Can you ream a die to the improved cartridge ?

[zymguy]

Ive got a small ring Mauser in 7x57 with a poor bore . A classmate botched a 280 rem improved chamber job on a profiled blank. He's willing to sell it cheap. If i can make it work with the x 57. I don't think i can get a SAAMI 7x57 out of it but i think i could salvage an improved. I already own standard dies , im wondering if i could just ream the body and shoulder out on the size die with the chamber reamer?

Are rcbs dies hardened or coated on the interior?

[M-Tecs]

Bullet seating dies may or may not bet hardened. Sizing dies are case hardened.

The sizing die will be too hard to ream with HS, but the real issue is the chamber reamer is too large to do sizing dies unless you use a specialized steel that shrinks when HT'ed.

Chamber reams come in roughing, finishing and undersize for die making.

Die blanks to ream here. https://newlonprecision.com/products/sizing-dies

If you go to bushing style sizing die some have claimed success with just using a chamber reamer but those are very tight tolerance benchrest applications. I have read some have tried plating to reduce the die's ID.

https://www.longrangehunting.com/thr...reamer.234141/

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/f...ng-die.149849/

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...ody-blank-kit/
“Can’t I just make a sizing die using my chambering reamer?” The answer is no. A resize die needs to be smaller than your actual chamber so that it can down-size the brass to ensure proper feeding and extraction. This kit from PT&G is a great way to get a custom sizing die for an affordable price. NOTE: You must still get a competent gunsmith to run the FL re-size reamer into the die body blank to create the finished die.

[zymguy]

Thank you M tecs

[Der Gebirgsjager]

You could always cut some off the threaded end of the blank and rechamber.

DG

[405grain]

This sounds like spilling dollars to pick up nickles. You'd have to jump through flaming hoops to turn a messed up barrel into something that wouldn't even be suitable on a small ring action. Let it go. It cost less in time, effort, and money to just start a project out right than to try to fit someone else's mistake by having to accept multiple compromises.

[1hole]

Are rcbs dies hardened or coated on the interior?

Yeah, at least the sizers are. But then so are all others. And you aren't going to "ream" any case hardened dies.

[racepres]

This sounds like spilling dollars to pick up nickles. You'd have to jump through flaming hoops to turn a messed up barrel into something that wouldn't even be suitable on a small ring action. Let it go. It cost less in time, effort, and money to just start a project out right than to try to fit someone else's mistake by having to accept multiple compromises.

If it is all about the shoulder...Don't sweat it... Fireformed and Neck sized...Good to go... I only neck size for my Small Rings...except one... a Spanish with a very generous chamber... it gets its own brass...Pain but... the way of it..

[405grain]

It's not about the shoulder. 7x57 Improved = too much pressure for a small ring. It's not a suitable conversion. Infinitely better to select a new barrel blank and chamber it for one of the cartridges that work well in small ring Mausers. ie: 250 Savage, 6.5x55 Swedish, 7x57 Mauser, 300 Savage, 7.65x53, 8x57 Mauser, 9x57, 9.3x57, or even 9.5x57 MS.

[racepres]

It's not about the shoulder. 7x57 Improved = too much pressure for a small ring. It's not a suitable conversion. Infinitely better to select a new barrel blank and chamber it for one of the cartridges that work well in small ring Mausers. ie: 250 Savage, 6.5x55 Swedish, 7x57 Mauser, 300 Savage, 7.65x53, 8x57 Mauser, 9x57, 9.3x57, or even 9.5x57 MS.

8X57??? Be careful... If you check the European (original) pressure of the 8mm Mauser...you will find it can run with many "modern" loadings... But.. I am Confident that my Chilean small Ring, could handle 7mmX57 Improved with aplomb..
Remember that...along with the Improved Shoulder, the Case capacity Increased...therefor, it should all Boil down to Pressure...too much is too much...regardless of Cartridge.. ie, the 6.5X55 is no slouch when it comes to Pressure..
There is a SAAMI spec for 7X57 Ackley...51,000 same as original 7X57

[DougGuy]

im wondering if i could just ream the body and shoulder out on the size die with the chamber reamer?

Are rcbs dies hardened or coated on the interior?

Pretty much any sizing die and most of the other reloading dies are case hardened. You wouldn't even be able to ream that with a carbide reamer, *IF* you had one. A die is harder than woodpecker lips on it's surface. In the lathe, putting a sharp new carbide point up to a case hardened muzzle to crown it, causes a LOUD screaming noise when tool pressure against the work is high, i.e. you are leaning on the lathe to get it to bite through the case hard. Then when it does, BAM! it digs in hard and now exposes the much softer metal under the case layer. You can't "shave" case hard with carbide. You have to do any shaving or light honing with a tool post grinder.

[MarkP]

Most dies are made out of 12L14. Free machining leaded stock. Then case hardened. Too low of carbon content to heat treat. You can anneal the die if you access to a furnace them ream it out. Also Pacific tool and gauge sells die blanks. They are 4140. The trick is trying to harden the leaded stock most heat treaters have a min charge that is more than a set of custom dies. PM me and I can tell you how to get it hardened in the low to mid 30's HRC. Also how to anneal it. You will need to polish the die after heat treatment.

[Winger Ed.]

I think Hornady, and other die makers will make you a custom die
for a minimal charge if you send them a few once fired brass from it.

I'd give 'em a call before I did anything rash.

[ulav8r]

It's not about the shoulder. 7x57 Improved = too much pressure for a small ring. It's not a suitable conversion. Infinitely better to select a new barrel blank and chamber it for one of the cartridges that work well in small ring Mausers. ie: 250 Savage, 6.5x55 Swedish, 7x57 Mauser, 300 Savage, 7.65x53, 8x57 Mauser, 9x57, 9.3x57, or even 9.5x57 MS.

No handloaded cartridge has a given pressure, and most wildcats are not available factory loaded. Any cartridge can be loaded to excessive pressure, matters not whether it is wildcat or standard, rifle, pistol, or shotgun.