9.4mm Dutch Ammunition

[tiriaq]

Started to make up some 9.4 Dutch, using .41 magnum brass. Trimmed to length, it is a very good fit in the chambers. Made a case trimmer pilot for my RCBS trimmer. Now .41 Mag. uses a .410" bullet, the 9.4 uses .375/.380. So even though the cases fit the chambers, something has to be done to get the cases to hold the bullets. I used a 7.62x39 FL die to start a taper on the cases. One recommendation on the 'net was to size the mouth of the case with a .41 Colt die. Didn't have one of those. So, I made a die to size the case mouths. Tomorrow I'll make a tapered expander to bring the mouths to the optimum ID for the bullets I have. The cartridges will look as if they are slightly bottlenecked.

 

[drslav]

Somewhat similar proces as to way I did my 7.5 mm swiss and swede. The cases are slight bottleneck. They work just fine. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tiriaq]

Here is how I made the die to neck the cases. Set up a piece scrap steel in the lathe. Threaded it 7/8-14 to fit the press. Used a die locking collar as a gauge while cutting the threads. Drilled one end 3/8" , then bored it. Tapered the opening, polished it. Knurled the opposite end.
Made the tapered expanding tool today. Took a scrap of cut off barrel, threaded it 7/8-14 and turned one end to .378 with a tapered end. Knurled the other end.
Processed a handful of .41 Magnum cases. Trimmed them to length, tapered them with a 7.62x39 sizing die, necked them with my die, then expanded the necks.
They are ready to load now. Going to load some with .375 round balls, others with the two groove cast lead .380 bullet. Either clears the chamber mouths, but will bite nicely in the forcing cone. Dummy rounds chamber easily.
My M1873 is an old model, made by Stevens in Maastricht. This is a big, heavy rather awkward revolver.

 

[tokguy]

Question; would heeled 41 LC bullets work? PL of course.

 

[tiriaq]

What is their major diameter?

 

[tokguy]

Major Dia of 41 LC HB is .385. Heeled would be larger, no? .405 maybe.
I've a box of heeled bullets ( at home, I'm away working ), but they are purported to be another ' Kettle of Fish ' as opposed to HB. A crimping tool of some sort is req'd?
Never even opened them.
Just a thought; BTW, might turn out helpful.
A member off of here sent them to me ( I disremember who...but, thanks, LOL ) after I sent him some cracked neck 41 LC brass. He was going to fab up a reloadable rimfire 41 case IIRC.
I can look when I get home in a few days.

 

[dingus]

I did this once I think I found 303 british cases or 30 30 cases cut down to dutch original case lengths and rims thinned or narrowed worked good it was along time ago I did this.
I just used a round ball for bullets once I got the cases made. it worked good.

 

[tiriaq]

.30-30 will work, although the head diameter is on the small side. Rattle. I have done it. .303 Savage is a much better fit - but .303 Savage cases are too valuable to cut up now. Converted some years ago for a different revolver. .41 Magnums are a really good fit, price is right, and they are much thinner walled; pistol thickness.

 

[Andy]

I'm thinking that a 7.62X25 Seating Die would be about the right size to use as a neck-sizer, depending on the bullet diameter and brass thickness. If too large, then the F/L Sizer might work.

 

[tiriaq]

Should be pretty close. Don't have 7.62x25 dies, but do have 9mm. Will see if that will do it.

 

[Andy]

9mm will be close, and if too tight, the 9mm Seating Die might be worth a look. I find seating dies to be about 10 thou larger about the base than F/L Sizers.

 

[mooncoon]

I made my cases from shortened 41 mag brass. I made a D bit (spade bit) reamer to create a sizing die and I think I made the neck area about .005" smaller than the loaded diameter then a neck expander to bring it back out to the desired opening. I think I made a second D bit for the seating die but can't remember. Rather than thread a piece of scrap steel for the die body, I had a bunch of commercial die bodies that fell in the scrap category and anneal them, followed by drilling them out to 5/8" bore and soft soldered a piece of 5/8 round stock into the die body. I finish that by drilling and reaming etc. I don't have a knurling tool and using old die bodies gets around that problem.
the bullet is somewhere around .381 off the top of my head and I lucked into a .385 mold some years ago and size those down for slugs

cheers mooncoon

 

[tiriaq]

Excellent idea repurposing the old dies!

 

[burnt_servo]

is this the same round as 9.4 dutch ?