A reloader/shooter just west of Ft. Worth was interested in case forming cases for his model 99 Japanese rifle. He received more responses that claimed 'it could not be done' or 'should not be done' so I contacted him off line.
I formed 80 cases. I saved a few for the purpose of having a way to measure the cases just in case I made a mistake.
I formed 20 cases that I labeled, full length sized, I formed 20cases I labeled go-gage length, I formed 20 cases I labeled field reject length and then shipped the cases. By the time he got back to me we were at the Market Hall gun show. the full length/minimum length cases required nothing meaning he loaded the cases and then fired them. The go-gage length cases did not require anything but loading, The no go-gage length cases required sizing, the same for the field reject length cases plus trimming.
By that time he had fired most of the cases 3 times.
I formed the cases from 30/06 cases, I used a 308 W forming die to shorten the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head and; no, the shoulder did not move back in the forming process. After forming I used an old Herter sizing die.
He did not know the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face; that is the reason I sent him cases that matched the length of gages as in go, no, beyond and way out there. We decided his chamber was go-gage length.
And? I never noticed if the die was pretty, or felt good to the touch or shined; I do know the 308 Forming die was a very good investment.
F. Guffey
I formed 80 cases. I saved a few for the purpose of having a way to measure the cases just in case I made a mistake.
I formed 20 cases that I labeled, full length sized, I formed 20cases I labeled go-gage length, I formed 20 cases I labeled field reject length and then shipped the cases. By the time he got back to me we were at the Market Hall gun show. the full length/minimum length cases required nothing meaning he loaded the cases and then fired them. The go-gage length cases did not require anything but loading, The no go-gage length cases required sizing, the same for the field reject length cases plus trimming.
By that time he had fired most of the cases 3 times.
I formed the cases from 30/06 cases, I used a 308 W forming die to shorten the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head and; no, the shoulder did not move back in the forming process. After forming I used an old Herter sizing die.
He did not know the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face; that is the reason I sent him cases that matched the length of gages as in go, no, beyond and way out there. We decided his chamber was go-gage length.
And? I never noticed if the die was pretty, or felt good to the touch or shined; I do know the 308 Forming die was a very good investment.
F. Guffey