How to modify other cartridge cases to use in Model 8 & 81.

[srs]

Below is the information I have gathered in my efforts to build ammo for my Model 8. Some of the info was gleaned from the forums here, some of it from other sources. I hope you find it useful. I must point out that I have only done the work for .30 Remington and have not tried the methods for the other cartridges, although I believe the information to be correct.

I would highly recommend annealing the cartridges after forming them or you may find that they have a short life before splitting. These type of reforming operations will very quickly work harden brass. I used a small wood lathe for the turning operations; any reasonably well made lathe with a smallish runout should work fine. Use a collet or die to hold the case.

Reference material:
The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions, John J. Donnelly, copyright 1987, ISBN 0-88317-138-4.
http://saami.org/specifications_and_inf ... ad/206.pdf

.25 Remington - pg. 206 Donnelly - http://www.armorypub.com/2001/4-01.htm
.30-30 Win. or .225 Win. Turn rim to .422" dia and cut extractor groove. If using .225 Win., taper expand to .270". FL size, trim to length, chamfer.

.30 Remington - pg. 308 Donnelly - pg. 55 SAAMI
.30-30 Win. Turn rim to .422" dia and cut extractor groove. FL size, trim to length, chamfer.

.32 Remington - pg. 368 Donnelly - pg. 67 SAAMI
.30-30 Win. Turn rim to .422" dia and cut extractor groove. Taper expand to .330". FL size, trim to length, chamfer.

.35 Remington - pg. 412 Donnelly - pg. 73 SAAMI
.303 British or .30-40 Krag. Trim case to 1.95". Turn rim to .460" dia. and cut extractor groove. FL size, trim to length, chamfer.

.300 Savage - pg. 341 Donnelly - pg. 60 SAAMI
.30-06 Springfield. Anneal neck, FL size w/out expander, trim to length, I.D. neck ream, chamfer.

SAAMI info for potential parent cartridges:
.225 Winchester - pg. 42 SAAMI
.30-06 Springfield - pg. 56 SAAMI
.30-30 Winchester - pg. 57 SAAMI
.30-40 Krag - pg. 58 SAAMI
.303 British - pg. 63 SAAMI

edited to emphasize what I have actually done - Steve.

[Phyrbird]

Excellent post, the kind of detail and references our members need

[Adam Lee]

Excellent post, the kind of detail and references our members need

Carl, I completely agree! Great informative post, srs!

As I am in the same camp as Mitch - gearing myself up towards reloading on my own - (had to include you in this post, Mitch!) the download SAAMI pdf was a great thing to review.

srs, whatever your Christian name may be, I thank you for guiding me back to the SAAMI specs website. I took a few seconds, and downloaded the shotgun, rimfire, and pistol specs pdf's as well to add to my reference library.

Adam

[Adam Lee]

srs,
I think this here you wrote down was interesting:

.35 Remington - pg. 412 Donnelly - pg. 73 SAAMI
.303 British or .30-40 Krag. Trim case to 1.95". Turn rim to .460" dia. and cut extractor groove. FL size, trim to length, chamfer.

so, other folks here - does this seem realistic - turn out .35 Rem cases via .303 Brit cases? Maybe the dimensional aspects could work - but is .303 case construction, from metallurgic standpoint, up for the task?

I ask because I do not know!

Thanks, Team Great 8!
Adam

[srs]

Those instructions are straight from the Donnelly book. I have not tried making a 35 Remington case because I don't own a rifle that chambers it. If the quality of the parent case is in question, I would not use it. Aren't there some .303 Brit cases that have been made in recent decades? If so, those should be fine.

-Steve

PS. If you are interested on modifying existing cases to make obsolete cartridges, I highly recommend buying the Donnelly book. I found a paperback edition on Amazon this morning by searching for the book title.

srs,
I think this here you wrote down was interesting:

.35 Remington - pg. 412 Donnelly - pg. 73 SAAMI
.303 British or .30-40 Krag. Trim case to 1.95". Turn rim to .460" dia. and cut extractor groove. FL size, trim to length, chamfer.

so, other folks here - does this seem realistic - turn out .35 Rem cases via .303 Brit cases? Maybe the dimensional aspects could work - but is .303 case construction, from metallurgic standpoint, up for the task?

I ask because I do not know!

Thanks, Team Great 8!
Adam

[Fred]

Adam,
303brit's SAAMI operating pressure (45,000cup) is higher than .35Rem and really the only modification to the 303Brit is to turn off the rim and cut a shallow extractor groove. At 35rem pressures, the modification should present no issue if done right. There are several 'modern' manufacturers of 303brit that one could source brass from.

303brit dimensions:
http://s10.postimg.org/m4ijeucc9/303_Brit.png
reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.303_British

[Phyrbird]

For more interesting downloads you might try these:

http://stevespages.com/page8.htm

http://stevespages.com/page7d.htm

Just avoid downloading a book by "jolly Roger" the atf and others track it

[Adam Lee]

Those instructions are straight from the Donnelly book. I have not tried making a 35 Remington case because I don't own a rifle that chambers it. If the quality of the parent case is in question, I would not use it. Aren't there some .303 Brit cases that have been made in recent decades? If so, those should be fine.

-Steve

PS. If you are interested on modifying existing cases to make obsolete cartridges, I highly recommend buying the Donnelly book. I found a paperback edition on Amazon this morning by searching for the book title.

srs,
I think this here you wrote down was interesting:

.35 Remington - pg. 412 Donnelly - pg. 73 SAAMI
.303 British or .30-40 Krag. Trim case to 1.95". Turn rim to .460" dia. and cut extractor groove. FL size, trim to length, chamfer.

so, other folks here - does this seem realistic - turn out .35 Rem cases via .303 Brit cases? Maybe the dimensional aspects could work - but is .303 case construction, from metallurgic standpoint, up for the task?

I ask because I do not know!

Thanks, Team Great 8!
Adam

Thanks, STEVE!

"Steve" just works for me a bit better than referring to "srs".....that's just me!

And I do like this thread - we are all working around brass shortages, even if the ammo is not completely extinct, in the .35 Rem example.
My fave "work-around" is morphing .30 Rem via 30-30 ammo, which is one of the most generic rounds, thankfully.

.303 British rimmed ammo is still in abundance, thanks to the UK's diverse empire - Indian ammo, Pakistani ammo, heck it's around.

Guys I just learned I have to drop 2 grade levels next year to make up for changing numbers in enrollment, I am not exactly happy - since that means it's back to fourth grade. Again.

I am looking at a transfer to middle school 6-8. We shall see. Not a happy camper today.

Adam