300/221 Case Forming from 223 brass

[300whisper_newbie]

Georgel Wrote :

I'm so glad this forum is here. I'm realtively new to .300 Whisper/Fireball in some ways, but have been intrested/working on it off and on for years.

I have a set of Redding dies including the case form/trim die. The problem I've seen is that the Redding die forms the case neck too long. The overall finished length is the same length as an unformed .221 case. My suspicion is that they used this dimension to create their die. However, my experience is that a .221 case formed to .300 Whisper/Fireball actually shortens the neck due to the expansion. Can anyone confirm this? I called Redding and they gave me some story about the dimensions changing and they stood behind their existing case form die. Meaning, they weren't going to do anything about it, a little frustrating.

I'm in the middle of a move so I can't measure the actual dimensions I'm referring to at the moment. I'll be glad to post those later when I get unpacked.

Curious as to others experiences.

OBTW, those long necks won't chamber properly in my barrel.

[jripper]

I just got a redding trim/form die yesterday. I think I know what the problem is. I think to use this die properly, your shell plate has to go all the way to the base of the die. I know in my Lyman Orange Crusher, it I do this, the die is too far into the press threads to use.

I noted that on Reddings web sight, they catalog an extended shell holder. I assume that this would had length to the shell holder, and bring die up higher. I take it that you are supposed to trim the case while it is still in the die, using something? (a file maybe?). It looks like if you did this, it would turn out to be the right length. I think that instead of spending another $15 on the extended shell holder, I will send my die back, and use the standard form die without the expander plug/rod. I am then going to take the case, put it into my case trimmer, and cut if off using a dremel tool, just where the case necks down from the .30 size to the original .223 case. I will then trim it the rest of the way using my case trimmer.

This will save me about $55 and I don't know that it will be much harder.

I got part of this idea from ar15barrels.com, under his case forming method.

[jripper]

Update:

So far, the dremel and case trimmer method seems to be working pretty well. I put a power adapter on my trimmer. I formed case into the trimmer, cut it off at the neck with the dremel, and then trim it to length. I did have to use a .28 pilot for my trimmer, as the neck on the .223 was too small to go over the .30, as it has not been run through the neck expander yet.
When I load the brass, and will run it back through the full length sizer, using the neck expander, and it should be good to go.

Joel

[Gos]

Using 223 brass makes the process much easier than the 221, not to mention a whole lot cheaper! I use a motorized case trimmer to cut the 223 down to 1.4". Next, deburr the case mouth. Lube and run the case through your resizing die. You'll now have a necked down 300 whisper rather than a necked up 300 whisper. Wipe off your case lube, and trim down to finish length of 1.355".
Your now ready to load.

Gos

[van462]

I found a pretty quick way if you have a small band saw. I cut a wood block to 1.4 inches wide. Bores 10 3/8 holes in. I just slide 10, 223 brass into the holes in block. they run thru the saw like butter and size them. Like gos said you are necking down and they glide thru the die. Then do finial trim on a Lyman case trimmer. Works for me but I had every thing already laying around. Makes trimming brass very fast

[redneckdan]

you can use a small pipe cutter to cut the brass off at the shoulder, then run through the sizing die and trim.