The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Case forming question for a 1.8" 358 wildcat

spaniel · January 18, 2015, 03:25 PM

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd update as I've actually done this. I found a bag of 300WSM on closeout and decided to see what I could do with the custom Redding dies which came with my 358 WSM 1.8" rifle.

With the cases good and lubed and the center pin unscrewed out of my FL die, I slowly massaged the shoulder back, moving it only a bit at a time before rotating the case slightly and going again. It took 25-30 small increments per case to move the shoulder back to the proper location. Then a hacksaw just happened to sit on the 30cal neck at just the right spot to cut it off and have a little extra length. Then I uniformed the mouth on my trimmer before opening the little bit of narrow mouth left to the correct diameter with my standard 358 sizing ball. I had ordered a tapered ball, bit with only a tenth of an inch or so to open the standard did it fine.

I measured the necks, everything matches up perfectly with the same-brand cases I bought from the smith that have a 325WSM stamp.

I did ruin 11 of 50 cases, 1 trying to expand the 30cal neck with the standard ball and the other 10 with dimpling/crushing of the shoulder during the process. There was a learning curve so I bet if I did it again I'd only ruin about 5. Still, compared to what I would have had to pay the smith for more cases this was a real bargain of a way to do it.

January 18, 2015, 03:25 PM	#5
spaniel Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2008 Posts: 217	I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd update as I've actually done this. I found a bag of 300WSM on closeout and decided to see what I could do with the custom Redding dies which came with my 358 WSM 1.8" rifle. With the cases good and lubed and the center pin unscrewed out of my FL die, I slowly massaged the shoulder back, moving it only a bit at a time before rotating the case slightly and going again. It took 25-30 small increments per case to move the shoulder back to the proper location. Then a hacksaw just happened to sit on the 30cal neck at just the right spot to cut it off and have a little extra length. Then I uniformed the mouth on my trimmer before opening the little bit of narrow mouth left to the correct diameter with my standard 358 sizing ball. I had ordered a tapered ball, bit with only a tenth of an inch or so to open the standard did it fine. I measured the necks, everything matches up perfectly with the same-brand cases I bought from the smith that have a 325WSM stamp. I did ruin 11 of 50 cases, 1 trying to expand the 30cal neck with the standard ball and the other 10 with dimpling/crushing of the shoulder during the process. There was a learning curve so I bet if I did it again I'd only ruin about 5. Still, compared to what I would have had to pay the smith for more cases this was a real bargain of a way to do it.