Necking down a cartridge

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

Necking down a cartridge

Post by Ade » 27 Apr 2014, 9:49 pm

I'm no reloader but have read about this in mags etc.

How is it done?

Cheers
Brno model 2 .22
Beretta silver pigeon 12 bore
I.Hollis and Sons 12 bore side by side hammers sidelock 2,5
Ade
Private
Private
 
Posts: 68
Western Australia

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Chronos » 27 Apr 2014, 9:57 pm

Do you mean necking down a case for use in another chamber like the way I neck down .308 brass for use in my 7-08? If so you can usually just run a lubed case through your full length sizing die and load it up.

Or if you mean the process if developing a new wildcat cartridge by reducing the caliber like a .22 hornet to a .17 hornet then it's a process of manufacturing a reamer and chambering a new barrel then manufacturing reloading dies to suit your new cartridge. You then need to neck down brass as above and experiment (safely) with loads for it

Chronos
User avatar
Chronos
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2082
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Aussier » 28 Apr 2014, 10:02 am

Depends what you're original case is an what you're necking it down too.

If you're just doing small steps like Chronos mentioned of .308 to 7mm-08, you would just put the .308 brass through 7mm-08 sizing die. This shrinks the neck down to fit the 7mm bullet.

If you're doing a bigger change like going from .308 down to .243 you might size the .308 to 7mm first, then put the newly sized 7mm brass through a .243 die the same as above to finish it. This is just so you don't go too far down in one step and crush the neck or shoulder from too much work at once.
User avatar
Aussier
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 232
Australian Capital Territory

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Rakk » 28 Apr 2014, 10:23 am

It's only done if you're reloading your own... because you can't find any brass in your rifles cartridge, you buy something similar and change the neck.

.308 brass is common as. Guys who shoot 7mm-08 or .243 but can't find their brass can neck down .308 brass.

Necking down 30-06 to .270 is another common one.

You can turn 30-06 or .270 brass into 25-06 brass.

And so on...
User avatar
Rakk
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 156
Australian Capital Territory

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by sneaker » 28 Apr 2014, 10:23 am

Nothing to worry about if you're using factory ammo ;)
User avatar
sneaker
Private
Private
 
Posts: 76
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Prettybird » 28 Apr 2014, 10:28 am

While the information the guys have posted above is correct, be aware this is just the basics.

There can be other issues like body heigh, shoulder angle, base and rim dimensions.

The above are the simplest examples, and are only sizing the necks of parent and child cases. e.g. the 30-06 and .270 are the same except for the neck dimensions. The rest of the case dimensions are the same. Same for .308 and 7mm-08.

You could not for example turn a 30-06 case into a .308 case without trimming the top portion of the case off below the shoulder. Then resizing a new shoulder and neck.

Look at the base of a you can't turn a 30-30 into a .308 case even though they are similar height .30 cal brass. Look at the base/rim of the case and you will see why.

Point being there is a bit more to learn before you start banging cases through.

Be safe.
User avatar
Prettybird
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Farmjer » 28 Apr 2014, 10:48 am

FYI you can also neck brass up too.

Turn a 7mm-08 into a .308 and so on.
User avatar
Farmjer
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 110
South Australia

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by bunnybuster » 11 May 2014, 9:30 pm

Prettybird wrote:You could not for example turn a 30-06 case into a .308 case as other dimensions of the case are not right.


Pray tell Bird,why a 30-06 will not resize to 308 ?

Be Safe [the original] think of your own.

BB.
bunnybuster
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 151
Western Australia

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Prettybird » 12 May 2014, 3:27 pm

Ha ha. Sorry, didn't mean to steal your sign off :lol:

You're right, I failed to explain my point clearly (in fact it was partly wrong)

(Updated my original post to say) what I meant to say was that there is more to it than just resizing necks. You can't just grab any other brass bang it through a die and voilà.

As per 30-06 example, significant trimming is required to shorten the case.

As per comment about the base potentially being difference, you can't turn 30-30 brass into .308 despite both being a .30 cal brass of about the same length.

Soz for any mis-information Ade. Made sense in my head but didn't come out right as words :lol:

Be Safer. (Yeeeah, in your face!)
User avatar
Prettybird
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Prettybird » 12 May 2014, 3:28 pm

The other thing I showed (which I didn't mean to) Ade is that you should double check what you read on forums.

People (e.g. me) can cock it up or just not know WTF they are talking about :lol:
User avatar
Prettybird
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Monty » 12 May 2014, 3:39 pm

Prettybird wrote:Be Safer. (Yeeeah, in your face!)


I think we can called that 'inspired by' at best. Not thinking of your own :P
Obligatory moderator signature: If you can't play by the rules, don't let the door hit you on the way out.
User avatar
Monty
Moderator
 
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by yoshie » 13 May 2014, 1:14 pm

Sometimes when making 260 and 7mm08 people will use 308s and then neck turn them so they get consistent neck tension. It gives them more control over what they are after. I neck down a 30-30 to 7mm to make 7mm international rimmed for my contender. I have to 'blow out' the shoulders using a light load.(fire forming).
User avatar
yoshie
Sergeant
Sergeant
 
Posts: 641
Australian Capital Territory

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by 1290 » 13 May 2014, 4:53 pm

bunnybuster wrote:Pray tell Bird,why a 30-06 will not resize to 308 ?

Be Safe [the original] think of your own.

BB.


Of course you can, Frankford (or was it Picatinny) did it in the 40's :D
User avatar
1290
Warrant Officer C1
Warrant Officer C1
 
Posts: 1336
Victoria

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by bunnybuster » 15 May 2014, 3:33 am

I was begining to worry that all those 30-06 milsurp I bought as scrap for pennies and necked down to 308 was just a figment of my imagination,unlike the 7.62 I bought years later and resized to 243,which I still use.

So Ade,any brass which shares a common head dimension and has sufficient length can be reformed to another calibre,ie30-06 will make 8x57,7x57,308,243,22-250,and many Wildcats etc etc.

Be Safe,
BB.
bunnybuster
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 151
Western Australia

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Prettybird » 16 May 2014, 2:44 pm

Yeah soz. Too rushed in my explanation and mucked it up. :)

You aren't imagining things :lol:
User avatar
Prettybird
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Seik » 16 May 2014, 2:46 pm

bunnybuster wrote:I was begining to worry that all those 30-06 milsurp I bought as scrap for pennies and necked down to 308 was just a figment of my imagination


You didn't imagine it.

You should still go see somebody about "the voices" though :lol:
User avatar
Seik
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 194
Queensland

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by dustin » 16 May 2014, 2:46 pm

Seik wrote:You should still go see somebody about "the voices" though :lol:


And get rid of all his friends? :lol:

:P
User avatar
dustin
Private
Private
 
Posts: 92
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by bunnybuster » 24 May 2014, 11:53 pm

Seik wrote:
bunnybuster wrote:I was begining to worry that all those 30-06 milsurp I bought as scrap for pennies and necked down to 308 was just a figment of my imagination


You didn't imagine it.

You should still go see somebody about "the voices" though :lol:


Voices ? read the post again.

Be Safe,BB.
bunnybuster
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 151
Western Australia

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by Seik » 26 May 2014, 6:06 pm

It was a joke... Imagined stuff... voices in the head...

Nevermind.
User avatar
Seik
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 194
Queensland

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by dustin » 26 May 2014, 6:06 pm

It's ok, I got it Seik :lol:
User avatar
dustin
Private
Private
 
Posts: 92
New South Wales

Re: Necking down a cartridge

Post by subatom » 27 May 2014, 11:52 am

Ade wrote:How is it done?


With lube.

Neck a case after forgetting to lube it and you'll know about it :lol:
Remington VTR .308 Winchester. Marlin 336 .35 Remington. Mossberg 185 20 gauge.
User avatar
subatom
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 110
South Australia


Back to top
 
Return to Reloading ammunition