hal8337
Member
Posts: 89 
Location: Livonia, Louisiana
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Post by hal8337 on Feb 9, 2016 8:02:17 GMT -5
Last year I formed a box of 243 Win brass into 260 Rem brass for my 700 rifle. It was not real difficult as it was a matter of running them thru my FL sizing die with plenty lube. The only draw back I heard was that forming up didn't produce a quality neck as you would from forming down. I have plenty 7mm-08 & 308 brass which are all very comparable to the 260 Rem. I have reloaded the 243/260 brass 4-5 times with good results but was interested in forming some that I have plenty in stock and hoping for a better product. I have read the process for forming down might require turning the case necks which I have never done or have any tools. Another article I read suggested using forming dies for this process. Any suggestions on the processes or equipment would be a great help.
Hal |
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Post by hacker54 on Feb 9, 2016 12:56:12 GMT -5
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hal8337
Member
Posts: 89
Location: Livonia, Louisiana
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Post by hal8337 on Feb 10, 2016 17:20:16 GMT -5
Thanks Hacker for the links. Since the 7mm 08 was the closest to the 6.5 mm (260) I tried 1 case yesterday by cleaning it good and a little lube and running it thru the 260 die and it seems to stroke easier than the 243 did. My next step is to order a Vernier ball caliper to gauge the neck thickness. Some of the articles stressed to be on the lookout for a donut (bulge) in the neck but looking and measuring I can't see them. I will experiment with these a while before moving on to a 308 Win. case. I gather from the articles that the 308 win will take more steps since there is more brass to move around or remove.
Hal |
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7mmmountaineer
Member
Time to face it I am a workaholic............
Posts: 521
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Post by 7mmmountaineer on Feb 10, 2016 17:58:55 GMT -5
Hal I have an RCBS set up for turning necks it works fine. I would caution you that when you go from 308 down I would first reduce them to 28 caliber measure the neck thickness and anneal before going down to 26 caliber. Then measure the necks again and turn if you need to but I would not turn them any more that just making sure they are a consistant thickness.
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7mmmountaineer
Member
Time to face it I am a workaholic............
Posts: 521
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Post by 7mmmountaineer on Feb 17, 2016 18:50:42 GMT -5
Hal their is one more thing I will caution you on that is watch closely were the neck meets the shoulder you do not want to cut into the shoulder. This takes time and practice to master and get the feel for.
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Feb 17, 2016 22:22:06 GMT -5
It's always been my understanding that outside reamers are made only to do what 7mm recommends....He said, "I would not turn them any more that just making sure they are a consistent thickness."
Caseforming to a smaller caliber, can make neck thickness a problem. Such over-thick neck thickness can wedge the bullet into the chamber, and create dangerous pressure, Forster for one, makes special inside reamers which are meant to remove excess wall thickness after sizing with their sizers having the expander plug removed.
That sizes the O.S. to the die specs....leaving the I.S. un-expanded......it is then reamed to the proper I.S. diameter. Then you can add primer, powder, and bullets. Of course this is done only the first time. Obviously, their reamers are made for their case trimmer.
I used to make .243 brass out of military .762 LC brass and have such a reamer to do that. I quit that when I got my own .308. That changed everything. The re-calibered brass still said LC 1967.....which suggests .762/.308 not .243......... With a new .308 in the stable, I didn't care for that. I have not yet loaded one in my .308 yet, but I stupidly could, and that's a Murphy just waiting to happen.
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Feb 17, 2016 22:52:56 GMT -5
Forster states that their inside reamers are made to take excess brass (and donuts) from brass before resizing.......so unless you look closer you might miss the following.....quoting their site:
Note the last paragraph. Obviously, they will make the special reamers for other calibers besides .224, .243, and .429. The nominal grinding fee is not that high.
So if you don't have one, a Forster Case Trimmer ("Original" model) may be a worthwhile buy if you plan to form reduced necks.
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hal8337
Member
Posts: 89
Location: Livonia, Louisiana
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Post by hal8337 on Feb 18, 2016 9:40:01 GMT -5
Thanks Guys for your advice & wisdom. For now I plan to use only 243 & 7mm-08 to form to my 260 Remington. In time after acquiring the proper tools I might expand my ability to form from 308 Win. Now in this day and age brass can be purchased If you want it. Some day that might not be so having the skill & tools required will pay off.
Hal |
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Feb 19, 2016 23:16:03 GMT -5
One interesting thing to add: My .22-243 Mauser.....made my who knows, previously owned by who knows, has been a years worth of really fun home gunsmithing (minor stuff only) and load development. As part of the "homework" I made a casting of the chamber. Besides discovering that the rifle was chambered in .222-243 middlestead (sharper angle on the shoulder) instead of the .22-243 Win I thought I had, I discovered that the smith who chambered the rifle took in account that regular .243 brass had to be necked-down to .22, and made the chamber at the neck wider to account for it. Result is that I neck it down and don't have to ream at all. Really nice of that gunsmith! I guess when you got a true "wildcat," where there is NO factory ammo, you can do such things.  |
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Feb 20, 2016 10:49:39 GMT -5
Greg, Have you shot that over you chronograph yet, I imagine the ballistics are going to be very similar to the .220 Swift.
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Feb 20, 2016 22:06:17 GMT -5
No.....winter got in the way......what can I say.....wimp. Learning a new tool (chronograph) is for me best done in good weather where I don't feel the need to hurry. It's really nice out this week, but I have a couple of weeks of honey-dos (home remodeling type) to do and then I'm going to get serious about that rifle.
From what the guys at the varmint forum say, the rifle is usually 15% faster than a Swift....we will see.
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Feb 21, 2016 0:12:58 GMT -5
One suggestion for the chronograph, if you have not thought of it, is color code both ends of one of the leads it will make set up easier.
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Feb 22, 2016 0:49:00 GMT -5
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Feb 22, 2016 9:54:59 GMT -5
Very nice! Mine's a plastic tool box,may have to review my container! I use battery powered cabinet lights instead of the IR. Cheep!!
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Post by hacker54 on Feb 22, 2016 23:09:42 GMT -5
Greg, Nice setup you have there. Have to let us know on how it works for you.
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My daughter came from Missouri, my son and grand son, my wife and I had a nice dinner of grilled "porter house" pork chops, corn on the cobb, my son, G'son and I share 10/5. G'son is 4 minutes early though @ 10/4.
Pooh I hope you find to right house . 
