a carbide die to reform brass from one caliber to another. I have a reforming lube and expect it to be a gradual process. I will also anneal before I try. If I only had a carbide die I'd use the lube anyway.

[9.3X62AL]

223 brass reforming, eh? Haven't tried that yet, I got some of the Starline brass before it went out of production. Its first trip through the 30 Carbine sizer die took some effort and case lube as well, subsequent sizings were like any other pistol case in a steel sizing die.

I would bet that annealing would be a GREAT idea. 223 cases have a pretty strong web end, and down near the rim you are working solid brass. That's no weak-sistered 32-20 case by R-P or W-W.

With the 30 Carbine seater die, I've tried but seating below the case mouth and crimping with a 32 S&W Long sizer die--and seating flush with conventional crimp. I cannot discern a performance difference from an accuracy standpoint. Lyman #313492 would allow a bit of the Russian-style crimping with the 32 SWL sizer when seated flush, due to its undersized front drive band. That may get a test-drive in the future.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm not worried (maybe I should be) about case lube but about my press and mount. I think I will drive these cases into the die with my 1 ton arbor press. That will save my old RCBS Jr3 and the counter I have it clamped to!

The lube I have is CFL 56 Case Forming Lube - a red, sticky paste. Just touch it and touch the case and it's lubed.

I'm wondering if a 32 sizer or crimp die will provide enough crimp to enter the forcing cone. I'll have to play with that, may need to use the 30 Carbine. I do have a set of 7x57 dies as well, but they may be too long.

[mooman76]

I used Moble 1 for a lube. I remember some here saying they used it for years and never had a problem so I though, what the heck as I knew I would have to knock the 223 case out of the die as it was. It actually worked very well. The problem I had was the carbide ring was cutting into the brass near the base and I couldn't size it any farther. I'm going to P/U a non-carbide die and try it again. I need to reinforce my bench too, as I was using 2- 3/4 layers of partical board and it was cracking it.

[Wayne Smith]

Aye, I hear ya. That's why I wouldn't use a carbide die in the first place. Gonna have to lube them anyway.

[crazy mark]

I made an adapter for my Lee seating die to seat and crimp as the originals are. I've been buying loaded cases for around $24 per 50 so I have extra cases. I have also used 32-20 cases even though they are a little short with good results. I got a lot of splits with 32 long cases on the first firing. Mark

[Nose Dive]

Well...my NAGANT,,old pistol made in 1945,,is bored out to 32 HR Mag. I bought another cyclinder and am looking at the 32-20 option. But...really like the H&R MAG. Easy to reload and 32's ain't too tough too pour. Plus, I dunno if the cyclinder is even long enough to hold the 32-20's. May be not. There is a .003 delta in the 32 HR's, but so far, the STARLINE brass HR Mags have held up with just the little bulge. That is why I am interested in the 32-20.

Lane Simpson wrote a neat artile about the 32-20 rifle he bought years ago. so, this only piqued my interest in the caliber. Gotta get the books out and see if it can be done.

[Wayne Smith]

When I put a 32-20 round in mine loaded with the GB .32 Keith the boolit extends beyond the end of the cylinder about as much as the brass from the original rounds. If I were going to use this brass I'd just seat the boolit a little deeper.

[Wayne Smith]

OK, I answered my own question. I'm using an old Herter's 30 Carbine die set to full length size to the web and then again after I turn the web down. I took the boolit seat stem from this set and ground it down with a file and my wood lathe until it fit into the mouth of the case - with some room to spare. It is long enough to seat the boolit down into the case.

I sized those 32-20 boolits to .308 and loaded them. A friend who is a serious pistol shooter put seven of them, mixed headstamps, into 2.34" center to center at 15 yds. My eyes don't allow me to be nearly this good. This was with 2.3gr BE. Seems that there is potential here.