Neck expansion question

Butcherbill

Butcherbill

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Can I neck up brass in a Lee universal decaping die a few sizes with sizing mandrel’s prior to final expansion with the appropriate full length die?

I have picked up a 9.3x62 and have some 30-06 and .270 brass I was thinking of using to try and resize and fire form into 9.3 cases, I don’t have 9.3 dies or components yet aside for a box of once fired brass that came with the rifle. I have access to .308/.309 and .311 expanding mandrels from .308 & .303, 54r Lee die sets I could use on the .270 brass. Instead of going straight to the 9.3x62 die set once I get my hands on one.

Does this make sense to do this way? Yes I can buy 9.3 virgin brass but I thought I would experiment a bit.
 
Short answer, YES. Just make sure you lube the inside of the necks first.

If you want to make things more complicated, get a .338 expander mandril and if you want to add more complication, also get a .358 expander mandril and do it in three stages.

At the prices of primers today, this may actually be the cheapest route.

One other thing, when resizing like this, the mouths of the cases will not be concentric all around and they will be a bit thinner.

If possible, use new brass or reanneal the cases back to dead soft.

You should try at least one first. If the case necks are to hard/soft, you might end up collapsing the shoulder.

Most expander mandrels have rounded contours, you may want to look for one with an elongated contour or get one made/modified.

Using three different mandrels would likely be your best option, for not damaging cases.
 
saskgunowner101 said:
Have you considered fireforming them with fast pistol powder and cream of wheat (after annealing)? Once you do it a few times, it's just another day at the office.
Click to expand...
Yes, I thought that could work as well.

bearhunter said:
Short answer, YES. Just make sure you lube the inside of the necks first.

If you want to make things more complicated, get a .338 expander mandril and if you want to add more complication, also get a .358 expander mandril and do it in three stages.

At the prices of primers today, this may actually be the cheapest route.

One other thing, when resizing like this, the mouths of the cases will not be concentric all around and they will be a bit thinner.

If possible, use new brass or reanneal the cases back to dead soft.

You should try at least one first. If the case necks are to hard/soft, you might end up collapsing the shoulder.

Most expander mandrels have rounded contours, you may want to look for one with an elongated contour or get one made/modified.

Using three different mandrels would likely be your best option, for not damaging cases.
Click to expand...
Thanks Bearhunter, I figured I’d give it a try and see how it works out. Worst case I wreck some range pickup I don’t have a use for currently, if it’s successful I was going to buy some new brass to use. Annealing and lubing the inside of the neck was the plan, so this confirms my idea and gives me something to play around with while I search for dies and brass/bullets.
 
Kamloops gun show coming up 12-13 April at McArthur Park.

Likely be able to find everything you need there. If not, Del Selin will have the different expanders.
 
Might be too red-neck, but read of a guy polishing up a drill bit to use as an intermediate step for neck expanding and used a drill press to push it into the brass
not sure of his success or failure rate
 
Butcherbill said:
Will be at the Penticton and Kamloops show with cash in hand looking for reloading goodies!
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Don't expect any bargains on bullets/brass/powder/primers.

Kamloops is a reflection of Chilliwack and pretty much the same buyers attend. The real difference is the appx 30% change in local buyers/vendors.

Sometimes they have some "getting out of the sport" stuff for sale at firesale prices.

Many vendors unload and cover their tables these days, especially those who have popular items to sell. They've learned the hard way that it's much more profitable to wait and sell to the public, rather than to another vendor and see it for sale on their table 35% higher.

Should be a good show all around, as long as the "tariffs" fear hasn't sunk in.

This may turn out to be another "Covid" style slump??????????
 
boxhitch said:
Might be too red-neck, but read of a guy polishing up a drill bit to use as an intermediate step for neck expanding and used a drill press to push it into the brass
not sure of his success or failure rate
Click to expand...
Ummm that's a bit off the wall.

Holding that brass, while going through such a procedure will be the biggest problem.

Why turn the mandrel?

As dan belisle says, one pass and you're done, when proper lube is used.

When I'm making my own "special sized" mandrels, I use drill rod or the rear portions of broken drill bits. It's the right material to be used to soften with heat, machine and harden again with heat and an oil quench.
 
I don't think he was spinning it, mentioned a shell holder in the vice and just pushing down iirc
butt end of a drill bit, slightly tapered maybe, but the sizes available was pointed out as the reason
It was a while ago, I'll try to find the article
 
I my younger poor days I would use a series of slightly larger spitzer bullets with the point down. Set them into the case mouth like setting a bullet. Them pull or knock them out with an inertia puller. Slow, but when you of have time, it's a good way to expand brass in small increments.
Made many hunting rounds that way.
 
You have to establish a false shoulder because the body is longer on a 9.3 than a .30/06.

I acquired a tapered .416 expander ball ( can't remember if it's Lee or Lyman ), screwed that into a Lee universal decapper die, and used that to expand the necks. Then full length size in 9.3 die. You'll likely need to anneal, or suffer some neck/shoulder splits. Then trim to length.

There was a thread a few years back from WhyNot on how to do this. I did it as an experiment, but actual 9.3 brass isn't that hard to find anymore, and I'm lazy, so I just use proper brass.
 
bearhunter said:
Don't expect any bargains on bullets/brass/powder/primers.
Click to expand...

Penticton was decent, I got a really fair deal on some powder. Picked up 3 lbs of IMR4320 for a good price and a lb of Longshot for a deal. Ended up finding a box of new Hornady 9.3 brass as well as a half box of 250gr 9.3 Norma for reasonable prices, so I’ve got almost 90pcs. No luck finding a set of dies but hopefully Kamloops will have some, so all in all it was a good show.

9.3mauser said:
You have to establish a false shoulder because the body is longer on a 9.3 than a .30/06.

I acquired a tapered .416 expander ball ( can't remember if it's Lee or Lyman ), screwed that into a Lee universal decapper die, and used that to expand the necks. Then full length size in 9.3 die. You'll likely need to anneal, or suffer some neck/shoulder splits. Then trim to length.

There was a thread a few years back from WhyNot on how to do this. I did it as an experiment, but actual 9.3 brass isn't that hard to find anymore, and I'm lazy, so I just use proper brass.
Click to expand...
I’ll likely give it a try for the hell of it, I don’t have a 30-06 or a .270 currently so this will give me something to do with those brass cases. At least now I’ve got a bit of 9.3 brass.
 
Butcherbill said:
Penticton was decent, I got a really fair deal on some powder. Picked up 3 lbs of IMR4320 for a good price and a lb of Longshot for a deal. Ended up finding a box of new Hornady 9.3 brass as well as a half box of 250gr 9.3 Norma for reasonable prices, so I’ve got almost 90pcs. No luck finding a set of dies but hopefully Kamloops will have some, so all in all it was a good show.


I’ll likely give it a try for the hell of it, I don’t have a 30-06 or a .270 currently so this will give me something to do with those brass cases. At least now I’ve got a bit of 9.3 brass.
Click to expand...
If you have a control feed action, the extractor claw will usually hold the brass in position for fireforming. In a push feed you will need to make a false shoulder. All my 9.3's (and a few other metrics) were Mauser type rifles, so that worked out in my favor. - dan
 
dan belisle said:
If you have a control feed action, the extractor claw will usually hold the brass in position for fireforming. In a push feed you will need to make a false shoulder. All my 9.3's (and a few other metrics) were Mauser type rifles, so that worked out in my favor. - dan
Click to expand...
It’s a control feed action, so good to know it will make things easier.
 
Gatehouse said:
I haven’t necked from 30/27 to 9.3 before but wouldn’t easiest (without the proper gear) be to anneal and then fire form ?
Click to expand...
It would certainly help, but I only lost a few cases without (didn't have an annealer at the time). With some cases (brass that had hardened through firing at a guess), I had to go 30 to 338 to 358 to 366. Others (Remington for example) they just went in one go. Keep in mind when expanding or necking down brass, none of these "rules" are cast in iron. Sometimes, with some components, things are easier, or harder. And that will change too with different generations of components. It's almost as much art as science. - dan
 
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