Brass Forming

[gregintenn]

If any of you reform brass to another caliber, I have a question for you. For example, I just purchased a pile of 7x57 brass for peanuts. If I wanted neck some of this down to use in a 257 Roberts, What should I do about the 7x57 headstamp, so that the 257 and the 7mm ammo isn't confused be anyone?

 

[snoopdawg45]

I don't think there is anything you can do but put them in boxes and mark the boxes all over. That's what I do. If there is any other way, I would like to hear about it.
John

 

[firearmsunlimited]

I have reformed .45/.70 to .40/.65 and fire formed .243/Win. to .243/ A.I., 257/Robts to .257/AI just to name a few. There really isn't any good way to remark the head stamp. You certainly do not want to try and grind or re-stamp the heads as that could possibly affect the integrity of the heads. John has a good point concerning marking the boxes to prevent confusion on loaded rounds. Concerning spent brass, don't leave it at the range and when you are ready to dispose of it smash the case mouth closed with pliers. Your topic is one of the good reasons to use caution if you pick-up and try to use rifle range brass.

 

[BoDog]

Buy a bottle of nail polish and mark the headstamp and the box, at least it should allert you to somthing has been changed.

 

[Andy Griffith]

A permanent laundry marker is the cheapest and easiest way to mark brass- and it won't come off easily. I just mark an "X" across the bottom of mine.

Also, .257 doesn't visibly look like 7x57 ammo- but that's only good for gun nuts, so mark the box well.

 

[James57]

I re-form 30-06 brass to 8x57mm. Most of it is military brass that is not marked to caliber, so there's no problem there. But some of it is commercial brass, which is a problem. I do both of the above, I use a permanent magic marker to but an X on the head of the case over the caliber, and then mark the box by using a bright RED load label made from the stick on label address labels that you can buy at Wally World. I at one time, would mark such brass with the Birchwood casey brass black but that stuff is too hard to work with as the color doesn't take well unless the brass is squeaky clean of oil or other contaminates. Works for me, anyway. James

 

[2152hq]

The only ones I've ever remarked have been some 8mm Mauser (8x57)made into 8mm Mannlicher Schoenauer (8x56).
I did that for my own sanity should I ever get them mixed, they look so similar.
The Remington brass I use is headstamped 8mm MAUS. The stuff I convert, I change to 8mm MAN/S by a couple of simple engraving cuts

Anything else done in the way of conversions I just keep separate, lable the boxes like others have said and if you want to, mark the heads with a laundry marker. It'll last a long time.

Some reloaders use a system of very light, small center punch marks into the head (small!) denoting for them, it's actual caliber rather than the headstamp. Doesn't help the brass scrounger, but it can help you keep things in order.
As long as you can keep things straight,,don't loose much sleep over a 'what if'. You're not selling or giving this stuff away to un-knowing persons after all.
It's your hobby,,have fun.

 

[crackerjack]

I load 260 from 243 brass . I mark the head stamp caliber with a red Sharpie marker for the 260 and use different colored plastic boxes with labels to keep them apart . If I see any red marking on a 243 I know it is 260 sized. Hope it helps.
Frank

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Over the years I have reformed a ton of .30-06 brass to .270, .25-06, .35 Whelan, and other calibers. I started with 1000 rounds of Frankford Arsenal match ammunition, so the only headstamp is "FA 58". All I've ever done is mark the boxes of loaded ammunition with caliber and load data.

 

[gregintenn]

Thanks for the responses. I have two sons who have rifles chambered in 257 Roberts. I'm afraid that if they get used to using ammo headstamped as 7x57, the potential is there for one of them to inadvertantly slip a 7x57 into their rifle. I don't know if it would even chamber, but I believe I'll just shell out the cabbage for properly marked brass and use the 7x57 in my 7x57.

 

[Engineer1911]

Reality

Many years ago I reformed brass to 222 Rem and 25-06.

My 222 Rem ammo was made from 222 Rem, 223 Rem, and 5.56 mil brass. I knew what the ammo was. I didn't confuse brass headstamp with rifle caliber.

What really got special was my 25-06 ammo. I used 25-06, 270 Win, 30-06 comm and 30-06 mil brass reformed to 25-06 ammo. There was even 18 pieces of 35 Whelen reformed to 25-06. Again it was my ammo shot in my rifles.

Sometimes at a public range, my brass got lost in the gravel. If some picked up a 30-06 mil case reformed to 25-06 and was confused, that is not my problem. Range brass is range brass, if you don't know what it is, don't keep it.

Your sons can't chamber 7 x 57 in a 257 rifle. 257 Roberts in a 7 x 57 rifle isn't real accurate. Reloading Rule #1: only ONE powder container at a time on the reloading bench. Shooting bench Rule #1: only ONE caliber of ammo on the bench that matches the rifle on the bench.

Bad news: 308 Winchester does chamber in a 270 Winchester rifle. 270 Winchester does chamber in 7 mm Rem mag rifle. No one was hurt but it was an ugly story!