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Thread: Making .44 AMP brass

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    Making .44 AMP brass

    Many of you will know that the .44 Automag cartridge famously uses cut-down brass from .308 brass (anything with the 308 case-head size, really - .30-06, .243, .270, etc). Some of you may have done this already yourselves, but I figured it might be interesting to show the process:

    1. Cut the 308 brass down, leaving a little extra length for trimming later - but you'll notice the brass is pretty thick compared to the finished case to the left. The inside of the case will need to be reamed-out so that it can accept a .44 bullet:


    2. The reaming die and case in position, the reamer in my hand:


    3. Reaming by hand. This can also be done with a drill, but low speed and cutting fluid should be used or the reamer will quickly become useless. I don't have a drill with a slow speed, so I do mine manually:


    4. Reaming finished - it only takes a minute or so per case. A lot of brass comes out with the reamer and there's a lot more inside the case:


    5. All done, ready to be trimmed-to-length - after which it's ready to be handloaded:
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  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    Very nice. I made some to shoot in a single action revolver, headspacing on the case mouth. They worked well.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    That’s an accomplishment you can savor every time you pull the trigger. Can you over-stamp the HS so someone doesn’t try to feed them into a .308 ?
    Is it possible to use you converted brass to make 357 AMP brass ?

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bmi48219 View Post
    That’s an accomplishment you can savor every time you pull the trigger. Can you over-stamp the HS so someone doesn’t try to feed them into a .308 ?
    Is it possible to use you converted brass to make 357 AMP brass ?
    If some one is dumb enough to shoot these in a 308 they have bigger problems.......

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    Photo #3, would like a full view of the reamer support.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by Bmi48219 View Post
    That’s an accomplishment you can savor every time you pull the trigger. Can you over-stamp the HS so someone doesn’t try to feed them into a .308 ?
    Not my problem, to be frank - I know what this brass is for

    Quote Originally Posted by Bmi48219 View Post
    Is it possible to use you converted brass to make 357 AMP brass ?
    Yes - run them up into a 357 AMP sizer then trim as needed.

    Quote Originally Posted by ulav8r View Post
    Photo #3, would like a full view of the reamer support.
    Sure, I'm happy to take another photo for you, but not exactly sure what you want to see.
    Last edited by AndyC; 05-16-2021 at 07:03 PM.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
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    That looks like a pretty serious tap handle to drive the reamer.

    Thanks for the photo essay.

    Robert

  8. #8
    Boolit Master


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    Way overkill perhaps, but it's all that I had on-hand
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  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I was under the impression that only 308 brass was to be used as the 30/06 and 308 rims are different and can cause extractor breakage, as in the case of 45 super from 30/06 brass. The making Auto mag ammo would be one of pure love. Thank you for the how to. Regards Stephen

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub
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    I sold my 357 and 44 Auto Mags many years ago but kept the forming and reloading dies. I often wanted to do a short barrel rifle in them. Has anyone done this? Back then I used a lot of 308 Match cases.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    I formed 44 AMP before. It's just way to easy to buy Starline. If you have an Automag, you should just buy a good quantity of brass. I know, now is not the time to be buying components, but when it lightens up, lay in a supply.

    JW

  12. #12
    Boolit Master


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    I have plenty of Starline brass, yep - probably 800 or so - but I wanted to show how to form the brass anyway.
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  13. #13
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    I formed a lot of 44 Auto Mag with a friend when the handgun first came out.
    We used any brass we could get our hands on with the 30-06 sized head.
    I always considered forming 44 AM brass a real PITA.
    It worked well.
    When CDM came out with ammo we were happy to not have to form cases.
    My friend with the 44AM willed it to me.
    I have the forming and loading dies.
    When Starline came out with brass I laided in good supply.
    Good thread with pics.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check