Yet another way to make 300-221 fireball brass

[320pf]

In an earlier post someone came up with a way to make 300-221 fireball brass using a small tube cutter to cut 223 brass near the shoulder. The next step involved running the brass into the sizing die and then trim to length.

Well I tried this method and it was way too slow. But it led to another method to form brass that is pretty quick.

First, with the .223 collet installed, trim .223 brass past the shoulder to a length of 1.365". I use a Foster trimmer with an attachment for a drill.



The brass at this point will look like a long version of a rimless 357 mag.



Run this brass into the sizer-deprimer die and you have a 300-221 fireball case.



I can make about 100 cases in little over an hour.


320pf

[Quarterbore]

That is pretty darned slick! Thanks for sharing!

I changed your links to show the images as your images were not too large...

Also, I bet you end up with lots of brass chips when you are done!

[320pf]

Originally Posted by Quarterbore

That is pretty darned slick! Thanks for sharing!

I changed your links to show the images as your images were not too large...

Also, I bet you end up with lots of brass chips when you are done!

Quarterbore,

Thanks for ugrading the links. Yes I do get a lot of brass chips. Since I do not have the Foster trimmer mounted on the bench.... I hold it in one hand and the drill in the other, I trim/cut the brass over a 5 gal. plastic bucket. There are about 2 in. of cuttings in the bucket now. (I have made about 2000 cases and this method seems to be the fastest)

I should elaborate a bit on technique. When you are initially cutting the case, you can cut pretty quickly. Once you get to the shoulder and the colet is no longer supporting the case, you need to back off and slow down or else you will mangle the end of the formed case. I found that setting the drill to High speed cuts the best.

320pf

[JFettig]

After you trim your brass to 1.365 then form them, how long do they come out? I cut my initial batches long and didn't measure before and after so I don't know how long it turns out but I plan on cutting down a bunch more and I want to cut them so that I have to do minimal trimming afterwards.

Thanks,
Jon

[redneckdan]

thats how I was doing it before I started using the tubing cutter. I stopped using that method because I figured it was more wear and tear on the cutter head than nessisary. To each his own I guess.

[320pf]

Originally Posted by redneckdan

thats how I was doing it before I started using the tubing cutter. I stopped using that method because I figured it was more wear and tear on the cutter head than nessisary. To each his own I guess.

Rednecdan,

You are right. I am sure that I am putting more wear and tear on my trimmer. But it is a lot faster.

I shoot about 200 round a month in matches and I only recover about 60-70% of the brass. So I am always making brass. And fast is good

320pf

[320pf]

Originally Posted by JFettig

After you trim your brass to 1.365 then form them, how long do they come out? I cut my initial batches long and didn't measure before and after so I don't know how long it turns out but I plan on cutting down a bunch more and I want to cut them so that I have to do minimal trimming afterwards.

Thanks,
Jon

Jon,

If you look at the accompanying photos you will see that the trimmed .223 case that looks like a rimless 357 is Oh so slightly shorter than the final form case. When you form the shoulder the case grows about 0.010. So here are the dimensions that I use.

I trim the cases to 1.357 ±0.002. I then sizes them and form the shoulder. The cases increase in length to 1.366 ±0.001. They do not require any re-trimming.

320pf

[320pf]

Originally Posted by 320pf

In an earlier post someone came up with a way to make 300-221 fireball brass using a small tube cutter to cut 223 brass near the shoulder. The next step involved running the brass into the sizing die and then trim to length.

Well I tried this method and it was way too slow. But it led to another method to form brass that is pretty quick.

First, with the .223 collet installed, trim .223 brass past the shoulder to a length of 1.365". I use a Foster trimmer with an attachment for a drill.



The brass at this point will look like a long version of a rimless 357 mag.



Run this brass into the sizer-deprimer die and you have a 300-221 fireball case.



I can make about 100 cases in little over an hour.


320pf

Since this post, I have updated the method. I now use a Forster power trimmer.

Here is the starting 5.56/223 brass mounted in the Forster power trimmer.



Here is the "trimmed" intermediate-step brass.


Run this brass into the sizer-deprimer die and you have a 300-221 fireball case.



I made these cases over a Saturday afternoon.



I hope that this helps those who are looking for ways to make 300-221 Fireball brass


320pf

[Colohunter]

So that just attaches to a drill press? Do you have a problem with the cutting blades bouncing off of the case mouth? I tried doing that with a lee cutter, though I don't have the base, so I was holding the case with my fingers. It takes me way to long to make the brass using the Redding trim die, I would love a way to make it faster.

[320pf]

Originally Posted by Colohunter

So that just attaches to a drill press? Do you have a problem with the cutting blades bouncing off of the case mouth? I tried doing that with a lee cutter, though I don't have the base, so I was holding the case with my fingers. It takes me way to long to make the brass using the Redding trim die, I would love a way to make it faster.

If I do not use the 22 pilot to start the cut it does chatter sometimes. If you want to make a S--t load of brass in short order and do not have access to a Dillion power trimmer or Dillion 650/Super 1050, this is a low budget way to go. I got the Forster power trimmer from MidWayUSA

320pf