6.5x55 formed from 30-06, etc. ?

[Swede 45]

Bruce.. That was probably back in the days when Norma had a customer service worth speaking of ...

[ballistim]

Many years ago, we in Canada were buying AG42B Ljungmann semi-auto 6.5 rifles for about $40, many as-new, and all with complete parts-and-cleaning kits.

Now, the 42B is a WORSE finger-biter than a Garand ever thought of being.... MUCH worse (don't ask how I know!) The loading of the rifle was designed to use stripper clips, and those were unavailable where we were. (They are a different size from our 7.62/.30'06 clips).

Soooo...... a very good friend of mine wrote directly to Norma , the Swedish ammo maker. He explained our problem, and asked if the company was aware of a source for the 6.5 strippers.

A couple weeks later, he received a box in the mail, direct from Sweden, containing SEVERAL HUNDRED 6.5x55 stripper clips.... no letter, no explanation, NO CHARGE.

Our AG42B rifles were then much easier to use (and much safer for our fingers). We were deeply appreciative of the generosity of the Norma company.

I bought several boxes of the Swedish stainless steel stripper clips some years back, they were great for filling bandoliers for my 1903A3, worked perfectly-and cheap!

[geargnasher]

The whole point of forming 6.5x55 brass from '06 or .270 today is to get the thicker necks. I never inside-reamed, no need at all. Just outside turned for a snug fit in the chamber with throat-sized cast bullets and good to go.

The body, obviously, will expand a lot down near the case head, so use good, relatively new brass or the forming. A key point is to cut a narrow strip of cellophane tape and wrap even layers around the case head just in front of the extractor groove to center the case snugly in the chamber for fire-forming, this keeps the rim concentric with the body and prevents off-center, excessive bulging or "guppy brass".

I knock the shoulder back with an 8mm Mauser die, then put through the Swede die with the decapping rod out of it, then trim to length, expand the neck to mandrel size and outside turn. Chamfer and done.

Gear

[ballistim]

I had read many of the things mentioned here by gear in an old thread where a former member here posted about shooting milk jugs and much controversy and discussion followed regarding HV and the 6.5x55 which included making brass from military '06 citing the neck thickness and centering the case with tape to fireform. I've been thinking about trying it ever since.

[Yodogsandman]

I had read many of the things mentioned here by gear in an old thread where a former member here posted about shooting milk jugs and much controversy and discussion followed regarding HV and the 6.5x55 which included making brass from military '06 citing the neck thickness and centering the case with tape to fireform. I've been thinking about trying it ever since.

Same here!

While hunting, I saw an oil jug once at 30 yards but, I've always wanted to walk up on an unaware milk jug. I think the conditions have to be just right to be able to fool them.

[n.h.schmidt]

Ballistim
The 1/8" drill is only to get the spacing about right . Any 1/8" thick item could be used. A washer for instance would do.
The tape idea for centering the base is also usefull. I have done that in making 7.5 French from 30-06. Now that will bulge. I use them only for cast and low power loads in general.
n.h.schmidt

[ballistim]

Ballistim
The 1/8" drill is only to get the spacing about right . Any 1/8" thick item could be used. A washer for instance would do.
The tape idea for centering the base is also usefull. I have done that in making 7.5 French from 30-06. Now that will bulge. I use them only for cast and low power loads in general.
n.h.schmidt

That's what I thought, thanks!

[GRUMPA]

How did you swage the base of 308 to 35 rem?

After thinking on it a bit I will say this.....

The base of the case as we know is to big, I made a base reduction die that squeezes it to size. I don't remove material or brass from that section of the case.

[geargnasher]

Grumpa, I used a Lee .457" push-through bullet sizing die followed buy a .452" one, case heads ended up about .456" or so. Later, I tried sizing bullets in the .452" die and they were coming out .454". Oops.

Gear

[gwpercle]

Here is another method, rather low tech.
Back in the day, I reformed 30-06 into 7X57 Mauser by lubing 30-06, slipping shell holder onto base of case and using a CH4D sizing die, with decapping rod removed, in a large vice to slowly squeeze the case into the die. When it had gone in full length, stopped by the shell holder, I then used a steel rod to tap the case out of the sizing die. Didn't have $$$ for special case forming dies. It worked, had to trim and turn necks but I did make cases at low cost.
Gary

[nanuk]

Grumpa, I used a Lee .457" push-through bullet sizing die followed buy a .452" one, case heads ended up about .456" or so. Later, I tried sizing bullets in the .452" die and they were coming out .454". Oops.

Gear

isn't 35Rem a 0.458/0.460 base diameter? would you really need to use the .452? perhaps a .454 would be even better and allow spring back to be near the 0.458 SAAMI spec'd diameter?

[EDG]

The .35 Rem is about .450 as in one of a kind oddball. Just a little larger than the .446 to .448 Mannlicher based rounds.

[nanuk]

The .35 Rem is about .450 as in one of a kind oddball. Just a little larger than the .446 to .448 Mannlicher based rounds.

SAAMI shows it to be 0.460 Rim -0.010, and 0.4574 at the 0.200 reference distance from the (face?)

I always thought using 303Brit brass would work for a 35RemRimmed. should make a nice fit.

[EDG]

My .35 Rem RP brass measures .450 to .452 at the solid head and .452 to .455 over the bulge after it has been FL sized.
You are right about the .303 making a .35 Rem rimmed. I think there are people that do it with the Contender.
If you have a lathe all you have to do is chuck the barrel and use a small boring bar or hand ground tool to bore the rim recess. You can even leave it a close fit so the brass never has any significant rim clearance in the Contender barrel.

Most RP and WW .303 brass is abut .453 down to .450. (unfortunately most .303 chambers are .460 at the rim)
.303 NNY/PPU measures .455 to .453.

6.5X53R Dutch Chambers measure about .454 at the rime so the .303 US made brass will work well.

The Normal 6.5X50R Jap brass measures somewhere around .446 and is a sorry fit in the large 6.5 Jap chambers.
My 6.5 Jap chamber measures .464 ahead of the rim so the .303 is a better fit. I have reformed .308 to 6.5 Jap but the rim is really a little too small for my rifle.

SAAMI shows it to be 0.460 Rim -0.010, and 0.4574 at the 0.200 reference distance from the (face?)

I always thought using 303Brit brass would work for a 35RemRimmed. should make a nice fit.

[kywoodwrkr]

RCBS had, maybe still do, a two die set for base forming.
They were capable of taking 30-06 down to 7,62x39 head size if I remember correctly.
The set I had were in a cardboard box so at least old!
They were designed to be used in an arbor press or large vise, very similar to Lyman full length sizers of 310 days.
The internal edges(sharp) were cut with a small rebate so brass could be swaged and/or shaved off the case.
Two dies, four reduction sizes. Thought CH-4D had similar set up but theirs might have been for a reloading press.
Were I to make any dies like this, I'd make them for the RCBS RC with the 1 1/4-12 thread and from A2 steel.
YMMV