Resize 30-06 to .280?
05-08-2009, 07:24 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 1,305
Resize 30-06 to .280?
I just received some Mil spec 06 brass on a swap deal.I resized a couple to .280 Rem with my Lee hand press/Lee full length die.They came out with a slight "hump" about 1/8" in length from the end of the shoulder into the neck.Is this OK?They chamber and extract nice and smooth.No problem there.I think after I shoot them they will fire form and the hump will go away.Am I right on this-safe to go ahead and shoot them?
05-08-2009, 08:17 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coralville, IA. USA
Posts: 3,802
RE: Resize 30-06 to .280?
The reason this happened is because the shoulder on the .280 Rem is slightly farther forward than the other members of the .30-06 family. They did this to eliminate the possibility that someone would chamber a .280 Rem in a .270 Win and proceed to blow themself up. With the shoulder 0.05" farther forward the 280 Rem can't chamber in a 270 chamber.
The problem you're having is that the shoulder on the .30-06 brass is too far back, so when you size it in a .280 Rem die, the die only resized the case back to where the shoulder is supposed to start on the 280, leaving a hump or ringshaped bulge. To finish making .280 Rem cases from those .30-06 cases, you'll need to fireform them. To do this you can either load up some lower powered rounds, preferably with one of the faster burning powders suggested in your load manual, and take them to the range and fire them. When you do extract them they will be perfectly formed .280 Rem cases that match your chambers dimensions perfectly. You can also use the "creme of wheat" method, which forms the cases without using a bullet. I think for your purposes being that you only have to fireform them just a little bit and you're not shooting an ultra-high velocity round that burns barrels fast, I'd just load them with bullets and 7-10% reduced starting loads and let them rip. You'll actually probably see pretty decent accuracy.
I did this when reforming 7mm Rem Mag cases to .257 Wby. You run them through the .257 die and you get a 99% formed case, but the outer shoulder is still not completely radiused. I just loaded them with starting loads and shot them, now I have perfectly formed 257 Wby cases, and my accuracy was only 1/2" bigger than the actual Wby cases I also was using (and about 1/3 the cost
). The necks are a little short compared to the very long Wby necks, but they shoot great.
Mike
The problem you're having is that the shoulder on the .30-06 brass is too far back, so when you size it in a .280 Rem die, the die only resized the case back to where the shoulder is supposed to start on the 280, leaving a hump or ringshaped bulge. To finish making .280 Rem cases from those .30-06 cases, you'll need to fireform them. To do this you can either load up some lower powered rounds, preferably with one of the faster burning powders suggested in your load manual, and take them to the range and fire them. When you do extract them they will be perfectly formed .280 Rem cases that match your chambers dimensions perfectly. You can also use the "creme of wheat" method, which forms the cases without using a bullet. I think for your purposes being that you only have to fireform them just a little bit and you're not shooting an ultra-high velocity round that burns barrels fast, I'd just load them with bullets and 7-10% reduced starting loads and let them rip. You'll actually probably see pretty decent accuracy.
I did this when reforming 7mm Rem Mag cases to .257 Wby. You run them through the .257 die and you get a 99% formed case, but the outer shoulder is still not completely radiused. I just loaded them with starting loads and shot them, now I have perfectly formed 257 Wby cases, and my accuracy was only 1/2" bigger than the actual Wby cases I also was using (and about 1/3 the cost
). The necks are a little short compared to the very long Wby necks, but they shoot great.Mike
05-08-2009, 11:49 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,600
RE: Resize 30-06 to .280?
Driftrider gave you good advice. The only thing I would suggest you do is set your resize die to a firm bolt closeure with the newly resized '06 case to .280. The "bulge" in the neck is the beginning of the new .280 shoulder.
Too bad you didn't get a bunch of .270 brass....they have a longer neck. You run a .270 into the '06 die to expand the neck, then into the .280 die to set the new shoulder. Fireform as you were told. I personally use some junk bullets and a mid-range powder charge of the manual's recommendation.
Too bad you didn't get a bunch of .270 brass....they have a longer neck. You run a .270 into the '06 die to expand the neck, then into the .280 die to set the new shoulder. Fireform as you were told. I personally use some junk bullets and a mid-range powder charge of the manual's recommendation.
