It's been almost ten years since I did any reloading due to moves, injuries, and gov retraining(don't ask)! I once did alot of reloading for 7mm ultra mag and 45/70, and have just recently retrieved my stores of reloading equipment. Additionally, I've just taken and interest and investment in a few old Mausers in 30-06, and 8x57 which I have no dies or components for except that I did find 300 8mm Herter's new/old cartridge cases from Finland. Once I purchase the dies, powder and bullets(have primers) I can begin working up loads but my question here is, with these never been fired cases, will I need to full length size them? They are somewhat tarnished but I've seen that they will clean up nicely. Another thing I've noticed is that they seem much more soft(annealed) than the cases I've examined in the stores lately, will this be a problem? I'll be shooting these loads with a Yugo M48, and I'd like to do some hunting for deer and elk so I'm looking at 195 to 200 grain bullets. Any help or insight would be appreciated. I'm embarassed and ashamed that I've forgotten so much in ten very difficult years, but I'm hoping to get back into the saddle again.
It will come back to you fast; polish the brass, load and fire it. Yes, FL size new cases; they might or might not work as is. How do you know they are soft? I used a lot of Herters stuff back in the 60s.
Posts: 17402 | Location: USA | Registered: 02 August 2009
I can tell just by squeezing them compared to brand new brass in the store. Plus I dropped one on the concrete floor and it hit down on the neck and it just seemed to dent in much more than what seemed normal for an empty case. I know that's not to scientific but compared to some new Federal 30-06 cases I now have they do seem much softer, just an observation. In searching on line for 8x57 dies i have noted that most offered are only two die sets save for Lee products. Will this be all I'll need? I've not selected bullets yet so I don't know if I'll be crimping or not but I do remember I was always partial to Lyman, RCBS and Redding dies and there all two die sets, damn there are a lot more choices than used to be!
Shoot one and see. Yes, 2 die sets are standard for bottlenecks. Lee is good. Crimping is optional, For a lever gun; yes you want to crimp and for the straight wall casses; the die sets will be 3 dies. Oh, the Lee collet dies; I am old school and just use the 2 die sets, which Lee also sells along with everyone else.
Posts: 17402 | Location: USA | Registered: 02 August 2009
Wes: The old Herter's brass us usually pretty high quality. I've used and am still using it in several calibers including .222, .222 Mag, .264 Win, and 7x57. If it is soft in the neck area that's a good thing as that is the area that work-hardens the soonest. Brass can be soft in the shoulder/neck and still be amply hard in the head area.
I usually only run a new case part-way into the sizer to assure that the neck is round and of the right diameter. I like to inside chamfer the necks afterward to assure that the bullet seats cleanly with out shaving any of the jacket material.
Posts: 13266 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
