Reforming Brass For Your Cartridges?

[NKBJ]

In these times of dearth are people reforming their own brass from whatever they can scrounge?
For me it's always seemed the right thing to do, using range pickup 30-06 or 308's to make what was needed. So any way, got to thinking about it, making 22-250's, 300 Savage and 8x57's, and thought I'd toss it out there, thinking that it might be what's happening now.

 

[Aszerigan]

I'm all for getting creative when need be, I've formed my own 25-06 casings before too.

Brass doesn't seem to be THAT scarce yet, there's plenty available on GB for most all calibers. If it comes to making our own casings, I'd guess that powder and primers will be non-existant at that point. Nothing wrong with a little stocking up though.

 

[two70]

I've done it for wildcat, obscure or obsolete cartridges. I don't really see much value in taking common calibers and converting them to slightly less common calibers yet but it is good to know you can if you need to. I also prefer that the headstamps on my cases match the caliber whenever possible.

 

[Leo]

Before Remington brought out the .260 REM, I was making 6.5 X 308 brass for the rifle I build in that chambering. That was a LOT easier than the 7mmTCU brass made out of M-16 brass. Once I figured out the annealing process it went better, but still a pain.
I did also make .45 WIN mag brass out of 30-06 for an old Wildey pistol. That required reaming to get the bullet to enter the case, but it was the benefit of a thick case head. It was tricky to ream the inside and keep it uniform.
The .357 Herret was easy to make but about 50% of the brass split on the 1st firing., even band new 30/30 brass.
6.5 X 284 out of 284 Winchester brass was easy with no problems once I got the chamber of the rifle sorted out

I don't know if I am any wiser, more practical or more lazy, but I no longer have anything that is not a common calibers. I even gave away the dies for the odd cartridges. I have returned to revolvers, where you can get away with not trimming case lengths and you don't have to chase your brass all over the ground. I bought a .45acp revolver to avoid another set of dies and brass. got rid of the .45LC.

 

[Elcardo]

Pretty common but I make 300blk from 556
I've heard of making 380 from 556 when the case is too damaged for 300blk but never tried it

 

[Wolfhound]

I’ve used 30-06 to make both 8mm Mauser and 7.7 Japanese. Of course the common .223 to make 300 blackout.

Pistol I’ve made 9x18 Makarov out of 9x19.

Nothing too exotic.

Generally keep the pressure low on those when reloading.

 

[Wolfhound]

Oh, I also made 7.5 French from 6.5x55 Swede. This was back when 7.5 French was unavailable.

 

[Leadeye]

Older cartridges that I shoot like 32-20 and 32 WS all come from 30-30.

 

[NKBJ]

Rummaging around today found 32-30's to form into 25-20 and to make 8mm French revolver. Found a box of sized and lubed cast bullets for the French.

That rat in the stable could be in serious jeopardy.

 

[bstewrat3]

I reform brass for several cartridges, mostly because I like rims for my single shots. I make a rimmed 35 Remington from 30-40 Krag, rimmed 300 BLK from 360 DW and rimmed 6.5-06AI from RWS 7x65r. Some of them get pretty involved.

 

[NKBJ]

This was a little extreme but tried it out.

 

[MrMunster]

@NKBJ - That is a lot of potential work hardening. Are you annealing and/or tracking how many reloads you get before the 22-250's fail?

 

[NKBJ]

@NKBJ - That is a lot of potential work hardening. Are you annealing and/or tracking how many reloads you get before the 22-250's fail?

Hey there.
After forming some I've put it on the shelf due to other matters. I never knew retirement was going to be so busy.
In making cartridges with much less forming than those I anneal before fire forming. If I can avoid annealing as an intermediate step that's what I do, especially when I need to avoid collapsing a shoulder.

 

[natdscott]

…and I assume you are also turning the necks?

 

[NKBJ]

Yeah, but after fire forming will have to recheck to avoid thick spot compression* at the hind end of the bullets. I've got a mold for it and want to work up some good .22 loads but other stuff takes precedence. Once the cases are blown out the extra thickness may assist in inhibiting shoulder set back with light loads but you never know til you try.

*They're even worse than making .240 Super Varminter (6mm x 30-06).