Just got started reloading this year with my dillon 550. 223 and 308 so far and all is well. I own a 222 rem mag and finding brass is difficult to find as well as $$$. I see that 204 is the same case as the 222 rem mag with the difference being the neck. Can anyone tell me the proccess of necking the 204 back to 222 rem mag. As long as I have to full length size and trim new brass, might as well be 204. Thanks for any info.

Andrew,
If you have a smooth sided .224 caliber expander ball you can grind or sand it to a taper and use it to expand the brass.
I messed around with several .204 cases using tapered expander balls that I already own. In my case (no pun intended much) I have 2 old bench rest rifles in 6X47 which is the .222 Rem Mag case opened to 6mm. I had no problems expanding the case neck to 6mm and pushing the shoulder back. The cases I formed were fired cases and you might get a few to experiment with before chunking money at new cases.

I would recommend that you use your press in single case mode or get a single stage press for this sort of tinkering.

Yes, you can make .222 Magnum cases from .204 Ruger, but there is a bit more to it than just expanding the neck. The two cartridges have a different length from base to shoulder (1.494 for the .222 Mag and 1.539 for the .204) and different shoulder angles (23 degrees for the .222Mag and 30 degrees for the .204). You will need to FULL LENGTH resize the .204 brass in a .222 Mag FL die which will allow it to chamber in .222 Mag, but even then they will need fireforming before they take the actual shape of a .222 Magnum case.

But I own three .222 Magnums and have little trouble finding R-P brass available. I would suggest checking with the large mail order suppliers before doing the dance with .204 brass.

You must not be looking it the right places. Grafs has 222mag brass in stock at 48.99/100 that includes shipping. Midway will have it on 2/15 at 42.99/100 plus shipping. Looking at prices for the the 204 they aren't much less and often more.

While you can make 22mag from 204 there is no way in heck I would jack with it. Yes you need a tapered expander and as Stonecreek said full lenght resizing and then you will have brass that will need some type fo forming to match your chamber. So add the cost of fireforming to the base price of 204 brass.

The likelyhood of your forming load having same point of impact etc of your normal 222 load is very small. Plus you will have a 204 headstamp case in 22 caliber that I believe will still chamber in the 204.

quote:

Originally posted by andrew1204:
Just got started reloading this year with my dillon 550. 223 and 308 so far and all is well. I own a 222 rem mag and finding brass is difficult to find as well as $$$. I see that 204 is the same case as the 222 rem mag with the difference being the neck. Can anyone tell me the proccess of necking the 204 back to 222 rem mag. As long as I have to full length size and trim new brass, might as well be 204. Thanks for any info.

Redding makesform trim die for the 222mag #83360 $47. and you can form cases using 204 Ruger. You just need an expander die like Sinclair sell plus 22 cal expander about $36 plus shipping and you can order Redding die from them also both run around $100.

I agree with most you can buy 222mag brass just need to check on-line. I was lucky and picked up 500 at a gun show couple years ago.

Yea, ive been looking around a little more and have decided that it is just not worth the effort to reform 204 as I am a beginner reloader. I was able to find 222rem mag brass for 36 per 100. Think I will go that route. Thanks for the help. Andrew