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I know that you can use 8mm Lebel or 348 Winchester brass to make centerfire 41 Swiss brass. These parent cases are expensive when you can find them and right now are almost impossible to find. My question is are there any other parent cases that can be used to form 41 Swiss brass?
If .348 works, a 32 Gauge brass shotshell might. Magtech sells those, but I'd want to check the case and rim dimensions before ordering.
https://www.grafs.com/dealer/browse/3817
In stock now, $40/100. This is what I use in mine, rim is the right thickness and diameter and body fits without swaging. Just cut to length and fireform with fast powder and cream 'o' wheat.
Your link is to the dealer-only area; do you have a link to the "regular" stuff?
Is the link for 32 gauge or 348 Winchester and can you post the non dealer link?
Here is the retail link - looks like they are now out of stock.
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...roductId/12657
Here is a link to the Magtech 32 ga brass, still in stock:
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...roductId/11081
Plenty of brass on gunbroker and so on; I have used both 8mm and .348. Trim to length, FL size, trim again, and you're good to go.
Also on the other thread:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/738...ster-box-of-50
Resp'y,
Bob S.
+1 for many of the above. No real problems using 348 brass. You do however want to trim your brass to length to get the best fit with the bullet you choose.
Have a 69 that is so tight it will only accept 8x50r reformed.
I've found that when I'm using 348 brass, I can't get it to chamber if I use my big bullets.
The Graf 8mm Lebel brass has a thinner neck so my bullets can be used.
I've found with these Vetterli's the chamber varies from rifle to rifle.
To get the best accuracy, it's best to fit the round to the rifle.
anneal brass to form and fireform or it may split.
Has anyone made it with the 32ga shot shells????
Easier or harder than making with 8mm Lebel?????
Had to look this one up. "Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions" the best solution is: ".280 Flanged (BELL) Cut case to 1.5". Build rim up to .08" thick. Anneal case and form in form die. Trim to length and F/L Size. Fireform." Also I found this posting on Surplusrifle Forum in 2007. "If I were doing it, I would use the .348 Winchester. The head diameter of the 10.4 mm. cartridge is .540. The head diameter of the 8 mm. Lebel is a little undersize at .536. The .348 Winchester is a little oversize at .547. Sometimes the 10.4 mm. chambers are generous enough to take the .348, as is. Other times, the case head will require turning to reduce the diameter." Hope this helps you out.
WOW! you would need a machine shop to make them this way.i would stick with 8m/m LEBEL or 348 WINCHESTER a whole lot easier. i have made many of them out of old berdan primed 8 m/m LEBEL brass with no problems. never through out old brass of any kind, just through it in to a bucket till the day comes you may need it.
a mega machine shop with a first class machinist to go with it!! I don't think so???
I used a handful of .348 given by a friend. I trimmed to length and used Lee .41 Swiss dies to form, then fired a .44 lead pistol bullet on top of 10 grains of Unique. All shots were very low of course, due to the sights, but all hit pretty much in the same spot!
Either 8mmx50R Lebel or .348 Win will work but trimmed down cases from either .43 Spanish or 11mm. Mauser will work as well. The rim might require some fitting, though. There are several parent cases you can use. Heck, I even made them out of .300WM and .375 H&H cases, but thatīs more difficult since you have to remove the belt first and to add a rim for extraction (either by soldering or threading a brass washer to the base of each case).
Argie.
I've made many with 8mm Lebel.
Need to go real slow expanding the necks.
I made a few different size mandrels.
If not they tend to split the neck.
Annealing helps.
Get them as close as possible before fire forming.
I also make it long to fit the chamber and hold more of the boolet.
I've always wanted to try an spin form the neck larger.
Maybe I'll get around to trying it someday.
Fun rifle to shoot.
32 MAGTEC is out of stock.
I use 348 Winchester brass. The trick to shooting these rifles using the magazine is to get the OAL of the round to as close to 2.20" as you can. Too long, too short, and they won't feed.
The thread that keeps on going...
I made all of mine out of .348 brass and they chamber fine in all 3 rifles that I shoot. However, if I were starting over I think I would go with 8mm Lebel brass only because it is more available then .348 brass. There are different lengths of brass needed for different bullet designs. In order for a cartridge to cycle through the magazine it has to be 2.2sh", so distance from tip of bullet back to where you plan to crimp subtracted from 2.2" gives your case length. I use the Accurate 43-33B its crimp location is .735 back from the nose; 2.2" - .735" = 1.465" case length. If you are using a shorter bullet like the Lee 300 grain (which I had great accuracy with) you will need a longer case (1.7sh" IIRC). If you are going to be shooting what I would call standard/generic .44/444 bullets you will want the longer case length. I think everybody has a case length they have worked out for their particular setup. I would recommend you make up 5 or 10 case and work with those for a while before you make a final determination on what length to trim to. I ordered a Lee custom case length gauge for $16, plus another $15 for the cutter and case holder, this produces nice consistent case lengths.
As mentioned bore/groove diameters vary and I got lucky the 3 of mine run from .427 to .430, when I size I use a .430 sizer. You may run into issues with bullet diameter, and case neck diameter not wanting to chamber. The nice thing about bullets like the 335B they have smaller diameter front driving band, and use a shorter neck so less likely to have chambering problems as the Vetterli's have a somewhat funnel shaped or tapered chamber.
Below are an original .41 swiss next to a Accurate 43-335B (which is very similar to the original only a flat point for safety as they are now in a magazine tube of centerfire cartridges), the other picture is the Lee 300 grain. You can see the difference in neck lengths.
Attachment 284237 Attachment 284238
I've been shooting Vetterli's for several years now and all 3 of mine have been very good shooters, accuracy wise they are probably one of the best of their time period. This is my best 50 yard group so far (old eyes so I do most of my work at 50 yards).
Attachment 284239
These rifles take a bit of work to get going but once you have a bullet and brass combination all set up they are a breeze to keep going. They will certainly get you some attention if you are shooting at a public range.
Enjoy your rifle!
Tom
Easiest way to make brass is out of .45-70 Win. Cut/trim to 1.710", wrap two layers (.15 wide) of electrical tape around base to better center in chamber. Can fireform with full pressure load, then final trim to 1.700". I just shot a 120 round match plus sighters and only had one that wouldn't extract. Had to knock it out with brass rod. I won that match too.
When forming using 8mm Lebel, I leave it as long as I can.
When fire form, it will kind of show where to trim to.
I've found I can make the cases much longer, which makes it easier to seat the boolet out farther.
I did something else so I could load through the tube mag.
Can't remember what it was right now.