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Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short (Read 3503 times)

Irascible Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 279 Location: Pleasant Valley Joined: Apr 6^th, 2007	Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short Feb 7^th, 2014 at 7:37pm	Print Post
	I had one of my rifles rebarreled to 32 MS. I bought a CH full length sizer die. With the case lubed with Imperial Sizing Die Wax, I sized some Starline 357 mag brass down to the shell holder. I had to hammer it out with a long flat punch. It would not chamber the last 1/8" or so. I then used the die in an arbor press with no shell holder to get to the bottom of the case. Hammered it out again, but it now chambered. Hmm, I thought I would try sizing in a 357 RCBS carbide die on the next case and again used the arbor press to get all the way down the case. Had only to tap it out this time. Then I put that re-lubed case into the CH FL die and again used the arbor press and again I had to drive out the case. Better, it fit the chamber fine and it was smoother looking then the CH die alone. So now I have a few questions; What dies do you use for forming? Any different procedures from what I went through? I also went through the extra trouble of making up some cases from some Remington 357 Max cases I had. Is it worth the extra trimming work? Has anyone back to back tested Magnum cases against Max cases? What did you learn? Thanks in advance
	« Last Edit: Feb 8^th, 2014 at 8:45am by Irascible »

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Cat_Whisperer Frequent Elocutionist Offline No 1, 9.3x74R Posts: 3878 Location: Mountains of Virginia Joined: Apr 17^th, 2004	Re: Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short Reply #1 - Feb 7^th, 2014 at 8:06pm	Print Post
	I pick the lube I use by comparing several - different ones work on different calibers. I keep several - some I mix - but anhydrous lanolin; several types of wax including carnauba, beeswax, paraffin, Johnson's, and others; pure neats foot oil and several mineral based lubes. It may be that you'll have to anneal between two sizing steps.

	Cat Whisperer (trk) Chief of Smoke Pulaski Coehorn Works and Skunk Works Drafted May 1970, Retired Maj. U.S.Army assra #9885
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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 11472 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short Reply #2 - Feb 7^th, 2014 at 9:45pm	Print Post
	I had exactly the same problem sizing 357 mag brass to 32 MS. Made my own sizing die. Use a 12 ton bottle jack in a press frame I made. Push cases all the way in to the rim and drive it out with a brass drift. I use my bullet lube for sizing. Have been using the same brass since 1996 without sizing it a second time. Did not annealed the brass. Joe.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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Schuetzendave Frequent Elocutionist Offline Retired Ex-Shooter Posts: 4050 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Joined: Jan 28^th, 2005	Re: Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short Reply #3 - Feb 8^th, 2014 at 12:36am	Print Post
	I first start by annealing the cases before sizing. I size them with the deprimer rod removed; in the event I have to pound a punch down to free a case from the die. For tough sizing I use Imperial wax.


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Irascible Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 279 Location: Pleasant Valley Joined: Apr 6^th, 2007	Re: Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short Reply #4 - Feb 8^th, 2014 at 8:50am	Print Post
	Well, so far it looks like what I did was common, sizing to the rim and pounding the case back out. Seems rather crude. I have some Bonanza liquid sizing lube and some of the first RCBS case lube. I think I'll see if they make any difference. I'd still like to know whether the 357 Max brass makes any difference, and in what way?


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40_Rod Frequent Elocutionist Offline Extremism in the persuit of accuracy is not a vice Posts: 4285 Location: Knoxville, TN Joined: Apr 20^th, 2004	Re: Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short Reply #5 - Feb 8^th, 2014 at 8:51am	Print Post
	It is a design flaw in both of the Millers and the 32 X 357 Dell. When they designed the cases they made the taper from the mouth to the rim. No one left room in the design for the height of the shell holder. I can’t for the life of me figure out why when they had to go back and size the case on top of the shell holder and then drive out the case why no one ever redesigned the case to give enough clearance for the shell holder. If you are annealing the brass put them in water with just about 3/8” showing and LIGHTLY anneal. This will keep the annealing from going too far down the case. Many have experienced case separation at the web from the brass stretching over a year or so and finally cracking at the transition between the body and the web. If you are lucky you get a crack if not just the head pops out and you are melting cerosafe in an old tuna can at the range. 40 Rod


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Irascible Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 279 Location: Pleasant Valley Joined: Apr 6^th, 2007	Re: Modifying Brass - 32 Miller Short Reply #6 - Feb 8^th, 2014 at 7:15pm	Print Post
	All I can say is, why hasn't someone redesigned it properly? Call it the Miller Short 2 or something? Tried Bonanza case lube, it's not as good as Imperial. I'm still looking for that tube of old RCBS lube! Did find a better way though, only go half way in the Miller die then tap it out, re-lube and go in the rest of the way.
	« Last Edit: Feb 9^th, 2014 at 11:47am by Irascible »

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