reforming cases ... back to original

[Magnum Wheel Man]

so, as many calibers as I reload, sometimes you can't help reforming some, however I always try to get correct head stamps when ever possible...

last night I continued to work on going through all my brass, moving them from my old reloading area to my walk in gun safe room, & new loading benches...

I came across 40-50 .308 military cases in a baggie that my FIL had reformed to .243 Winchester... I now have plenty of correct headstamp .243, & I'm actually short on .308... I haven't looked at shoulders yet, thinking they are basically just necked down at the case mouth to .243, but they are sized, primed, & ready to load ( according to the note in the baggie )

any issues expanding the mouth, & using a reduced load ( fire form load ) & turning these back to .308 ???

 

[F. Guffey]

any issues expanding the mouth, & using a reduced load ( fire form load ) & turning these back to .308 ???

there is the answer "You bet, no problem and right away", then there is me. I do not have an exemption, when I form 30/06 to 22 6mm I pass 243/6mm, what does that mean? Nothing to anyone, except me. When I neck down a 30/06 to .243 I make donuts meaning the neck expander ball will not clear the neck/shoulder juncture inside the case, 'no problem' I have a 243 Winchester neck reamer die with the reamer.

Necking a 308 to 243 does not create as much trauma but it is a workout for the case neck and shoulder. going back the other way creates more trauma. Point?

If there is any truth to working the brass hardens it, the neck and shoulder will be work hardened so expect short case life with splits and case necks that do not behave as designed.

I would suggest annealing.

F. Guffey

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

thanks... I can do that, or if I thought I could get a somewhat realistic price, I could just put them on my gun show table in March, as they are...

but the FIL always dated everything he did, & he's been gone a long time... I think he reformed & primed these in 1987... they have been stored well, & I'm sure the primers are still fine, but to sell them, I'm sure they won't carry any kind of realistic price... so I'm likely better off opening them enough to stuff a 30 caliber bullet, & hope they don't crack on the 1st firing, & anneal them afterwards ( I'm not too keen on annealing them with primers in the pockets, even though the heat won't be going down that far, or at least hot enough to soften the case head or lower portion of the case body )