Reforming Brass

[rab]

I have been hand loading for just over two years for my 223 bolt gun and feel some what comfortable at it. Now I gotten a 6.5 CM. And finding brass just a little pricy. I am thinking about resizing some 308 down to 6.5 CM. What dies will I need to get and what is the process? Thanks for all comments and help in advance for I like to buy ONCE, I know that a joke.

Thanks

[Jonnin]

the dies are just the standard loading dies.  The tools I use on a different caliber are:

1 plumbers copper tube cutter

1 case trimmer

1 drill

set of reloading dies.

 

So you make the case and cut it a hair long with the tube cutter.   Then you run it through the reloading die and reshape it.   This takes a great deal of force, so your press needs to be solidly mounted and your case well lubed.   Then you ream out the neck to thin it down (its case wall, not neck, on mine) with the drill.   Finally trim the brass down to size.  If you cut it too long, you may have to run it through the die and trim process a second time until you get a feel for where to cut.  You probably will need to deburr it at the end. 

[rab]

the dies are just the standard loading dies.  The tools I use on a different caliber are:

1 plumbers copper tube cutter

1 case trimmer

1 drill

set of reloading dies.

 

So you make the case and cut it a hair long with the tube cutter.   Then you run it through the reloading die and reshape it.   This takes a great deal of force, so your press needs to be solidly mounted and your case well lubed.   Then you ream out the neck to thin it down (its case wall, not neck, on mine) with the drill.   Finally trim the brass down to size.  If you cut it too long, you may have to run it through the die and trim process a second time until you get a feel for where to cut.  You probably will need to deburr it at the end. 

 

Jonnin, Thanks for your input. I will need to get a neck turning tool, I have every thing else. Not sure at this time which to get , have been reading about all the ones offered. What are the comments on neck turning tools and which to purchase?

[Jonnin]

I don't have one, so I can't comment, I was just using a drill for that.  My brass ends up with a slightly thick neck,  but it works fine (in my situation!) so I did not buy more stuff.

 

This process is pretty time consuming and annoying really.   Thankfully each case can be used a bunch of times and I don't shoot the gun a lot.  

 

Time you buy a decent neck tool, you could have bought quite a bit of brass, factor in your time (it takes a good 10 min / case with my approach) ...   

[Westwindmike]

I just looked up what a 6.5CM is. Is it a Creedmore? If so, it looks like an easy process. Just run the 308 though the CM die and trim.

[Westwindmike]

I found this writeup on CastBoolits about forming CM brass.

 

Making 6.5CM from LC 7.62

I decided that I could make some 6.5CM brass from very readily available LC 7.62 brass. I bought some once fired Hornady 6.5CM brass and am very disappointed in it, from my searches my issues seem to be the same as many others. I think some of this brass was shot out of something with a loose chamber as well. From everything I have read it seems the primer pockets are a bit on the loose side after a few firings even with moderate loads. I have read a lot of people using 22-250 brass and just fire forming to 6.5CM but I found out doing this leaves you with a 0.030" short neck. I bought some LC for $.14/ea that was already swaged, tumbled, and annealed. I just happened to have an extra die and a .310 bushing laying around (have no idea why). I lubed up the casing, ran it through the 308 FL bushing die with the .310 bushing and pulled it out and put it in my 6.5CM FL bushing die with a .288 bushing (the die wasn't screwed all the way down, about 2 turns from caming over). I then screwed the die all the way down to where the press would cam over and pulled out a formed 6.5CM from LC 7.62. I trimmed the case down but not to final length as I thought I had a .264 expander but don't. I'm waiting on it to show up so I can do final work. I need to turn the neck down since the now formed 6.5CM neck is .018" and I want to turn them down to .013-.014" then I'll trim to final length and shoot them.
The brass seems a bit heavier (which I'll weigh once final trimming) so I will start out on the lower side of the data so I don't end up with pressure issues, I suspect I'll lose about 2gr of volume. I will end up with better brass and something that should last quite a while. Here are a few pictures, not final ones as I need to get my expander yet to turn the neck and final trim.

[Jonnin]

That works too.  ^^

 

What is the penalty for having a short neck, anyway?   Ive thought about just using 308s  in the 7.65  but that leaves me about 2.5 mm short which seems like too much.  I probably would have tried it at 0.03 ... that isn't much...   

[rab]

Westwindmike, Thanks for the infor. it is sure helpping to get a feel for what I need for there just is not any 6.5 creedmoor brass to be had at this time. I have 60 Hornady cases that I got from factory ammo, other say they only last for a few firing and other report that 6.5 brass from 308 last for quite a few, up to 15. I will start the process soon, just need a few tools and want to get the correct one on the frist buy.

Again thanks for any information to the quest.

[Clod Stomper]

I have reformed .30-06 to 7.65x53, .308 Win to .300 Sav, and 7.62x39 to 6.5 Grendel. Here are some things I have learned.

First, when pushing the shoulder back, or forming a new shoulder, it will be difficult to get the headspace short enough with a standard die and shellholder. My solution was to chuck the shellholder in a lathe and skim enough off the top to allow me to set the shoulder back properly. I marked that shellholder so I don't accidentally set the shoulder back too far on standard brass.

Second, I think this was discussed above, the neck will probably be too thick, because what is now the neck used to be case body. So that will need to be addressed. I use this http://www.midwayusa.com/product/269638/forster-original-case-trimmer and this http://www.midwayusa.com/product/590193/forster-classic-original-power-case-trimmer-neck-reamer-308-diameter

Third, because the case body is now the case neck, the new neck will need to be annealed. I was getting split necks and shoulders after a couple loads on my 7.65 brass before I figured that out.

I learned these things through trial and error. Your mileage may vary.