Converting Brass

[JimTom]

Check this out mate.

http://www.300blktalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88599

[Blr243]

Good info. I’m guessing that after this success you would do it all again?

[Blr243]

I’ve actually lost the bolt from my blackout ( I would like to think that I have temporarily misplaced it in the process of separating it from my rifle during transport to a hunting location) So I will probably find it one day while digging around for something else. So any loading / development/ testing of my blackout is on a temporary hold

[JimTom]

Good info. I’m guessing that after this success you would do it all again?

Mate it was worth doing it out of interest sake for sure. To be honest you can buy the brass pretty cheap as previously stated, however reloading is more of a hobby than a cost cutting exercise so yeah mate I’d happily do it all over again, plus I couldn’t bare to waste the .222 brass.

[sungazer]

JT you inspired me to also try forming my own from 223. I bought a 1.5kg bag of once-fired, mixed hs 223 brass from a popular online store for $40 delivered - about 150 cases, which I thought I was very reasonable. It's a mixture of ADI, OSA, Hornady, Federal, Remington, Winchester, Lapua and a few other odds and ends. .

I did the same when I wanted to load up some plinking rounds using some less than accurate projectiles. In the end I dont think it was a cost saving exercise certainly not a value saving exercise. When you can get the ADI virgin brass on special at $38 /100

It was certainly a learning exercise, and if I were to buy once fired brass again it would have to come at a much cheaper price % than new and the origin of the brass I would take more into account.

The brass fired by the semi autos the chambers are much larger than bolt guns and the cases get beat up on extraction far more than a bolt gun.

[JimTom]

Yeah I am thinking it would want to be fairly cheap to make it a worthwhile activity if you’re after saving a few bucks. I figure it’s more an exercise of recycling old brass from other cartridges.

[in2anity]

Neck tensions feel different among the various brands - i’m curious to see if that effects groups at all.

[bigrich]

ok fellas, i'm in need of some advice . this post has been focused on converting brass 222/223 to 300 blk out , but the principles will be the same i guess . i've been converting 308 ppu brass to 358 win. i've used a 8x57 die to step up the brass in two stages. i'm using a hornady full resize 358 die for the final process, it has a long tappering expander and works very well with no splitting or malformed cases . the cases don't need trimming and are just a couple of thou under the listed minimum trim length. my question is should i anneal these reworked cases before loading and firing ? i'm thinking the neck tension should be good as i'm stretching the neck larger. anyone got any veiws or advice ?

thanks in advance, cheers

[marksman]

because you have gone larger you will find the case necks are thinner and probably pretty consistent in thickness
l would anneal them at least just the once before the first firing
the shortness will stretch out in time

[bigrich]

because you have gone larger you will find the case necks are thinner and probably pretty consistent in thickness
l would anneal them at least just the once before the first firing
the shortness will stretch out in time

thanks MM, i might buy a gas torch from bunnings and use the method suggested by JT . i've heard of bunching cases together with a rubber band or tape and dipping the necks into molten lead ,as the tempreature is spot on and the lead doesn't stick . might be a idea if i get into cast for this 358 .

[JimTom]

I think it would be worth annealing them for sure mate. Like I have already eluded to, I annealed before expanding the necks, I seemed to have more success by having less split when expanding the neck.

[JimTom]

Further to my last post, I have fired and reloaded that converted brass a few times now with no problems at all.