38-45 Stevens

[Danth]

Anyone have an idea as to how to form 38-45 Steven's cases without having a set of dies? I've found 303 British can be machined but final sizing technique without the proper dies has me wondering how this might best get done. Thanks, Dan

[ascast]

not sure, but if you can get them in the chamber,then fire form and trim. might work. it may require using several dies in different stages

[cwtebay]

Pretty simple - start with 38-45 Bullard cases and trim!

Kidding of course, we made a few of these for a buddy's buddy several years ago. We started with 303 British, found it to be simpler with 30-40 brass due to brass thickness. Trimmed the brass and fire formed in a 30-40 chamber to approximate dimensions, sized and loaded with 38-40 Winchester seating die, sized down in 351 WSL Lee fcd to crimp the mouth. That's according to my 2011 notes.....so YMMV

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[Wayne Smith]

Check CH4D for sizing dies. Make a chamber cast and send it to them, they will (eventually) make you a set of dies if they are not in the catalog already. I sent them a chamber cast for my 10x47R and Dave confirmed the caliber and told me that it was different from his other 23 10x47R chambers on record. It seems that each gunsmith made their own reamers back then. (mine dates between 1885 and April 1, 1892)