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Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases (Read 1575 times)

Bob259 Participating Member Offline Posts: 21 Joined: Nov 25^th, 2017	Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases May 7^th, 2025 at 5:33pm	Print Post
	What’s the best way to shorten the 357 max cases down to the 32 Miller Short length? Finally got the cases, have the dies but need to shorten them about 1/4”+/-


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beltfed Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1789 Location: Central Wi Joined: Dec 20^th, 2007	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #1 - May 7^th, 2025 at 5:43pm	Print Post
	Why not start with 357 Mag cases/??? Or are they too short for the 32 Miller Short??? beltfed/arnie


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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 3211 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #2 - May 7^th, 2025 at 7:13pm	Print Post
	It was told to me that the max cases have a better case life than the 375 mag brass. I didn’t shoot my 32 Miller short enough to bear that out. It is now a 32 RKS soon to be joined by a new build 33 RKS. If I want to shorten a case by quite a bit, I rough cut with a cheap Harbor Freight bandsaw. If I am doing more than my sore shoulder will take, I then use a flood coolant endmil in the lathe drill chuck with a pilot turned to fit the case mouth and cut to within a couple of thousands and finish with only a few turns in my Lyman trimmer. One day when I find a case holder like the Lyman I will mount that in the 3 jaw chuck so I can eliminate the Lyman trimmer. I am not sure which someday that is though. I have quite a few on my calendar. Jack

	ASSRA # 11318 I have finally come to realize that I will never be old enough to know better.
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Bob259 Participating Member Offline Posts: 21 Joined: Nov 25^th, 2017	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #3 - May 7^th, 2025 at 7:22pm	Print Post
	bpjack wrote on May 7^th, 2025 at 7:13pm: It was told to me that the max cases have a better case life than the 375 mag brass. I didn’t shoot my 32 Miller short enough to bear that out. It is now a 32 RKS soon to be joined by a new build 33 RKS. If I want to shorten a case by quite a bit, I rough cut with a cheap Harbor Freight bandsaw. If I am doing more than my sore shoulder will take, I then use a flood coolant endmil in the lathe drill chuck with a pilot turned to fit the case mouth and cut to within a couple of thousands and finish with only a few turns in my Lyman trimmer. One day when I find a case holder like the Lyman I will mount that in the 3 jaw chuck so I can eliminate the Lyman trimmer. I am not sure which someday that is though. I have quite a few on my calendar. Jack We were told the same, but also thought a 357 case would work, had these on order for two years when they showed up today, guess they were busy as I hear the 45-100, and 45-65’s shipped this week as well.


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GT Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2168 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #4 - May 8^th, 2025 at 1:21am	Print Post
	Bob259 wrote on May 7^th, 2025 at 5:33pm: What’s the best way to shorten the 357 max cases down to the 32 Miller Short length? Finally got the cases, have the dies but need to shorten them about 1/4”+/- Here's what I use. Just got my shipment of brass yesterday. I can't stand to do more than 25 or 30 at a time so I pace myself... Case difference between Mag and Max is significant, do a volume test or at least weigh a Mag case sized and trimmed the same as the Max. The max case is heavier and will last a bit longer, or that's what I'm told. GT

	"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk" T. A. Edison "The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right" M.T.
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critter68 Senior Forum Member ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 290 Location: Wisconsin Joined: May 31^st, 2018	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #5 - May 8^th, 2025 at 8:13am	Print Post
	this is the harbor freight saw mentioned and it will work so so if you take it slow

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critter68 Senior Forum Member ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 290 Location: Wisconsin Joined: May 31^st, 2018	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #6 - May 8^th, 2025 at 8:41am	Print Post
	one note (probably obvious): you need a hefty press to size/form the cases down. I broke my Forster CoAx...twice!! making 500 cases. First one Forster covered by warranty and sent new arms. Second time I did not even ask just ordered new ones. Went with a redding big boss and got them done but that sucker was flexing a bit too. Best to just go with a 2, 5, 10 ton hydraulic press in my opinion. That was my experience take it for what it is. mike

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bnice Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1901 Location: Iowa Joined: Nov 30^th, 2006	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #7 - May 8^th, 2025 at 8:56am	Print Post
	I use my lathe with a forester trimmer shaft, cutter and pilot in chuck. Lyman case holder for drill in tail stock. Push by hand tail stock in to cut. Use the cross slide as a stop for tail stock. I anneal cases and then size with sizing die. I spray cases with Hornady one shot and use imperial lube on them. They size easily in RCBS rock chucker. Annealing makes big difference. One pass


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Skalkaho Oldtimer Offline Posts: 808 Location: Montana Joined: Sep 29^th, 2006	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #8 - May 8^th, 2025 at 9:23am	Print Post
	I also use the Harbor Freight chop saw. Drilled out A piece of metal sock ,flattened the bottom.Mounts on saw. Slide in a case and cuts off at a few thou long. Fine tune on Lyman case trimmer.....

	May the Bullet Gods be with you.......
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gnoahhh Oldtimer Offline Posts: 934 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Joined: Mar 31^st, 2010	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #9 - May 8^th, 2025 at 10:49am	Print Post
	I'm pretty new to .32 Miller Short and have been simply using .357 Mag brass. Machs nix to me if case life isn't as good as with Maxi brass - there's literally a billion .357 Mag cases omnipresent in this man's world. When they wear out, in the trash they go and I grab new ones. I form the brass with a 5-ton arbor press - easy peasy, I don't even use case lube. I can make a season's worth of brass in a lot less than an hour, with no trimming. My .357 Maxi brass is reserved for my .357 Maximum rifle and .32 RKS.


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critter68 Senior Forum Member ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 290 Location: Wisconsin Joined: May 31^st, 2018	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #10 - May 8^th, 2025 at 12:24pm	Print Post
	Annealed, lube...all of course....easy, tell that to my forster co-ax

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gnoahhh Oldtimer Offline Posts: 934 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Joined: Mar 31^st, 2010	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #11 - May 8^th, 2025 at 12:43pm	Print Post
	Horses for courses!


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critter68 Senior Forum Member ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 290 Location: Wisconsin Joined: May 31^st, 2018	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #12 - May 8^th, 2025 at 1:29pm	Print Post
	I should preface my conversation here with the fact that my particular chamber did not allow sizing to be done with a shellholder, rather I sized down to a steel plate I cut to use in the press and for brass to chamber I had to run the sizer all the way physically possible to that plate. Then I had to pound each piece of brass out of the sizer. I thought that is what everyone had to do but maybe not. I did quite a few cases before the Forster actually broke the first time but not near as many to break it the second time which leads me to believe my press is most likely compromised which is the whole reason why I chimed in to spare someone the frustration. Everything was working until POP....ugh. Been a while but I would guess I did close to 200 before the POP. mike

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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 3211 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #13 - May 8^th, 2025 at 3:27pm	Print Post
	I was thinking of picking up a Harbor Freight 1 ton press. Would that be sufficient?

	ASSRA # 11318 I have finally come to realize that I will never be old enough to know better.
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Bob259 Participating Member Offline Posts: 21 Joined: Nov 25^th, 2017	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #14 - May 8^th, 2025 at 7:09pm	Print Post
	Wow lots of good info here to mull over thanks!


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critter68 Senior Forum Member ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 290 Location: Wisconsin Joined: May 31^st, 2018	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #15 - May 8^th, 2025 at 10:44pm	Print Post
	Just fyi: The forming die I used was from C H Tool and Die in Ohio. Good folks. Had it in stock. Don't know if the others with an easier time got a die somewhere else? Maybe my particular chamber? But chambers done poorly are usually oversized. How do you undersize a chamber? I don't know who chambered my rifle but I have since rechambered but still using brass from my original 500 Starline 357 Max conversions mentioned above. If you size/form that far down on a case, essentially the web, as I did you need your wheaties. You may not need to. IDK. My old chamber the brass was sticky after a few firings. PITA New chambering no problems and I have lost count of how many firings. Long story short, I believe with any wildcat chambering and many of our beloved single shots in general your mileage may vary. If or when I need to make more brass I have since gained access to a H frame hydraulic press. 10 ton I believe which is overkill but breaking my Forster twice and then watching that Redding Big Boss strain, no thanks ....but then again with a different 32 ms chamber I may not need to size so far down the case. Just my experience take it for what it is worth. Just don't break a press. mike as an aside: I am currently forming 32 rks from 360 DW and it is like melting butter compared to my 32 ms endeavor. I like that
	« Last Edit: May 8^th, 2025 at 10:52pm by critter68 »
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gnoahhh Oldtimer Offline Posts: 934 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Joined: Mar 31^st, 2010	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #16 - May 9^th, 2025 at 1:23pm	Print Post
	bpjack wrote on May 8^th, 2025 at 3:27pm: I was thinking of picking up a Harbor Freight 1 ton press. Would that be sufficient? Probably, worst case might need a cheater bar. My form die came with the rifle. It's a simple 1 1/2" diameter un-threaded steel dowel with the chamber cut in it. The reamer which I assume was used for the task came along too - it's a simple home made looking affair. Luckily whoever did the work had skills such that interior surfaces are relatively smooth and resulting cases look decent and are a perfect fit to the chamber. Like I said above, case lube isn't needed and my big arbor press squeezes them in and out effortlessly. Maybe I should start lubing them anyway (and shall in future) if for no other reason than to minimize wear on the die as it's not hardened. (That could be moot as it's not like I'll be doing thousands of them.) Seeing as it's a small world we single shot guys inhabit, I wonder if anybody here built my rig (Stevens 44 1/2) with its attendant home-built loading apparatus, or know of it.


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Bob259 Participating Member Offline Posts: 21 Joined: Nov 25^th, 2017	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #17 - May 9^th, 2025 at 3:59pm	Print Post
	Wish I had a little mini lathe, it would make this task so much easier.


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wesg Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 320 Joined: Sep 13^th, 2004	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #18 - May 9^th, 2025 at 10:55pm	Print Post
	No 32 Miller, but a bunch of 30 Herrett. Case form die, the right amount of lube ... die is hardened, hacksaw and file. Usually didn't require more than 2 strokes of the hacksaw. Usually just 1 when I was 'fresh' .


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GT Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2168 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #19 - May 10^th, 2025 at 1:10am	Print Post
	"[color=#ff0000] I use my lathe with a forester trimmer shaft, cutter and pilot in chuck. Lyman case holder for drill in tail stock. Push by hand tail stock in to cut. Use the cross slide as a stop for tail stock" Bnice, I used this method tonight, slick! The means of holding the case works well. GT

	"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk" T. A. Edison "The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right" M.T.
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rkaires Frequent Elocutionist Offline No Stronger Bond Posts: 1656 Location: Dingmans Ferry, PA Joined: Oct 26^th, 2012	Re: Converting 357 maximum to 32 Miller short cases Reply #20 - May 10^th, 2025 at 7:03am	Print Post
	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) I've used their file trim die with 357max brass from remington and starline. Anneal and lube with lanolin. No issues using a Lyman brass smith press.

	ASSRA #11031 NRA Life Proud Noodlehead "Peace is that brief, glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading."~ ~ Thomas Jefferson
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