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Thread: making .30 T/C and .300 Savage brass from .308 Winchester

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    making .30 T/C and .300 Savage brass from .308 Winchester

    Is it possible to form either .30 T/C or .300 Savage cases from .308 Winchester brass?

  2. #2
    Banned
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    i'd try 22-250 brass for the 30TC. i used to own a 6.5 creedmoor and when i first got it (2009? i think), i couldn't find any 6.5cm brass. i read somewhere that i could use 22-250 brass and neck it to 6.5/22-250 in my 6.5 cm die. the only thing that was bad about it was short by .1 - .2" or .01 - .02", i forget. then 2 or 3 years later, hornady came out with the brass. i shot over 12 times with the 6.5/22-250 brass and i still got somewhere. i don't own a 300 savage, but i betcha you make it from 22-250 brass.

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
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    The current state of brass availability is such that .22-250 Savage brass is made from unobtainium.
    I can find .308 Win/7.62 NATO brass. Just slightly more pricey than gasoline but is there.
    Thanks for the input though!

  4. #4
    Boolit Man
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    Short answer, Yes! You will need to shorten the 308 brass to slightly more than the case length you are seeking then anneal the case neck. Run them through the desired die then final trim to the proper length. Brass cases are thicker as you approach the base of the case so you will also need to ream the neck to the proper thickness to avoid "pinching" the loaded neck in the chamber and driving pressures up. I have done this on many cases where I cannot find the proper case. As long as the case head is correct for the bolt face the case can be formed from a longer case. The 284 winchester and the 450 bushmaster being exceptions as the case body is larger in diameter than the case head (rebated case heads).

  5. #5
    Boolit Mold Y2K-WS.6's Avatar
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    I have no knowledge or experience with 30 T/C so I won't comment or suggest.

    308/7.62x51 has a different rim thickness than 300 Savage. While it will work for feeding extraction is not guaranteed depending on how worn-out the extractor and or the spring is. The extractor groove is also different but that shouldn't matter.
    308/7.62 has a rim thickness of .050" while 300 Savage has a rim thickness of. 040". I understand that you have an abundance of both or either but truthfully 30-06 would be a much better conversion. It has the same extractor groove and a rim thickness of. 045". Crappy commercial brass like Winchester or Remington with a narrow .012 - .013" wall thickness is the best bet for conversion as opposed to surplus or high quality brass with a thicker .015 - .016 wall thickness.

    This photo illustrates my point with 7.62 NATO on the left 300 Savage in the center and 30-06 on the right.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I've made a lot of 300 Savage from 308/7.62x51. I first size and decap in 308 Win full-length sizer die, then size in 300 Savage Die, take it easy, use decent case lube, then trim. I use a mini-cutoff saw, set a stop, I use Wilson trimmer case holder to keep case square to saw, then final trim with L E Wilson, Lee, Forster, whatever you prefer. I have NOT had problems with neck thickness in my 4 or 5 Savage 99's. No problem with rim thickness in any rifle either.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Of the 2 cartridges listed, I have only done the 300 Savage.

    All I did was run Hornady 308 Match brass full length into a 300 Savage sizer die. Trimmed to correctly length then chamfered. Final step is annealing the neck and shoulder.

    I did not have to ream necks, you are not trimming that far down the length of the case. Try some before reaming, I suspect you can eliminate that step and probably reducing the potential for neck tension issues if you ream.

    If the rifle closes hard on a first time full length size, you may want to grind .005-.010 off the top of the shell holder, reset the sizer die so the press cams over and try sizing again. Some times you get a little spring back on the shoulder when you are trying to push it back. The shortened shell holder helps to eliminate that.

    After first firing, you should be able to use a standard height shell holder.

    Good luck.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master TurnipEaterDown's Avatar
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    Some 308 brass easily forms w/ a trim & pass through 300 Savage die.
    Some, not so much.
    I tried several brands, most OK, Norma 308 forms a thickened ring (aka "doughnut") at the bottom of the neck that would require reaming. 308 Shoulder is getting formed to 300 Savage neck. If the maker uses a form process that has more material in the shoulder than another, then this neck thickening can happen when you form to this extent.

    There are numerous threads on here about forming this or that, and some have bad info. One person stated that forming 8x57 from 30-06 could never make a thick neck because it was going up in caliber: Wrong. This is an easy example of where shoulder becomes neck and body becomes shoulder, the 8x57 is quite a bit shorter from base to shoulder start than 30-06. I have had several brands of 06 brass make such thick 8x57 necks that turning and sizing a second time was required.
    Lesson: try your idea and Measure measure measure.

    Last thing: Compare SAAMI prints, NOT reloading manual sketches.
    Making 300 Savage from 6.5 Creedmoor looks OK from Hornady manual sketches, but is a BAD idea. The case will be short to shoulder for a 300 Savage, and you can drive the neck into the throat when firing because the shoulder is not to the correct length from base (aka Headspace is Wrong). This was my one time not looking hard and blindly trusting the sketches, and it bit me.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master


    stubshaft's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Duckhunter View Post
    Short answer, Yes! You will need to shorten the 308 brass to slightly more than the case length you are seeking then anneal the case neck. Run them through the desired die then final trim to the proper length. Brass cases are thicker as you approach the base of the case so you will also need to ream the neck to the proper thickness to avoid "pinching" the loaded neck in the chamber and driving pressures up. I have done this on many cases where I cannot find the proper case. As long as the case head is correct for the bolt face the case can be formed from a longer case. The 284 winchester and the 450 bushmaster being exceptions as the case body is larger in diameter than the case head (rebated case heads).
    Exactly how I'd do it too...
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

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