300 Kodiak Case Forming

[Riceguy]

I'm helping a friend with his Inherited Fathers 300 Kodiak Rifle. The mother case was formed from the 300 H&H. I have the dies for the 300 Kodiak but not the 300 H&H. They originally fire formed the brass by firing the 300 H&H rounds in the Kodiak Rifle then resized with the RCBS sizing die. I have new Norma unformed Cylindrical brass and cases marked Head and Web to 300 H&H specifications.
Question: do you think that it will be to drastic to bypass the fire forming step and go directly to the FL resize die? I don't want to damage the brass as I only have brass for 40 rds
His fathers original load was 72 gr of 4350 behind a 180 gr Nosler (dated Aug of 1965)
any help would be appreciated.

 

[Dmagna]

Usually that type of brass is formed with a sort of lathe. Not meant for sizing with a die.

 

[Riceguy]

Thanks but was told that it was done by fireforming with the 300 H&H, the father was an employee at RCBS factory here in Oroville, Ca

 

[JMW67]

yes but you dont have preformed 300 hh brass to load and fire form what you have is 300 hh tubes I am assuming you have a sizing die the one in the picture is a seating die

 

[Dmagna]

Thanks but was told that it was done by fireforming with the 300 H&H, the father was an employee at RCBS factory here in Oroville, Ca

You cannot just form tubes in a die

 

[Riceguy]

yes but you dont have preformed 300 hh brass to load and fire form what you have is 300 hh tubes I am assuming you have a sizing die the one in the picture is a seating die

yes just wanted to show the 300 Kod in a picture

 

[Orange Dust]

It can be done in a drill press in several steps, annealed at each one, then the necks reamed. You would need a drill press shell holder, and a plate with a series of descending diameter holes countersunk to the correct shoulder angle. Old wildcatters trick. Much more work than firing HH shells in the gun but doable. Just looking at the cartridge it might be possible to size 300 Weatherby brass in one step with Imperial sizing die wax. Looks like 7STW, 8mag would require shoulder setback and custom dies. This is just looking at the pictures you have without dimensions.

 

[Orange Dust]

That brass looks to be old enough that your friend's father had it. If that is the case, he also had the stuff to form it the way I posted. You might have your friend hunt it if not lost forever. I think Sinclair's website still carries similar stuff. You can look there and see what I am talking about if still available.

 

[Riceguy]

That brass looks to be old enough that your friend's father had it. If that is the case, he also had the stuff to form it the way I posted. You might have your friend hunt it if not lost forever. I think Sinclair's website still carries similar stuff. You can look there and see what I am talking about if still available.

Thanks , we're also waiting to here from the guys over at the RCBS factory

 

[MagnumManiac]

You will need forming dies, they look like body only dies and form the neck and shoulder in separate steps.
I have a RCBS set to form belted basic brass (cylinder brass like yours) into any 2.850/2.825" length Weatherby brass.
It has 3 dies, forms the neck first with a screw in bushing of 375/338/300, then does the radius shoulder, then it does the final size to full shape. Necks have to be trimmed, the 300 has to be inside reamed in the neck usually.
Whidden will also make a similar hydro forming die set.
If you can size just the neck down in steps, it is possible you could final form in the die you have, but run the risk of wrinkled shoulders if not done in steps.

Cheers.

 

[Orange Dust]

You cannot just form tubes in a die

You can with caseforming dies. Expensive.

 

[Orange Dust]

However they are formed, if he had those cases, he had a reamer. Looks like a sizing die with an unthreaded hole in the top. Along with that is a reamer made to fit it. I still remember the blisters from making .357AMP brass years ago from 30-06 and .308. Do not try and form those cases without reaming the necks before loading and shooting them.
Here is another thing you might be able to do without spending a fortune on dies. This is an experiment I would try if I had the gun, brass, and only reloading dies, and couldn't find any HH brass.. I caution you it would be better and cheaper to just get some .300HH brass and load them with your Kodiak dies and fireform. Naw, I'm not going to go there. Find some HH brass, load it with your Kodiak dies and fireform, no reaming. You will be ahead several hundred dollars. Save the cylindrical brass for that .458 Lott you will build someday.

 

[cvixx]

Maybe I am missing something, but I am assuming that 300 Kodiak is just a blown-out 300 H&H. Easiest was to get cases would be to fireform the cases from the H&H and trim accordingly. What I did with my first 300 Weatherby.

Cylindrical cases are beyond me but could be the basis for some really interesting 500 Mag!

 

[Slibey]

I have 300 hh dies and old brass, don't have one anymore.