What is the easiest way to make 308 Norma brass? Can one just neck down 338 win brass in the 308 Norma resizing die and then fireform?

While I have not looked isn't this brass available?

Yes. I'd leave a false shoulder since the .338 case is a a few thousands shorter at the shoulder than the .308 Norma mag.

Or just buy a can of proper .308 NM brass..

quote:

Originally posted by bluefish:
While I have not looked isn't this brass available?

MidSouth shooter supply has them for $133/100 rounds right now.

That's what I'd do
Zeke

I make cases for my .358 Norma Magnum simply by necking up 7mm Remington Magnum cases. I have an RCBS neck expanding die, 7mm to .35, which does the job in one pass and I have never lost a case doing it. .30 caliber would be far simpler.

Length to shoulder should be immaterial, since the case has a belt to headspace on. I buy once fired R-P brass and anneal it, just to be on the safe side. $44.00 per hundred.

quote:

Originally posted by ColoradoMatt:
What is the easiest way to make 308 Norma brass? Can one just neck down 338 win brass in the 308 Norma resizing die and then fireform?

As was mentioned you will get a little shoulder on the bottom of the neck.

Depending on the powder/loads you use odds are good that a full load will fit in the slightly smaller 338 case. With some extra luck they will shoot to he same point as when used in sized fireformed cases.

In other words just treat the necked down 338 like you would new brass for a 270, 300 Winchester or whatever.

Necking down is better than necking up as you avoid the donut that occurs when necking up because part of the shoulder on the smaller calibre becomes the bottom of the neck when necked up.

This is quite common in Australia because of the number of M17s that were rechambered to 308 Norma in the late 1960s and those are still around.

The resulting case will have a short neck because the 308 Norma is from memory about .05 longer.

I would use 7mm or 338;; I would not pay $1.30 for brass, slightly shorter won't matter.
Back to that shoulder thing; if your belt recess is sloppy you might get stretching/separation; been discussed many times. Headspace off the shoulder like a rimless case; do not fl resize.
Do what MM said.

Of course if one gets say 6 reloads that is 22.cents per brass.

Thanks. A friend inherited an old Mauser that he wants get running. I passed on you fellas advise.

I ran into a box of twenty 308 Norma cases made from 300 Win mag brass in 1981.

A thought on fire forming.

Why waste bullet & powder on a full fire form?

I have fire formed cases for my Mannlicher Schoenauer & 280 AI

I just use 20 gr of shotgun powder and 2 squares of toilet paper

Works very well and no need to go to the range or waste bullets

Recoil is very low. So case stretching should be minimal.

I would still use the sizing die to create the false shoulder at the bottom of the neck.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
A thought on fire forming.

Why waste bullet & powder on a full fire form?

I have fire formed cases for my Mannlicher Schoenauer & 280 AI

I just use 20 gr of shotgun powder and 2 squares of toilet paper

Works very well and no need to go to the range or waste bullets

Recoil is very low. So case stretching should be minimal.

I would still use the sizing die to create the false shoulder at the bottom of the neck.

Because the odds are very high a maximum load in the 308 Morma will fit in a necked down 338 Winchester. If the right load and a good barrel and bedding the odds are very good that a full load in a new necked down 338 case will shoot to the same point in a FLS fired case. Use the same FLS die set up for new 338 brass and on the fired cases.

I go along with resizing a case where the shoulder was pushed back. In making cases, I was mindful of a belt acting like a rim.

quote:

xausa

I make cases for my .358 Norma Magnum simply by necking up 7mm Remington Magnum cases. I have an RCBS neck expanding die, 7mm to .35, which does the job in one pass and I have never lost a case doing it. .30 caliber would be far simpler.

Length to shoulder should be immaterial, since the case has a belt to headspace on. I buy once fired R-P brass and anneal it, just to be on the safe side. $44.00 per hundred

Colorado Matt
I have the .308 Norma Magnum, it is a great old hot rod, more efficient than the .300Win Mag! If you can get the original Norma brass, yes it is rather expensive; but I've loaded these cases over 20 times & checked for separations etc every time - still good!
As Xausa has explained if you can't get Norma brass then 7mm Rem Mag will suffice - but I would run a starting load initially & then once fireformed, neck size after that. I struck a batch of Winchester 7mm Rem Mag brass that split upon initial firing so anneal first would be a safe option first. As far as the Norma brass goes it is very high quality, like RWS brass, I have annealed them, but after 12 or so firings.
Mine 308NM doesn't like AR2209 / H4350 at all, but runs much better on AR2213SC / H4381. Hornady 180FB & 178gn A-maxs end up to the same POI at 100yards - even though the A-max's are getting 3060+fps average out of a 26" barrel. About 40fps average faster than the 180's!

I just found my 308 Norma brass formed from 300 Winchester magnum. No problems with the brass.

Making 358 Norma from 338 or 7mm leaves the case .020" or more short. 308 Norma's trim to is .040" longer than the 358. I've been using 300 WinMag & pushing the shoulder back c. 1/10" for my 358 NM. If the dies are set for your chamber there's no base to shoulder headspace problem & a quick trim (c. .020") to max length (2.559") will leave the cases under max after the shoulder blows out a little bit on fireforming. Trim a touch for square after forming. Fireforming can be done with mid to almost full loads, so you can hunt with it if barrel life or powder cost bothers you.

PPU brass is available for a good price in 300 Win Mag & works well for my 358 NM. I'd imagine it will work as well for the 308.

A small donut may form at the base of the neck after a few firings. I haven't seen it yet after 3 or 4 firings in my 358 NM. The standard Norma freebore is pretty long so bullet bases may never see that depth.

quote:

Originally posted by 358WCF:

Making 358 Norma from 338 or 7mm leaves the case .020" or more short.

Why would you worry about that. For years blokes have been necking 7mm Remington brass to 257 or 270 Wby and that leaves a case about .05" short.