8mm Mauser brass....the hard way.

[bobm]

I find myself short on brass for my Turkish Mauser plinking rifle. The usual sources for el cheapo new brass are O.O.S. : "out of stock." Range pickup brass is non existent at the time, too. My current 100 loaded brass are on #6 fired and time is running out for them.

I have plenty of .30-06 brass and grabbed 100 pcs. of R-P #3 fired for reworking. I set up a repeatable process that leaves them all about .020 long for finished length trimming.

About 1/3 through this endeavor now. What else you gonna do when the temps are hovering about zero for the next three days?

 

[EOD Rob]

Where there is a will, there is a way!

 

[Adam in WI]

I'd anneal any cases that weren't virgin pieces before firing them. I did a good amount of LC brass in the fashion you're doing and many of them split necks or separated necks all together.

 

[std7mag]

What happens after 6 loadings of 8X57 brass???
Do you really wanna know how many loading i've got on my 257 Roberts brass that started life as 7X57?

As long as the primer pockets aren't like throwing a hotdog down a hallway, anneal and load.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I have some already formed if you need them. I have no idea on their state they were passed forward to me and ill never use them but want to forward them to a worthy recipient

 

[Plumsask]

I've got 10 firings on my winchesger brass for the 6AI, not mild loads either.
I heard used my paul bike wildcat shoulder set back die to make 6mm ai brass from 30-06 lapua and even easier 8x57.

 

[TripleS]

I have converted several pieces of brass into 8x57, although I used 270 cases instead of 30.06 at quick glance anyone will notice that it is not a 270! So far they have held up well being fired 3 and 4 times as 8x57 and who knows as range pick-up 270's.

 

[bobm]

My last batch of scrapped brass was 50 mixed head stamp picked up 8mm range brass and 50 reworked as described above. I have no "pet load" for this rifle. Any 150- 175 bullets I can get cheap, used six different powders. It loves every recipe I feed it. They are FL sized with a light bump every time. They get fired in a generous military chamber. Average number of firings before signs of head separation occur is about eight. Neck splits have not happened....yet. I consider that very good case life for used in a battle rifle. The bore is heavily pitted from corrosive ammo in it's past. Still shoots wonderful.

I do not anneal for any cartridge I use. The levergun silhouette MD lets me compete at his matches with the open sight rifle. My score does not count, just there to have fun tipping steel animals. My best score to date with that Mauser is 36 X 40.

Dusty, I will PM you about that brass.....

 

[bobm]

50 done, 50 more from scratch starting soon. 150 gr. Hornady SPT.....H322.