My question is will the C. Sharps and or the Shiloh Sharps rifles chambered in 40-70 straight chamber cases made from Hornady or Bertram 405 wcf  without altering the case head or the rim ?

When I ordered my CSA .40-70 SS in 2010, I told them I’d be using the Hornady 405 Win. cases. Just had to trim the cases to length. Really don’t know if CSA kept that in mind as they cut the chamber.

At the time I bought (300) new cases. Since then I’ve been using the same (150) cases. I anneal and trim (if needed) every fall. The only lost cases were the result of “mishaps” at the loading bench. Still have (150) unused cases in the original (50) round boxes.

Tom

When the Hornady .405 brass came out, I remember several discussions about the wall thickness and some problems with chambering in Shiloh rifles.  My rifle, built by John King, was chambered specifically for the shortened Hornady brass to avoid that problem.  I believe that Shiloh may now have a reamer for to fit the Hornady brass, but you'd need to check with them to make certain.

caryl

There are mixed reports, but for the most part if the Hornady 405 brass shortened to 2.5 will chamber without a hitch, it'll then come down to maybe having to inside neck ream the case, but most in that case most likely going to a slightly smaller bullet diameter will work just fine.

Heard back from C. Sharps.  They said yes about the Hornady 405 brass working in their rifles.  They needed measurements from the Bertram brass to be sure about that one.

No word back from Shiloh.

jhm
That is interesting and is the first report I have received about neck wall thickness being an issue with Hornady 405 brass.
Its the rims I was concerned about being wider and thicker than 30-40 Krag brass.
Buffalo Arms site shows that their 40-70 SS brass is made from stretched 30-40 cases. Stretching should eliminate any too thick neck wall issues. I have some 40-90 BN brass from BA that is made from 348 Win and I really dont quite know how they do that. It is good grass though.

I just measured Hornady and Bertram 405 brass and got these measurments,
Hornady
head diameter - .4583"
rim diameter - .5384"
rim thickness - .069"

Bertram
head diameter - .4568"
rim diameter - .5321
rim thickness - .072"

So it looks like head diameter and rim diameter of the Bertram brass is smaller than the Hornady. The rim thickness of the Bertram brass is .003" larger than the Hornady.  If rifles chambered in 40-70 ss work with Hornady 405 brass they should work with Bertram brass if they can tolerate a .003" thicker rim.
I have not FL sized any Bertram brass yet but I did FL size a Hornady and found it to be a tight fit raising a very slight ring at the case head at the very base of the die. Since the Bertram brass is .015" smaller in diameter at that point on the case head they should not do that and should size easier.
I hope to measure case neck wall thickness when I get one of each trimmed to length.