.243 win cases from .308 ??

[tlen]

How difficult is it to make .243 Win cases from .308 NATO and/or commercial brass ? What's the process and what equipment do I need ? I already reload .243 Win.

 

[WNTFW]

I would not do it. It is too easy get or Swap .243 brass for .308. Then your head stamp will be correct.

 

[ranger335v]

I make .243 and .22-250 from .308 and .30-06. It's really quite easy but the case length may be a tad short until it's fired a time or two, not a problem tho, and, contrary to what some fear, your necks won't be too thick...but mike a loaded dummy round to be sure tho.

You will need to anneal the necks after forming to prevent early neck splits but annealing is easy too. Do a web search on case annealing for details.

Anyone who has to look at a headstamp to know what he's shooting probably shouldn't do it tho.

 

[FROGO207]

I also make my own 243 cases out of military brass. The most important detail is to use Imperial Sizing Wax. It does work better for me than any other lube when sizing brass. I see headstamp problems as a non issue with military brass. In the past I have also made 33 WCF brass out of 45-70 brass with no problems. I also anneal the brass after sizing, I use the hot lead method described in The End times Report. Find it by Googleing it. Happy resizing.

 

[243winxb]

Military brass leaves a donut in the neck shoulder area. This needs to be removed by reaming or outside neck turning. Just run 308 into the FLRS standard 243 die, a touch of lube on the neck helps. Lube the inside of the case neck. The rounds will chamber hard. Measure the loaded rounds neck, it must be no larger than .276"

 

[griz]

No special equipment required by the way, just take a well lubed case and run it into the 243 sizer. I've done it to try and get smaller capacity 243 cases for reduced loads (the military brass is usually thicker). But my NATO brass was probably fired in a machine gun and even after sizing in a small base 308 die first was still a tight fit in the chamber, so I gave up the idea.

 

[tlen]

Thanks guys. I may give it a try but I think it may be more work and/or trouble than it's worth. I probably should just bite the bullet and buy new .243 brass or look for some at a gun show. I have picked up some .243 brass at the local range but not enough to be worth while.

 

[FROGO207]

Spend a little computer time on Gunbroker. I have found 243 there at times to be reasonable priced. Just set your max price and let autobid work it for you. If you don't win there will be plenty more auctions to bid on. I will pay no more than 1/2 price of new brass including shipping costs or not buy it. I still win a ton of auctions anyway.

 

[ranger335v]

"Military brass leaves a donut in the neck shoulder area. This needs to be removed by reaming or outside neck turning."

Not normally. Donuts usually result from necking cases up, not down. Necking down puts part of the original shoulder in the new neck, making the donut. Necking down puts part of the old neck into the new shoulder, no donut.

Using a case lube is a given, isn't it?

 

[interlock]

....... i get a bit of a donut when taking 308 win down to 7mm08 SOMETIMES.

 

[counterclockwise]

same here...

....... i get a bit of a donut when taking 308 win down to 7mm08 SOMETIMES.
__________________
overkill is fine; underkill, however, is not good.

Remember that you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first prize in the lottery of life.

The interior bump in the neck ID is obvious when reaming and peeling the neck to standard thickness.

 

[GW Staar]

I haven't seen the donuts described, but I use the 308 sizer first, then screw in the .243 sizer. That makes it form easier. The shoulder does look a little funky, but it shoots just fine. The first fire-form then makes the case look like a normal 243 case except for the headstamp.

Oh, btw, I my experience does show a little thickening in the neck. After resizing and before I load and fire-form, I use Forster's inside neck reamer.

 

[Beelzy]

Well if the Browning 1919a4 shot .243win maybe it would be worth the hassle, but it's not
so Fuggetaboutit.

FWIW, it's less hassle to size up than down in caliber. ;-)

 

[Navy_Guns]

If you size down to .243 and then ream the inside of the neck, don't you need to resize the neck again?

 

[GW Staar]

If you size down to .243 and then ream the inside of the neck, don't you need to resize the neck again?

Yeah, I should've been more clear. Actually the LC brass I use is so hard, that most of the time it takes two times through the sizer anyway, for it to form well to the die. Same goes for just resizing it to .308. That's also why pocket swagers are less successful on LC brass than other military brass. It can be a real pain if you're trying to be speedy, but it is great brass once you get there, .308 or .243.

Of course there is another choice for reaming. The outside reamer. They are actually superior because they make the case walls concentric, which means even bullet release for the competition types. I've had the Forster version for 20 years...but haven't used it. You need two trimmers when you're lazy like me.

 

[243winxb]

308 to 243

If you size down to .243 and then ream the inside of the neck, don't you need to resize the neck again?

Not sure how it would normaly be done. I would guess the reamer cuts the neck to the correct inside diameter. Back in my Lee Hammer Loader Days, i used a Lee target model loader. Bought the 243 neck die and the reamer to use with my 30-06 model many years ago. First i FLRS 308 in RCBS dies that i have now. Fire formed if i remember correctly. Then into the Lee neck sizing die, then the reamer cuts excess metal out, leaving the case ready to reload. Found out years later the reamer makes uneven neck wall thickness. Just buy new 243 win. brass. But if you like to tinker with stuff, have fun. Remember the loaded rounds outisde neck diameter can not be larger than .276" The donut is not a problem unless you seat the bullet deep and push the donut to the outside of the case. Outside neck turning is a better way to go. The expander pushs the excess metal to the outside for neck turning. But even with all this, they still chambered hard after FLRS.

 

[Afy]

Why?
243 Lapua Cases are easily available. It will save you a ton of trouble.

I gave up on sizing .243 Lapua to .260 Rem... way too much trouble with diminishing returns.