220 Russian to 30PPC

I have formed about a thousand or 2 Lapua 220 Russian cases to 6PPC. After sorting, I expanded the necks to 6MM, rough turned neck to fit my chamber (.262") neck diameter. My chambers are zero headspace, so brass often needs to be run through a sizing die, so it crushes like an Ackley chamber. I formed the case by loading it full of pistol powder, stuff a paper towel piece in the neck to keep the powder from spilling out, and shooting in an old barrel. Lot of flash, but worked.

Following these steps, as many do, they realize when turning the necks they notice the cases wobble when neck turning. Meaning, the cases bent a little when the necks were expanded. Most don't care, because they load a round with bullet, get it to chamber, and let fly. With the added pressure of the bullet plus the case now has more capacity, it forms out fairly nicely.

I found it doesn't work out quite as easily if you want to take these to 30 caliber. First, you have to make the 220 Russian into a PPC case, with the first step above. Then, I expanded the cases to 30 caliber in 4 steps, using a mandrel holder and mandrels from Sinclair, one step at a time, lubing each step. The cases were quite crooked. I had trouble chambering a case without a bullet. But I did manage to get them fireformed although they never straightened out, even after a couple firings with bullets.

Next try was to fireform a\the case to PPC size using just powder and a wad, to create the shoulder. From here, I loaded a stiff load of pistol powder, paper wad, but this time they were fired in a 30PPC chamber. They headspaced on the chamber shoulder just fine, and fireforming did a great job. Ready to turn necks and fire in a rifle chambered appropriately, and straight! A lot of work to get a proper case to fire and form well.