Bruce.. That was probably back in the days when Norma had a customer service worth speaking of ...
Bruce.. That was probably back in the days when Norma had a customer service worth speaking of ...
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
― Winston S. Churchill
The whole point of forming 6.5x55 brass from '06 or .270 today is to get the thicker necks. I never inside-reamed, no need at all. Just outside turned for a snug fit in the chamber with throat-sized cast bullets and good to go.
The body, obviously, will expand a lot down near the case head, so use good, relatively new brass or the forming. A key point is to cut a narrow strip of cellophane tape and wrap even layers around the case head just in front of the extractor groove to center the case snugly in the chamber for fire-forming, this keeps the rim concentric with the body and prevents off-center, excessive bulging or "guppy brass".
I knock the shoulder back with an 8mm Mauser die, then put through the Swede die with the decapping rod out of it, then trim to length, expand the neck to mandrel size and outside turn. Chamfer and done.
Gear
I had read many of the things mentioned here by gear in an old thread where a former member here posted about shooting milk jugs and much controversy and discussion followed regarding HV and the 6.5x55 which included making brass from military '06 citing the neck thickness and centering the case with tape to fireform. I've been thinking about trying it ever since.
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
― Winston S. Churchill
Ballistim
The 1/8" drill is only to get the spacing about right . Any 1/8" thick item could be used. A washer for instance would do.
The tape idea for centering the base is also usefull. I have done that in making 7.5 French from 30-06. Now that will bulge. I use them only for cast and low power loads in general.
n.h.schmidt
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
― Winston S. Churchill
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Grumpa, I used a Lee .457" push-through bullet sizing die followed buy a .452" one, case heads ended up about .456" or so. Later, I tried sizing bullets in the .452" die and they were coming out .454". Oops.
Gear
Here is another method, rather low tech.
Back in the day, I reformed 30-06 into 7X57 Mauser by lubing 30-06, slipping shell holder onto base of case and using a CH4D sizing die, with decapping rod removed, in a large vice to slowly squeeze the case into the die. When it had gone in full length, stopped by the shell holder, I then used a steel rod to tap the case out of the sizing die. Didn't have $$$ for special case forming dies. It worked, had to trim and turn necks but I did make cases at low cost.
Gary
I am ONLY responsible for what I Say!
I am NOT responsible for what You THINK I Said!
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If numbers killed I'd hunt with a Calculator!
The .35 Rem is about .450 as in one of a kind oddball. Just a little larger than the .446 to .448 Mannlicher based rounds.
EDG
I am ONLY responsible for what I Say!
I am NOT responsible for what You THINK I Said!
====
If numbers killed I'd hunt with a Calculator!
My .35 Rem RP brass measures .450 to .452 at the solid head and .452 to .455 over the bulge after it has been FL sized.
You are right about the .303 making a .35 Rem rimmed. I think there are people that do it with the Contender.
If you have a lathe all you have to do is chuck the barrel and use a small boring bar or hand ground tool to bore the rim recess. You can even leave it a close fit so the brass never has any significant rim clearance in the Contender barrel.
Most RP and WW .303 brass is abut .453 down to .450. (unfortunately most .303 chambers are .460 at the rim)
.303 NNY/PPU measures .455 to .453.
6.5X53R Dutch Chambers measure about .454 at the rime so the .303 US made brass will work well.
The Normal 6.5X50R Jap brass measures somewhere around .446 and is a sorry fit in the large 6.5 Jap chambers.
My 6.5 Jap chamber measures .464 ahead of the rim so the .303 is a better fit. I have reformed .308 to 6.5 Jap but the rim is really a little too small for my rifle.
EDG
RCBS had, maybe still do, a two die set for base forming.
They were capable of taking 30-06 down to 7,62x39 head size if I remember correctly.
The set I had were in a cardboard box so at least old!
They were designed to be used in an arbor press or large vise, very similar to Lyman full length sizers of 310 days.
The internal edges(sharp) were cut with a small rebate so brass could be swaged and/or shaved off the case.
Two dies, four reduction sizes. Thought CH-4D had similar set up but theirs might have been for a reloading press.
Were I to make any dies like this, I'd make them for the RCBS RC with the 1 1/4-12 thread and from A2 steel.
YMMV
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 |