With the price and availability of .308 Norma brass at a premium I am thinking about forming my own from .338 Winny. From what I have read it seems to be a simple matter of running the Winchester brass through through a FL .308 Norma sizer die, trimming to length, and loading. Do these new rounds need to be fire formed before serious shooting? I load several widlcats for my Contenders (most based on necked down .444 Marlin brass) and some of them need fire forming and some don't.

Thanks for any help

Dennis

Just so you will know you will end up with a case that is .059" short. The 338 WM is 2.5" while the 308 Norma Mag is 2.559". The 300 Win Mag might be a better choice for making the Norma case, have not tried it but it seems feasible!

Making 308 NM from 338 WM is very easy. Usually doesn't need any annealing and the shorter case makes no difference. The Speer manual even mentions this as an alternative source of brass.

I've done it plenty of times, works fine.

quote:

Making 308 NM from 338 WM is very easy. Usually doesn't need any annealing and the shorter case makes no difference

I've made both 308 & 358 norma from 338Wmag. The neck is a touch shorter. It makes no difference. Add some powder fire and it will grow.

Thanks for the replies, the reason I mentioned trimming to length was from the info. in the Hodgdon manual (I believe). A shorter neck, as long as all rounds are trimmed to the same length, in the beginning isn't nearly as big a concern to me as a neck that is too long.

Thanks
Dennis

quote:

A shorter neck, as long as all rounds are trimmed to the same length, in the beginning isn't nearly as big a concern to me as a neck that is too long

I've matched them all and then been lazy and not worried about it. I couldn't tell a difference in accuracy. After the first firing they will no longer be the same length. Mine grow at different rates. I sure don't trim every case after each firing.

Dennis

Making the Norma Mag brass from 338WM is a very feasible idea. In fact, using any of the 2.5" magnum brass will work.

It was suggested that the 300 Win Mag brass would make a better case. It would certainly allow you you to make full length Norma brass but you will be using a part of the Win Mag shoulder for the new neck which means a doughnut that will have to be removed in some manner. A lot more work.

Ray

The Winchester .338 brass is less than .006" too short to begin with. MANY magnum chambers vary by more than that in total length, even though nominally chambered for the same cartridges.

Plus, sizing the .338 brass down to .308" diameter will actually make the case length a tiny bit longer...so your brass will likely end up only 3 to 4 thousands of an inch short before firing the first time.

Negative perspiration. Go for it.

I have made .308 Norma Mag but from .300 WIN MAG. If you use this case, it will only have to be trimmed slightly. I don't recommend .338 cases unless you have a pile of them and want to save money. Penny wise and dollar foolish on the .338's.

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Originally posted by Masterifleman:
I have made .308 Norma Mag but from .300 WIN MAG. If you use this case, it will only have to be trimmed slightly. I don't recommend .338 cases unless you have a pile of them and want to save money. Penny wise and dollar foolish on the .338's.

Just out of curiosity, why do you recommend NOT using the .338 cases? I have made bundles of them into .308 Norma Mag, and they work just fine for me........


Not trying to be a smart ass, just wonder why you recommend against it?

I used 300WM,just had to trim some.