Making cartridges

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:23 pm

How many of you guys shoot rifles that require forming brass, or buying special made brass and dies in order to shoot?
Seems I spend a lot of time either loading up, or forming and loading oddball ammo around here.I'd guess over half the guns I own are in some caliber I could never buy off the shelf now.
Here's an example of a few I make. From left to right-
.40-60 Marlin, .45-70 (for comparison) .40-70 Sharps Straight, and .44-77 Sharps Bottleneck.

cutter · Post by **cutter** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:26 pm

Do 45ACP shot cartridges made from 308 Win cases count? As a big of a pain as those are, I can only imagine the patience you must have.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:28 pm

Very cool!!!

I love the obsolete stuff!

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:30 pm

Only the 6MM BR Norma. and all they need is neck turned and fireformed.

nice pic.

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:30 pm

That is very, very cool!!! What cartridge did you use to make the .40-70 Sharps Straight?

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:35 pm

The .40-70SS used to be a huge pain, but since Hornady reintroduced the .405 Win. it's a snap! I just run the .405 through my dies and load them up with a new 430 grain bullet, sized to .406"
I used to stretch .30-40 Krag brass and fireform it to fit the chamber. Tons of work!

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:43 pm

Now that is even cooler yet! I've got a hundred of the Hornady brass and work'n on a original Rolling Block chambered for .40-70 Sharps Straight.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:44 pm

Only my .40-90SBN. I'd acquired about 180 pieces of .45 Basic and then cut to length and formed them. Still found myself short in my last silhouette match for the tie breaker run at the end. Ended up 7th in my class. Last year (2006) I'd found a guy on-line that said he had some with the proper headstamp. I ordered 200 cases and finally received them in about May, '07. 'Cause I waited so long, he knocked 20% off the price AND picked up the shipping. Unfortunately, they were Bertram; but, the price was right, and they ARE all sized, the correct length, with the correct headstamp!

I am really torn over the .32-40 Highwall I want though, the only brass I have is new-in-box John Wayne commemorative ammo. Seems sacreligious to shoot it up just to get the brass.

But... hey, it was made to shoot, right?

'Sides, that nickel plated brass will make really nice LOOKIN' ammo, right? AND, we know I can't go reforming any of my .30-30 brass to fill the gaps, I will likely need all of it I can hoard (only have about 3,000pcs at present)!

Leverluver · Post by **Leverluver** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:53 pm

Also 40-90 SBN (from Starline 45-2.6"), beginning to do 45-75, and 348AI (no big deal, just pull the trigger).

Mohillbilly · Post by **Mohillbilly** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:33 am

Griff why don't you get some statline 38-55,and form them down? Same head.....

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:04 am

I used to make 32/40's from 30/30 cases. Works real well but theyre short.
Nice thing about that was Hornady & Speer jacketed 32 special bullets have the cannalure in the right place for the 30/30 cases.
Now I'v got a bunch of Win & Jamison cases of the proper length.

cowboykell · Post by **cowboykell** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:15 am

It is amazing how many cartridges are based on the 45-70 case. I make 33 WCF, 38-56, 40-65, 40-60 Marlin (same as 40-65) 40-60WCF, 45-60, 40-50 SS, 40-50 SBN just from that case.

Post by **Hobie** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:16 am

I shoot the 7mm TCU, .30 Herrett, and the .45-75 Winchester (factory brass is either not available or darn expensive). Once formed cases last quite a while, so far. There's seldom much factory ammo fired in my guns.

perry owens · Post by **perry owens** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:52 am

Only three at present

577/450 Martini Henry and 577 Snider, both from cheap Magtech 24g shotshells and 11.15 x 57 Werndl from 0.348 Winchester. Two products that ease the process for me are Tempilac for getting the annealing right and CFL-56 Radical case Forming Lube.
Perry Owens

JollyWhiteGiant · Post by **JollyWhiteGiant** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 1:13 pm

The only one I do is 7.35mm Carcano from 6.5mm Carcano. Going to have allot of fun tryign to make bullets for that one once my meager supply runs dry.

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:10 pm

8x58RD from 8x56 for the 1869 Swedish rolling block.

(below) .348 Winchester, formed to 10.4x42mm for the Swiss Vetterli, original 10.4x38mm rimfire cartridge

I have a writeup on converting the Vetterli to centerfire and making cartridges here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=21917

Jack

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:50 pm

I'm trying to find something as a base brass for my .32 Ballard Extra Long. Right now I'm using .32 H&R Mag brass, but it's still about .2" shorter than I need. I nhave to seat the bullets out too far, or just let them make the jump to the bore.

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:58 pm

Marlinman,
Sounds like the new .327 magnum brass might be what you need.

Jack

Tommy Reb · Post by **Tommy Reb** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:05 pm

Rounds that I load that require some degree of forming include:

7mm TCU
7mm International Rim
25 CLINKER
30 Herrett
300 Long Neck Savage
430 JDJ

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:16 pm

Geeze, lets see
32-40, 32 Spl., 38-55 from 30-30
219 Zipper from 25-35 or 30-30 (easier from 25-35)
40-65, 33 WCF from 45-70
40-82 from 45-90
35 WCF from 405 or sometimes 30-40
44 Russian from 44 Spl.
38-40 from 44-40
35 Whelen from 30-06

Some are as simple as running them through a sizing die. Others need forming dies and trimming. Some need inside reaming while others need annealing. While for some, readily available brass is available but not always as cheap. I go through lots of brass.----------Sixgun

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 9:17 pm

Sixgun...HA!...I'd give the edge to the stalk of celery!!!!( you're killin me!) jd45

Fungus Sam · Post by **Fungus Sam** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 10:44 pm

Hey Griff, Midway, Graf's, and Arms and Ammo all list 32-40 winchester brass as available. I've not had any trouble buying from them for my old winnie 32-40.

I enjoy forming 33 WCF brass, and I've had a go at some 35 WCF improved. Making it from 30-40 Krag brass leaves the case too short. Original brass for the 35 WCF is really hard to find.

Tom

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:41 am

jhrosier wrote:Marlinman,
Sounds like the new .327 magnum brass might be what you need.

Jack

Well the Federal .327 magnum looks perfect! With a case length of 1.20", it's only .04" shorter than my .32 Ballard XL! Finally a new case that wont be a pain to make!!!!!!!!!

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:29 pm

Making a 22 Jet from 357Mag is quite a pain. I have to make it for my dad who has it in a H&R Topper. The 577-450 M-H from the 24ga shot shell isn't so bad though, plus with 100grs. of black powder it's a real thumper to shoot.

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:23 am

I forgot about making .401 Winchester ammo for a Model 1910 Self Loader from 7.62x39 brass.

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:00 pm

I forgot about some escapades from the past, like..

100 rds of 7.62x25 from 5.56 brass. That was definitly a labor of love. About a week's worth of evenings, trimming, forming, reaming necks. and resizing .312 jacketed bullets to .308. That was before components were commercially available. You guys have it easy now!

also, 32-20 to .310 cadet, 30-30 to 32-40, 30-30 to 30 herret, 30-30 to 8.15x46Rmm, 30-06 to 22-250 (seemed like a good idea at the time), 30-06 to 6.5x55mm, 7.62x51mm to .358 Winchester, 45-70 to 40-65 Winchester, .284 Winchester to 7.5x55mm Swiss.

All of this comes from not being able to pass up a good deal on an obsolete gun. It is an interesting offshoot of handloading, and keeps me out of poolrooms and taverns.

Jack