The scarcity of ammo has resulted in some good prices on the great Winchester Big Bore AE carbines. I picked one up in 307 Winchester to play with and then couldn't find brass or loaded ammo any where in Canada. Fortunately you can't keep a good reloader down. Some folks talk about using 308 brass but in my particular AE the rounds scoot under the shell carrier creating a fairly spectacular jam. So I found two routes

1) 444 Marlin Brass (Hornady)
a) trim to 2" ream and then coat liberally with Imperial Sizing Die Wax (the secret weapon)
b) use a 358 or 350 Rem Mag seater die to start reducing the diameter of the neck
c) resize in a 358 Win resizing die with the expander/decapper removed
d) resize in a 308 Winchester resizing die.
e) measure against a 308 case and decide whether neck reaming to thin the neck is needed (not needed in my rifle with Hornady cases
f) anneal..(in the video I suggested it's an optional step but with this much working of the brass it's a good idea.) I immerse to the shoulder in water and do a 10 second propane torch heat for each case.... I anneal in groups of 5)

Check in the chamber of the rifle. Should fit well and feed like butter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVz-YCjvHnk

2) 308 Marlin Brass (Hornady)
a) resize in a 325 WSM, or 358 Win die to create a false shoulder
b) neck down in a 308 Win die
c) fireform in chamber with a starting load of 308 Marlin Data

This creates a short necked 307 Win case that is ideal for shooting the high BC version of the Hornady gummy tip bullet designed for the 308 Marlin (.395 b.c.) These pointed bullets don't feed perfectly in my Win but they don't jam...sometimes they need a persuading jar to leave the tubular magazine. Flat nosed bullets feed perfectly. The FTX bullets do shoot amazingly well though getting to sub MOA on occasion, and averaging 1.25" with enough 4064 to hit 2500ft/sec.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxJVz8swp4M&t=4s

only problem is that hornady gummiegrenade is only good for coyotes. They blow up on deer with anything but a double lung shot.

I love your story, North61. Sounds like something my dear old father would have done to save going all the way to town.

Seems like I recall Redding makes 444 to 307 case forming dies on special order.