Does anyone know of who out there might manufacture custom brass with a custom headstamp?

Rob,

Are you looking for a totally unique case, or something allong the lines of current case, but with a custom headstamp?

Starline is an option, but the minimum order is rather large. Hornbear is another option, but he is pretty slow.

Paul, looking to have a somewhat unique case made. Basically a very long .357 Max necked down to 6.5 or .257, basically a .257 or 6.5X50R Mag with a custom headstamp.

Would love to have starline brass (have always been impressed with it), but what is their minimums, do you know offhand?

Quality Cartridge might be able to help.
http://owlnet.com/quality/

Rob,

I was thinking the same thing a couple of years back, when I still had my contender. I contacted Starline about a 357 ultra-max, as I recall I wanted a 2.0" long case which would make it a 5.56X51R. But if you're going to the trouble to stretch it out, you might even consider 2.25" (same as a 444).

Two problems with Starline, minimum run is 10,000 cases and I think ~$.20 a case, which I probably could have sold to all the contender nuts, but the other thing is, they said they claimed they didn't have the tooling to make a 357 case that long.

Since they make some rifle cases now (50AK), I think the tooling line was bunk, more like they didn't want to make such a case. I'm sure if you asked about an even bigger run, they'd have a different opinion on making the brass.

You might want to contact Hornady. They've been offering quite a few new cases, thought they'd probably have a bigger minimum requirement.

Maybe give superiorammo.com a try as well.

Thanks, Gentleman.

Paul, if it was $0.20/case for 10,000 or Starline quality, I think you could have sold them to the Contender nuts, me included. Maybe I will give them a call, as well as some of the others suggested.

Having had various types of brass made by different folks, allow me to offer the following:

Last I spoke with Starline, for a simple order of new headstamp on existing brass they already make, they requested 20,000 piece order minimum. Now, this is only for a custom head stamp. However, Bobby also requested that same amount for a totally new case, based off one he already made, as well. Price depends on the size of the case, the amount, etc. but I would think he would charge closer to $0.40 each for what you mentioned. Draw length is important, and if he mentioned he did not have the tooling at that time, he would not have been saying that just to "get rid off you". He has expanded his capabilities fairly recently, but last he and I spoke he was still limited to making low(er) pressure brass for pistols and older rifles, using a thinner web. He was not capable of producing the heavier web as found on cases like the WSM.

Dieter Horneber of Hornbear can make just about anything you want, and can do so in much smaller quantities. We have gone as low as 100 pieces. His brass is of superb quality, but comes at a price, including cost of tooling and shipping, one project came in at $7 per case. Larger quantities will obviously dilute the tooling cost and reduce that "per case" cost. His timetable is prone to slippage and IIRC it took close to a year to get brass made.

Pete at Quality can do some work, but I do not know if he can give you the totally custom work you seek.

You might want to contact Mr. James Smith at A-Square, they make very nice custom brass and we are in discussion on some work for us.

Finally, the "big" makers will talk to you if they think they might be able to get a "piece of the pie", for instance, we are in discussion with Hornady right now, but we are talking much larger quantities.

Hope this helps

Rob,

I've been thinking about this brass again (I just got back in the contender game) and was thinking if you could get one of the euro makers of 6.5X50R brass to pull it off the line while still a cylindrical basic case, you'll end up with just what you want. The basic cases are a tad longer then the finished length, and no special tooling needs to be set up.

Now getting one of the importers to make that happen will be the challenge. But I think if you asked for a large enough order to make it worth their effort you'd have a winner.

This may not be what you had in mind, but Rocky Mountain will make small runs of custom brass. The catch it is turned on a lathe from bar stock. It may not have the strength of drawn brass (I don't know), and it (probably) won't have the internal capacity of drawn brass. For their std. cases, they run over $2 each. I think their min. run is pretty small, but the CNC design charges could get the best of you there. Anyway, for proof of concept, it might work for you. They make long slender cases such as the .25-25, so what you propose would certainly be no problem for them.