MooseHunter
Silver $$ Contributor
Anyone made 338 06 Brass from Starline Basic Brass?
Forming 338 06 Brass from Starline Basic Brass
- Thread starter MooseHunter
- Start date
Closest I can do is forming from 35 Whelen brass in one swoop. This is a good method for establishing positive headspace on the 1st firing as well.
I'm sure CH will make form dies if you want to wait for a few months. A phone call might bring joy. They have the strangest things on the shelf sometimes.
Going from the straight tube basic case, if you have a FL Whelen die it might be worth a try (slowly, no expander, lots of lube), but you may just crush the case. In which case...
Guessing the OD of the case mouth is around .470" or so. Unless you have some sort of form dies, thinking that before using the 35 Whelen die (neck OD of c. .390") maybe start the necking down process with an intermediate die... 44 Mag is about .447" & 41 Mag is about .427" at the carbide ring. If no Whelen die, a 38/357 sizer should work for the 2nd (or 3rd?) reduction. A 223 FL die is about .370". You get the idea. I would try one case at a time with lots of Imperial lube & go slow until you get a feel for the process.
Might be easier to just get some 35 Whelen brass. The Hornady stuff I've been using has held up well to all manner of experimentation.
I'm sure CH will make form dies if you want to wait for a few months. A phone call might bring joy. They have the strangest things on the shelf sometimes.
Going from the straight tube basic case, if you have a FL Whelen die it might be worth a try (slowly, no expander, lots of lube), but you may just crush the case. In which case...
Guessing the OD of the case mouth is around .470" or so. Unless you have some sort of form dies, thinking that before using the 35 Whelen die (neck OD of c. .390") maybe start the necking down process with an intermediate die... 44 Mag is about .447" & 41 Mag is about .427" at the carbide ring. If no Whelen die, a 38/357 sizer should work for the 2nd (or 3rd?) reduction. A 223 FL die is about .370". You get the idea. I would try one case at a time with lots of Imperial lube & go slow until you get a feel for the process.
Might be easier to just get some 35 Whelen brass. The Hornady stuff I've been using has held up well to all manner of experimentation.
MooseHunter
Silver $$ Contributor
I have Redding 338 06 dies. Graf and Son sent an extra expander to size 06 brass up. Then full length re size. Do I need to get special dies to do this? I read that some folks use 35 Whelen brass and just resize to 338 06. I have 454, 44 357 and 223. Is this a good idea? Better than necking up the 06 brass? It seems like a little bit of work would get get "new" 338 06 brass.
Some confusion here? When you say "basic" '06 brass do you mean basic as in plain old '06, or Basic as in straight tubular brass that can be use to make any '06 type/length case?
Are you using 30-06 brass that needs necking up #2610
https://www.starlinebrass.com/30-06-springfield-brass
or basic brass #2615
https://www.starlinebrass.com/30-06-Basic-Brass/2615
that needs necking down & establishing a shoulder in the correct place?
The Redding dies I have for 338-06 Improved already have a tapered expander. I used plain old WW 30-06 brass for many years until I ended up with some extra 35 Whelen brass. Think I'll keep using the Whelen brass in the future if it's available. Initial headspacing/chamber fit is easier when necking down until it chambers with a little "feel" on the 1st firing than necking up & hoping.
With that combo of dies, you should be able to make usable brass from either basic, Whelen, or standard 06. If it's a good idea or not depends on availability of the parent case, your skill/fiddling around tolerance level & your definition of good idea.
Listing in order of (in my opinion) easiest/best method:
1-35 whelen necked down
2-Standard 30-06 necked up
3-The 06 Basic with lots of fiddling until you find a good procedure that's easily repeatable.
Welcome to the world of case forming. Remember to enjoy yourself. It's a learning exercise at first... go slow, go far.
Are you using 30-06 brass that needs necking up #2610
https://www.starlinebrass.com/30-06-springfield-brass
or basic brass #2615
https://www.starlinebrass.com/30-06-Basic-Brass/2615
that needs necking down & establishing a shoulder in the correct place?
The Redding dies I have for 338-06 Improved already have a tapered expander. I used plain old WW 30-06 brass for many years until I ended up with some extra 35 Whelen brass. Think I'll keep using the Whelen brass in the future if it's available. Initial headspacing/chamber fit is easier when necking down until it chambers with a little "feel" on the 1st firing than necking up & hoping.
With that combo of dies, you should be able to make usable brass from either basic, Whelen, or standard 06. If it's a good idea or not depends on availability of the parent case, your skill/fiddling around tolerance level & your definition of good idea.
Listing in order of (in my opinion) easiest/best method:
1-35 whelen necked down
2-Standard 30-06 necked up
3-The 06 Basic with lots of fiddling until you find a good procedure that's easily repeatable.
Welcome to the world of case forming. Remember to enjoy yourself. It's a learning exercise at first... go slow, go far.
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