35 Rem from 6.5x54 seems obvious...why isn't it?

[atl5029]

Hi All,

My friend inherited a very nice Marlin 336 in 35 Rem (jealous) and if you shoot 35 Rem you know brass and ammo is near impossible to find. Some came into stock on Grafs the other day and was gone in minutes. So I have offered to help him form some brass to get his old gun up and running and killing deer and bears. After some looking, it seems a lot of people, including some here, have gone through all sorts of work to convert 308 to 35 Rem...not something I can do on my press. However, my internet search also brought me to the 6.5 and 7.35 Carcano cases as candidates, as they have much similar rim and base sizes, albeit a few thousandths undersized in the rim and base. Further looking shows that the 6.5x54 MS is even closer in dimensions. Looking at cartridge drawings, a run through a FL die should set the shoulder back where it needs to be. Given I can expand the case necks from 6.5 to 358 (i know they'll be thin), I should have brass pretty close to SAAMI spec for 35 Rem after just passing thought the FL die. A light or mid range load should fire form the few thou they need at the base and serve as a load to help find zero at the same time.

This seems too easy, and I can't believe I haven't seem more on this conversion in forums. It has me thinking I might be missing something. Anyone see anything wrong or dangerous with this process? I think the biggest challenge will be successfully expanding a 6.5 neck to 358, but I have done 270 that was fired a few times to 358 successfully. I'm using new brass now so I'm hoping it is possible. The base only has to expand a few thousandths, so I believe that will be ok. What do you think?

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I did make short 6.5 Carcano long ago from .35 Rem. 35 Rem USED TO be easier to find than 6.5 Carcano, 7.35 Terni or 6.5x54. You can use 303 British or 30-40 Krag if you lathe cut the rim.

[Good Cheer]

Imagine a bolt action .35 Rem x .303 with a longer case neck to hold more lube grooves, heavier boolits.
Nirvana!

About making .35 brass from 6.5... Just need to watch the work hardening?

[Mk42gunner]

It may work fine, the hard part will be finding enough 6.5x54 MS brass to experiment with.

Also keep an eye on the swapping and selling section. Some .35 Remington brass shows up occasionally.

Robert

[turtlezx]

new brass on gb running 2 to 2.50 $ per shell

[376Steyr]

Graf's has has 6.5x54 brass in stock https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...categoryId/702

[SoonerEd]

We should all start a campaign to Starline to make some brass. You would think they could easily sell a special run if they were to make it.

[atl5029]

There's quite a bit of 6.5x54 brass out there to play with. I'm gonna give it a shot. I'll let you all know how it goes.

[birdshot]

I placed an order with Starline for some brass, I was told they try to fill orders, but the rare stuff does not rotate in as often. I'm thinking they like to get a lot of orders to change the production line.

[sukivel]

As many guys that are looking for 35 rem brass I don’t think they would have any problems selling it quickly.

I would certainly be interested.


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[atl5029]

I'm having trouble posting the before/after pic, but 6.5x54 MS to 35 Rem worked well in 1 pass though a Hornady FL die. New PPU brass, plenty of lube inside and out, and the nice gradual taper of the expander in the Hornady dies allowed me to form it in a single stroke. New brass and the fact PPU tends to be thicker I think helps necks not split. Next, I'll load them with a mild charge and 180 grain FP to fire form the base the last few thousandths it needs, and they should be good to go.

[Texas by God]

Privi(PPU) is keeping lots of semi obsolete and obsolete guns going bang!
Good for them and us.
I use their brass in 22-250, .243, and 25-06 with no problems and those are not low pressure rounds.


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[jason280]

I've seen 6.5x50 Japanese brass formed from .35 Rem, could it work in reverse (not sure if OAL is the same)?

[barnetmill]

While at the moment many are out of stock, .35 Remington – Hornady Cases is still listed on many vendor sites. Suggest you search for someone that has it in stock.

Hornady still has them listed on their site:

35 Remington 8729 50

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/cartridge-cases#!/

[MostlyLeverGuns]

You might want to anneal the necks after that expansion from 6.5 to .35, should lengthen brass life.

[Good Cheer]

A nephew wanted to try the lever action...
I scrounged around and found loads from thirty years ago with #358315, back when I had a Remington semi-auto.
And found my brass!

[Petander]

I've been offered a -57 Marlin 336 for almost nothing. I'm debating the brass issue here,too.

Could this work?

[barnetmill]

I've been offered a -57 Marlin 336 for almost nothing. I'm debating the brass issue here,too.

Could this work?

I would buy that 336 and eventually 35 rem brass will be available.

[15meter]

I would buy that 336 and eventually 35 rem brass will be available.

Perhaps not in Finland, probably a whole two-three dozen 35 Remington chambered rifles in the country.

Don't know if the forming will work, may try it later, gun club is closed due to ice on the roads, no skeet and BS today.

Project!

[barnetmill]

Perhaps not in Finland, probably a whole two-three dozen 35 Remington chambered rifles in the country.

Don't know if the forming will work, may try it later, gun club is closed due to ice on the roads, no skeet and BS today.

Project!

Some of the available brass calibers that were mentioned in the Finnish post are decidedly of american origin. But then I have no idea what is available in finland. Do know that there is not much .35 Rem available in the US for the moment.