308 WIN to 260 REM is it worth it?

[Jinx-)]

I finally decide to get rid of my 308 WIN and switch to 260 REM, but I still have plenty of 308 brass. So I'm kind of interested in converting my 308 WIN brass to 260 REM. Had anyone tried it and what are the steps? I was thinking outside neck turn 308 and run it through 260 FL or Neck sizer... Thanx for any help.

 

[J E Custom]

I finally decide to get rid of my 308 WIN and switch to 260 REM, but I still have plenty of 308 brass. So I'm kind of interested in converting my 308 WIN brass to 260 REM. Had anyone tried it and what are the steps? I was thinking outside neck turn 308 and run it through 260 FL or Neck sizer... Thanx for any help.

In my opinion that is the best way to use the 308 brass.

By turning it first it will be more concentric after you size it down.

I do this with 308 to 708 brass and it ends up very uniform.

You may have to do it in 2 steps to get down to .264 . (.308 to .284 to .264) if it is not annealed.

Good luck.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Jinx-)]

Thank you J E Custom, the brass I'm manly concern is Lapua and I believe virgin ones are annealed at the factory so is the ones I already fired, I annealed them after firing them 3 -4 times max.

 

[J E Custom]

Thank you J E Custom, the brass I'm manly concern is Lapua and I believe virgin ones are annealed at the factory so is the ones I already fired, I annealed them after firing them 3 -4 times max.

That's good brass to work with .

I use Lapua for my all out accuracy loads for my 7/08 (I buy the 308 lapua brass because they
dont make 7/08).

I have also had good luck with Remington 308 brass when I couldn't find 7/08 brass.

good luck.

J E CUSTOM

 

[RT2506]

The only problem with taking the 308 Win brass down to make 260 Rem cases is that your necks will be a little shorter than the trim to length for a 260 Rem but the will work. 243 Win cases going up to 260 Rem work better and give you proper neck length.

 

[Jinx-)]

I see, thanks for the warning! I guess I will run small batch see how they come out... Just hope it can be done without 7-08, otherwise have to order them, I do have 270 win dies but 308 cases are to short for them , anyway I did order some 260 REM brass by Remington in case I'll have problems with resizing Lapua 308 and a deluxe set of Reading dies...

Also I was thinking, did anybody tried Redding Case Forming Dies, I checked Redding website they got big selection of forming dies from one caliber to other, but they have nothing for 260... Maybe they can make one as custom order.
So any one tried this approach?

 

[anothermartin]

I have sized LC 308 brass down to 260 in one step with RCBS FL dies using slow even pressure. The shoulders have a mark from the old neck junction but this should go away with fire forming. I found the necks need to be turned as they get too thick. They fit in my factory chamber but don't have room to expand. JE's suggestion to turn before forming may be a good idea. I don't have a neck turner yet so I haven't tried it. I necked up 243 brass with good results.

 

[J E Custom]

I see, thanks for the warning! I guess I will run small batch see how they come out... Just hope it can be done without 7-08, otherwise have to order them, I do have 270 win dies but 308 cases are to short for them , anyway I did order some 260 REM brass by Remington in case I'll have problems with resizing Lapua 308 and a deluxe set of Reading dies...

Also I was thinking, did anybody tried Redding Case Forming Dies, I checked Redding website they got big selection of forming dies from one caliber to other, but they have nothing for 260... Maybe they can make one as custom order.
So any one tried this approach?

Rt 2506 is right about the 308 being shorter but it's only .010 thousandths and after you size
down the necks they will grow longer and make up some of the length if not all and more.

Turn the necks just enough to clean them up and after sizing you shouldn't have to turn
them any more.

After sizing them down they "MUST" be trimed to make them uniform and I recommend .010
to .020 shorter than the chamber or SAMMI Spc.which ever is less.

I always recommend having brass with the proper head stamp but this is not allways possible.

The main reason I recommend sizing down is to prevent neck thinning.

J E CUSTOM

 

[noneck180]

So to go to 7-08 from 308 lapua brass, you turn the necks, then just use a 7-08 neck die, or is better use a full sizing die, then trim to length?

 

[J E Custom]

So to go to 7-08 from 308 lapua brass, you turn the necks, then just use a 7-08 neck die, or is better use a full sizing die, then trim to length?

I prefer to use a full length sizing die backed off just a little (2 or 3 thousandths) to get a good
fit in the chamber and hold the round centered for sizing the neck.

After trimming, place a bullet in one of the cases and check the outside dimension of the neck
and compare it with a fired piece of brass to make sure you have turned it enough to let it
expand at least .003 to .004.thousandths. Failure to do so may cause a pressure problem.

If you have a die that has a floating body that holds the case centered while sizing the neck
then you will be fine.

I hope this helps.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Jinx-)]

Free floating dies could be a problem with Redding, I'll se what I can do with them... So after I FL size them and seat bullet I have to make sure its within specs like this?

.2969" in the neck

 

[Jinx-)]

Well, got my dies delivered today, resized few Lapua cases, I think its not bad, and yes they are short 2.011" and specs list 2.035. Since I resized brass which been fired many times, it might not grow as it would with brand new. Its been trimmed many times to keep equal length. Good thing resizing works and I thank you for all of the advise.

 

[loaders_loft]

jinx, what was the 308 case length before resizing to 7-08?

 

[Jinx-)]

it was about the same 2.010"