.257 wildcat build

[Welderboy11972]

This will destroy the case every time, especially when you are removing taper from the case as well. There is nothing to support the brass in the die and it will bulge at the body/shoulder junction or simply wrinkle the shoulder.

Did that once....

I have the Sinclair neck turning die. ( the one you put the mandrel in to size the neck before neck turning) After I neck/FL size my cases, I run them though the Sinclair die as the final brass prep. I had been loading for my 25-06. The next day I started loading for my 300rum. Well, I changed the mandrel but forgot to adjust the die out. I ran a case though it and you are right, it will destroy a case.

 

[Welderboy11972]

Hey guys, I have one more question then I'll lay low for a while.

When I'm necking down brass, my die bottoms out on my shell holder before the neck is sized all the way down. Should I trim the bottom of my die or is there a better fix?

 

[elkaholic]

Hey guys, I have one more question then I'll lay low for a while.

When I'm necking down brass, my die bottoms out on my shell holder before the neck is sized all the way down. Should I trim the bottom of my die or is there a better fix?

Is it a bushing die?

 

[Welderboy11972]

No its not. I tryed AZSHOOTER method. Started out with my setting die ( with micometer removed) and took the neck about half way down, then finished off with the FL die. Just for a test to see if triming the bottom of the FL die would fix the issue. I tryed a 300 rum case ( same as the 300 saum case only the body is longer) and it turned out perfect. The shoulder/neck jct looks factory. I'm still waiting for my bushing die and got a little excited.

 

[AZShooter]

Try to shorten your shell holder first. I have done that many times. Carefully use the side of the grinder wheel for an more even cut. Be sure to wear eye protection, a face shield would be even better. Hold it with some vice grips and cool the shell holder often. (you are not supposed to use the side of a grinding wheel as they say in the literature it could come apart. I have never encountered it but you never know)

Now lets say you grind the upper lip so thin it won't hold up when you try to pull the sized case back out. With some effort you can slide the ground down shell holder sideways and out of the press. Then place an unaltered shell holder to pull the case from the die. It works, I KNOW because I have pulled the thin lip right off! <grin>

If altering the shell holder doesn't work, you could shorten a FL die . I have purchased two sets of dies in the past and hacked one up to serve a purpose. If you do try to cut a RCBS die they are case hardened. A carbide tool bit will go through the "skin" but man what an orange light show! Afterwards you will have to face and polish the opening. You could do the whole thing by grinding but at the end you still have to figure out how to taper the mouth and make it smooth.

 

[Welderboy11972]

I mesured how much of the neck needed sized and it came roughly .060"...mesured my shell holder and it was about the same. I have Redding dies, I'm thinking they a hardened also. I'll give cutting it down a go. I have some .045" cut off wheels for my grinder and a vice.

Watching someone use a 7" Grinding wheel, ( 8400 rpm rating) on a 10,000 rpm grinder, isn't something you want to stick around and see.
I've seen the after effects. He received several stiches in his leg, arm and chest.

 

[Edd]

What are you sizing and what are you sizing it to?

 

[elkaholic]

I mesured how much of the neck needed sized and it came roughly .060"...mesured my shell holder and it was about the same. I have Redding dies, I'm thinking they a hardened also. I'll give cutting it down a go. I have some .045" cut off wheels for my grinder and a vice.

Watching someone use a 7" Grinding wheel, ( 8400 rpm rating) on a 10,000 rpm grinder, isn't something you want to stick around and see.
I've seen the after effects. He received several stiches in his leg, arm and chest.

If you have any problems, I have cut my 7 SAUM RCBS die down to start forming my SS cases. I used a grinder and then flat filed when I got close. I then smoothed the bottom a little forming a very slight radius with some fine sand paper and finished with crocus cloth. It works great......Rich

 

[Welderboy11972]

300 saum necked down to .257

I did alittle reading on necking down 30-06 brass down to make 25-06 brass. Most people was doing it in one step. I did it in two, only i went slow and little bumps at a time.

 

[elkaholic]

I didn't have a bullet to put in your 25 SS, but here is the family

 

[Ovis Spotter]

I did the 25 / 300 saum. It was a fun cartridge. It would launch a 100 grain Barnes xlc at 3500 fps. It was wicked accurate and I killed a few deer with it before moving on.

Blacktail, I'm looking for load info for my own .25 SAUM build and I see that you've had one of these. I'm looking to shoot 100 gr coppers as I live in CA, I'd really appreciate any guidance you could provide on powder choices starting loads. I have RL-19 and RL-22 on hand and I'm going to give the 100 gr cutting edge MTH bullets a try, barrel is 25" Pac Nor 1:9 twist.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[PredatorSlayer45]

If you are wanting a hotrod 25, I think a 257 Weatherby is about as good as it gets. If you don't like the Weatherby shoulder you can get a custom reamer and blow it out to whatever your favorite angle is. If you want to equal the performance of the 257 Weatherby in a short action, you will need to look at the WSM cases.

So what your saying is, you could ai it or even put a Gibb's style angle to it creating a laser of speed and hoping accuracy. Wow

 

[PredatorSlayer45]

If you are wanting a hotrod 25, I think a 257 Weatherby is about as good as it gets. If you don't like the Weatherby shoulder you can get a custom reamer and blow it out to whatever your favorite angle is. If you want to equal the performance of the 257 Weatherby in a short action, you will need to look at the WSM cases.

Say I choose the Weatherby and if I want a shoulder angle comparable to a Gibbs, in the neighborhood of 45°. Can I get dies to form made from rcbs or lee? Also, if I just ask either of them the shoulder angle, can they then make it? Newer reloading. Thanks

 

[Rich Coyle]

I don't know about the two you mentioned, but Hornady has made about a dozen wildcats dies for me. In fact the last time I called Ben recognized my voice.