Reforming 50 Alaskan to 45/75

[Dirty Brass]

I'm sure it's covered somewhere in here, but truth is I can't keep up with all the great info suppled and where it is.

Question: Other than 45/75 dies, what would I need to reform 50 Alaskan brass to 45/75. I have a hundred empty cases coming and I have the dies, but want to be prepared when the cases arrive. I use a RCBS rock chucker press, so I have plenty of leverage. Is fireforming required as one step along the process?

Thanks in advance for any help, or links to where more info is posted....

[Grizzly Adams]

I'm sure it's covered somewhere in here, but truth is I can't keep up with all the great info suppled and where it is.

Question: Other than 45/75 dies, what would I need to reform 50 Alaskan brass to 45/75. I have a hundred empty cases coming and I have the dies, but want to be prepared when the cases arrive. I use a RCBS rock chucker press, so I have plenty of leverage. Is fireforming required as one step along the process?

Thanks in advance for any help, or links to where more info is posted....

Sounds like your all set.  Here are a couple of places to check.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,19525.0.html

Also check out posse member Hobie's blog.  http://home.comcast.net/~parslowb/labels/45-75.html

I quote Hobie:

"1 - trim .50-90 or .50 AK case to 1.90" using tubing cutter. Be careful because technique is required here as well.
2 - lube the case.
3 - run the case into the .45-75 full-length sizing die.
4 - anneal
5 - run the case through the expansion die
6 - remove lube (I use alcohol pads, I like ALL the lube off my cases).
7 - final trim
8 - LOAD!"

It don't get any better than that!

[Black River Smith]

Brassmagnet,

Where did you get the 50 Alaskan casings.

I have access to .348's in my area but not to the Alaskan.

[larryo_1]

I got to step in here and let you know that I got all my cases from Buf Arms in Idaho.  Actually they were 50-90 Sharps cases.  I ran them through my RCBS Trim die and sawed off the excess.  Then put in 16 grains of Bullseye topped off with Ma's cornmeal, stepped outside and went "BANG" then I had a very nice fire-formed case.  I then loaded with my favorite load of the day and fired away.  I only neck-size my brass in a LEE sizing die.  Forgot--I also annealed them cases.  So that is my recippie.  I got about slightly overe 100 rounds of 50-90 brass done this way with no goofs and over 100 rounds of 348 brass done the same way with no goofs.  But now, am hungrilly waiting for some Starline to show up--after all one can never have enough brass--right? 

[Grizzly Adams]

--after all one can never have enough brass--right? 

Right!

[Hobie]

after all one can never have enough brass--right? 

Absolutely!     Right now I've only got about 300 pieces...

I got my .50 AK cases direct from Starline.  If there was an easy way for me (I'm a lazy sod) to bring the rim diameter down to specs, I'd have used .50-90 brass exclusively as the base dimension is closer. 

[Dirty Brass]

Brassmagnet,

Where did you get the 50 Alaskan casings.

I have access to .348's in my area but not to the Alaskan.

I actually found some on GunBroker last week. First time I saw any there. Also got 200 unfired 348 cases off of GB recently for .65@ - didn't think that was too bad a price. The alaskan price was a little more....

[Dirty Brass]

Thanks for the info fellas - that will help a lot!

[Black River Smith]

Thanks for the reply.

[Black River Smith]

What is a good smokeless powder to use for fire-forming these casings?

I have never had to fire-form.

Thanks for any comments.

[Grizzly Adams]

What is a good smokeless powder to use for fire-forming these casings?

I have never had to fire-form.

Thanks for any comments.

I am going to assume your using 348 brass that has be expanded and sized - ready to go.

Using the 348 brass I have settled on 21 grains of AA5744 under a 350 bullet.  Basically the starting load for 5744.

Check Larryo's post above in regards to using Bullseye and cornmeal.

Be advised that the 348 brass will shrink upon firing, so your starting length with unfired, trimmed brass should be no shorter than 1.90.  In fact, some folks have found that 2.00/2.02 is even better.  That means your AOL will be excessive, and the rounds may not work through the action, so just single load until you have them fully fireformed.  Once fireformed, cut to 1.89.   348 brass is tuff stuff, and it will take 3-4 firing before it stops looking like fat little coke bottles!

[Black River Smith]

Thanks for the directions.

Appreciated

[larryo_1]

Hey: I forgot to also mention that on top of the corn meal I put a Bee's Wax to keep the stuff in the case. 

[Hobie]

What is a good smokeless powder to use for fire-forming these casings?

I have never had to fire-form.

Thanks for any comments.

I'm loading and shooting, this seems to fireform best (as it also does for some other, smaller, cartridges).

[Black River Smith]

Hobie,

Thank you sir, I have seen your Website about the 76.  Good information.

[Hobie]

Hobie,

Thank you sir, I have seen your Website about the 76.  Good information.

Very kind of you to say so.  Hopefully I'll be able to get back to it shortly.  Have been preoccupied lately. 

[Dirty Brass]

I've run into a snag reforming my Starline 50 Alaskan brass to 45/75. These things are very hard to press through the FL resizing die, even more so than the 348 stuff I did. But the main problem is the indentations it's leaving on the brass down the neck and through the shoulder area. Is it possible my dies are bad? I've cleaned them and I lube generously (maybe too much??) They seemed to work fine with the 348 brass. Hopefully the pics will help show what I mean.

[larryo_1]

Brassmagnet:

I have formed all my 50AK cases using an RCBS Trim and File die and then run them through my Lee FL die.  Haven't had a crinkle like you show yet doing this.  after all that is done, then I use Ma's cornmeal and finish them out and then load them up and go BOOM!  I sort of like the 50AK cases a wee bit better than the 348 cases but the 348's have been cheaper--so far that is.  I am waiting for Starline to let all of know when they will be hitting the market with their 45-75 brass and then I-being the gun nut that I am, will load up with a bunch.  So just hang in there and keep working on those cases and it will all work out for you.   

[Icebox Bob]

I'm loading and shooting, this seems to fireform best (as it also does for some other, smaller, cartridges).

Just to be sure I understand the fire forming process with .348 - if I'm only going to load and shoot black then its adequate to just load a full case of FFg with the bullet I intend to shoot normally and fire away?

Understanding that it may take several firings to get the true shape and only then should I trim the case to 1.89.

Thanks again Hobie, for your work on 45/75 info!!

Icebox

[DJ]

Brassmagnet--

You might try annealing a couple cases and see if that helps eliminate the wrinkles when forming.  Also, a couple of your dents (but not all of them) look like they might be caused by too much lube. 

Finally, instead of a single trip into the forming die, you might try forming partway, then raising the handle, rotating the case a quarter turn or so, and then forming some more.  This has helped me in forming bottleneck cases out of straight ones where I was experiencing that kind of dent.

--DJ