Case forming dies

rodmkr

Temecula California
Does anyone make a 6.5x55 case forming die?
I know I can buy brass but it would just one more tool in the box!
Have lots of 30-06 military brass and a lot of time.

rodmkr
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
The Huntingtons may have one also .
Like CH the cost ....

I suggested to a guy wanting to make 7×57 from 06' .
Unproven ......
I did some a while back with a 358 , 308 , or 8×57 , 358 , 7×57 . From 7mm to 6.5×55 is a short push .

I had a lot of shoulder/neck trouble from 8×57 to 7 ....... Imperial sizing wax over roll lube would probably help immensely .
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I had an RCBS Case Forming Die Set to convert 45/70 into 33 WCF. It took a bit of work, but it produced good brass--much better than the garbage Bertram's cases from Oz.

I have reformed 9mm Win Mag into 30 Mauser/7.62 x 25 Tokarev successfully using just the F/L size die and case trimmer. Same story on 35 Whelen into 9.3 x 62 Mauser--not quite perfect, but serviceable.

My thoughts--the case forming process is an arduous one, and not a thing to pursue unless absolutely necessary.
 
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Bill

Active Member
It's pretty good though for these kinda times, 30-06 to 8 mm std dies, 30-06 to argie with std dies, although I had to do another pass without deprime stem and .008 shim under case head in the shell holder, they all made great brass 67 lake city, lots of time to kill now that I quit building rc aircraft

Bill
 

Rick H

Well-Known Member
The closest I come to case forming is 30-30 brass into 7x30 Waters. Simple trip through a full length sizing die and fireforming. The case is a bit short but my Contender Carbine has never seen a factory case. They work just fine.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I've converted a fair amout of '06 to 6.5X55, there are different ways but the main thing is the order of operations, no the number necessarily.

First, knock back the shoulder, this works best in two steps (.358 Winchester size die with the expander out and backed off to put the shoulder/body junction in exactly the right place, then .308 Winchester to draw down the neck), then draw the neck down to 6.5mm (might want to go 7mm first, as in 7mm-08 or possibly 7x57 though the x57 die will be too long to go all the way), then FL size in a x55 die. You can trim after drawing the neck to .30, 7mm, or do it last.

Last thing is fire forming. The .473" case head needs to be swelled a bit and here is a trick I learned from 45 2.1: Cut a strip of cellophane tape about 1/8" wide and wrap it around the case just in front of the extractor groove so it centers the case in the chamber. Don't overlap the ends of the tape, make sure the tape is uniform thickness all around. Carefully slip the cartridges under the claw extractor (if a Mauser action) snd try not to rake off tje tape during chambering. If a push-feed, use your finger to push the cartridge home and run the bolt home to snap the extractor claw over the rim. This will prevent uneven case head expansion (and potentially dangerous guppy-ing) when fireforming.

Some say this conversion weakens the brass and it may, but I haven't had any problems yet doing it for reasonable load levels.