Anyone ever check to see how long it takes to form a case using annealed Magtech brass? Not being in any hurry, I can usually get a case formed and trimmed in
just over 7 min. Used to take me about 20 min when I was just starting, using BELL basic .577 brass.
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forming brass
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 sspc1 |
forming brass |
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Lance Corporal
Posts: 32 (11/05/09 06:38:45) |
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 921 (11/05/09 21:07:52) Sergeant Major |
Starting with annealed cases I do about 50 in an hour. Of course I cheat and have the correct forming/trim dies. It used to take me longer until I switched to
a very fine hacksaw made for model work. It minimizing the amount of deburring needed....and finishing the case mouth used to be the longest part of the
operation.
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PommyB |
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Corporal
Posts: 50 (11/06/09 07:06:50) |
Just out of curiosity, how much needs to be trimmed from the Magtech cases once they've been formed to .577/.450?
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 925 (11/06/09 08:29:27) Sergeant Major |
Somewhere between and 1/8th and a 1/4th of an inch. However I do note that it tends to vary a little depending on the batch of brass.
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PommyB |
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Corporal
Posts: 51 (11/07/09 08:06:09) |
".....between and 1/8th and a 1/4th of an inch."
Anyone use the Lee trimmer for this? |
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 936 (11/08/09 16:49:33) Sergeant Major |
If you don't have a trim die, cutting it before forming works as well.....if you have something to cut a clean square edge. I do this a lot for other
cartridges that I don't have the trim die for and find the little chop saws invaluable. You just need to make a jig to hold everything square and at the
right length, which for me was 2 pieces of wood and an old nut, as shown below. This pic shows the setup for cutting 50-90 brass to make WR #2 Musket....a few
seconds a case. While not a fan of buying anything more from China, the only ones I've ever seen in this size are from there. This is from Harbor
Freight, but most of the tool houses have them......just with their own sticker.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42307 
Last Edited By: RichardWV
11/09/09 20:59:40.
Edited 1 times.
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NORMSUTTON |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 295 (11/09/09 03:23:10) |
PommyB wrote:
I have use one , you have to get the large cutter , I did 25 455/450's with it , then quickly order a trim die from . http://www.ch4d.com/, I like trim dies
NORM
N.R.A. LIFE MEM. 1976
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 941 (11/09/09 07:24:35) Sergeant Major |
You have to keep in mind that trimmers, regardless of manufacture, are made to square case mouths and remove 1/64th to 1/32nd of material. You'll spend a
long time per case trimming 1/4 inch....a very long time compared to the alternatives.
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OhioMartini |
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O/R
Posts: 4 (11/09/09 19:31:52) |
I have used the Lee trimer for over a hundred Magtec cases I have formed in Lee dies, It works I chuck it up in a cordless drill and hold the cutter in a pair
of vice grips and cut away.
You do want to get the large size cutter made for the 50 bmg as the small one is to small for the Martini cases. |
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PommyB |
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Corporal
Posts: 57 (11/10/09 06:34:52) |
Thanks, yes, I have already bought the larger Lee parts. I have been using the Lee trimmer in conjunction with my drill press (set on low speed) for some time
now on other calibers (.223 up to .45/70) & it's been working a treat for basic trimming, just wasn't sure on the viability when trimming excess
material from newly formed cases.
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gcrank1 |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 335 (11/10/09 08:45:28) |
Ive used a small, fine tooth hobby saw for cutting the bulk of the too long neck and to follow up with the
Lee trimmer would make short work of it. A snug fitting dowel in the case neck helps to hold and rotate it for sawing. I set a carpenters length guage to 'a bit long' , set the case on the block and rotate so the sharp pin scribes a line around the neck to follow. That mini-chop saw really looks like the ticket for this, though. |
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 945 (11/11/09 22:23:23) Sergeant Major |
The chop saw really is a wonderful tool for this. When I acquired it I bought a pack of 10 replacement blades in anticipation of the normal cheap stuff from
China problems. Well I'm still on blade #1 litterally 1000s of cases later. If it died tomorrow it would have been one of my better investments for case
forming.....and I see no sign of it wearing out. I'm sure that the folks that designed it never envisioned this use and none of the reloading houses have
picked up on its use yet....but I'd give up lots of tools on my bench before giving up this one. The only losers here are the folks at CH-4D where I buy
all of my custom forming/trim dies. This little tool has saved me (and cost Dave Davidson) quite a tidy sum.
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- Martini-Henry Forum
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- Miniature, Rook and Cadet Rifle Forum
- British Flint and Percussion Arms
- Monkeytail Forum
- Westley Richards Improved Martinis
- British Military Handguns
- Sporting Rifles and Other Old Guns
- Historical Shooting, Competition, and Outings
- Gunsmithing
- Cartridges and Reloading
- General Interest
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