If anybody owns this caliber, then you know that finding brass to reload is next to impossible right now, and has been for some time. I know that in a pinch, some rifles (mostly Marlin 336s) will function just fine with .358 Winchester brass (loaded to .356 specs, of course), while others (mostly
M-94s) will not extract and eject the rimless cartridge case.

The better alternative is to buy a Redding Case Forming Die, which is specifically set up to form .356 brass from .444 Marlin brass. But here is my question: according to Sammi, the .444 case rim is .514", with a negative tolerance of .010". For the 356 Win the Max rim diameter is .506", and the Min chamber print lists the bolt face at .507" with a plus tolerance of +.012.

Will I have to turn down my rims? I'd like to know this before making the investment in one of the dies.

probably but it is easy on a lathe.

Well, I ain't got Lathe!

Can you turn them in a drill or a motorized case trimmer?

My experience is that the bolt faces of the 336/1895 Marlins have a little extra room. Why don't you take the bolt out and see how some .444 cases fit into it?

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
My experience is that the bolt faces of the 336/1895 Marlins have a little extra room. Why don't you take the bolt out and see how some .444 cases fit into it?

That's just too dang easy! It's in my nature to take something amazingly simple, and turn it a into a major ordeal, creating hours of stress and many sleepless nights.

But I think I'll just take your advice and check the rim of a .444 against the bolt face.

If necessary to fit, I will turn some down for you., don't let that stop you getting the rifle shooting. Will a regular 308 fit?

i have 200 or so pieces unfired brass.. some where

the 307 winchester is the same case, and the 308, if your 358 is right...

don't have a lathe? how about a 1/2 drill chuck ... aint accurate, but a file and a drill press DOES work

I cringe when I hear that; I will machine them on a lathe for free for you if you need.
I know the drill and file works, but, really, we can do better.

Thanks for the offer, but Redding technical support says, though they can't guarantee it, the reformed .444 brass should work without any other alteration.

It's not my rifle, btw. It belongs to an aquaintance that would like to bring it out of mothballs and use it on deer, but has been unable to locate ammo. I offered to load some for him, if he would supply the .444 brass, bullets and form die. I just wanted t make sure I was not going to run into any snags.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I cringe when I hear that; I will machine them on a lathe for free for you if you need.
I know the drill and file works, but, really, we can do better.

on a car part, i HAD to do this .. so i put the file in a vise, on a drill press it wasn't pretty, but it did work.. some where way in back of beyond in the U.P.

.307 and .356 Winchester cases are easily formed from the .444 Marlin Case.
My Winchester rifles will hand the cases with no problems extracting or ejecting cases with full power loads.
The only problem I have encountered is the difference in the shell holders. If you forget and size a .307 or 356 Winchester case using the 444 Marlin shell holder you will strip the rim out of the shell holder leaving a stuch case. Be sure to paint the sides of your 444 Marlin shell holder and be aleart as to which case you are sizing.
You can use the same load data but the cases will group their loads in a different spot. You need to keep the cases separated.
The first picture from left to right the .308 Winchester case, the .307 Winchester case, the .444 Marlin reformed to .307 Winchester and the .444 Marlin case.

Then the .444 Marlin formed to 356 Winchester, the .356 Winchester case and then the .358 Winchester case.




Here are the form dies with a case run into the 358 and then the 308 form dies.