The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Question on reloading die interchangability of press threads.

Bill Akins · May 21, 2011, 11:57 PM

Good idea Noel2 on using the .451 balls so to not have to bell the case mouth as much. I have some .451's too so I think I'll use them instead of the .454's I had planned on using. I might even make a a few black powder loads just to see how that works in the trimmed rim .45 auto rims. I wonder if anyone else here has ever trimmed the thickness of a .45 auto rim's rim to make it work in a Webley or a .45 Colt. It only takes a few seconds to trim on my lathe.

I've done a few trimmings and form firings in the past to make obsolete cartridges that were not readily available. Kind of fun just to see if you can make a cartridge from another cartridge. Especially if it's hard to find a particular obsolete cartridge case you need. Been some years since I've done it though. I once drilled out the pin in the primer pocket of a Berdan cartridge case, reamed the primer pocket to accept a boxer primer and pressed a boxer primer in it and it fired just fine. For exactly that reason I still save my 7.62x39 Berdan cases. Never know when the time might come that they may be all you have left to work with. I can drive out the berdan primer using a tight fitting steel rod on my loading press with a little water in the case. The rod goes snugly into the case and hydraulically pops the berdan primer out. Then drill out the pin in the primer pocket, ream the pocket, and you have converted a berdan primed case to a boxer primed case. It works fine, just takes a little time.

Many years ago I had a Steyr Hahn model 1912 semi auto pistol that fired a longer case 9mm than the standard parabellum that I made some cartridges for but I can't remember what cartridges I used to make them out of. Seems like it might have been 9mm Browning long but it been so long I'm not sure.

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May 21, 2011, 11:57 PM	#38
Bill Akins Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2007 Location: Hudson, Florida Posts: 1,135	Good idea Noel2 on using the .451 balls so to not have to bell the case mouth as much. I have some .451's too so I think I'll use them instead of the .454's I had planned on using. I might even make a a few black powder loads just to see how that works in the trimmed rim .45 auto rims. I wonder if anyone else here has ever trimmed the thickness of a .45 auto rim's rim to make it work in a Webley or a .45 Colt. It only takes a few seconds to trim on my lathe. I've done a few trimmings and form firings in the past to make obsolete cartridges that were not readily available. Kind of fun just to see if you can make a cartridge from another cartridge. Especially if it's hard to find a particular obsolete cartridge case you need. Been some years since I've done it though. I once drilled out the pin in the primer pocket of a Berdan cartridge case, reamed the primer pocket to accept a boxer primer and pressed a boxer primer in it and it fired just fine. For exactly that reason I still save my 7.62x39 Berdan cases. Never know when the time might come that they may be all you have left to work with. I can drive out the berdan primer using a tight fitting steel rod on my loading press with a little water in the case. The rod goes snugly into the case and hydraulically pops the berdan primer out. Then drill out the pin in the primer pocket, ream the pocket, and you have converted a berdan primed case to a boxer primed case. It works fine, just takes a little time. Many years ago I had a Steyr Hahn model 1912 semi auto pistol that fired a longer case 9mm than the standard parabellum that I made some cartridges for but I can't remember what cartridges I used to make them out of. Seems like it might have been 9mm Browning long but it been so long I'm not sure. . __________________ "This is my Remy and this is my Colt. Remy loads easy and topstrap strong, Colt balances better and never feels wrong. A repro black powder revolver gun, they smoke and shoot lead and give me much fun. I can't figure out which one I like better, they're both fine revolvers that fit in my leather". "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target". Last edited by Bill Akins; May 22, 2011 at 12:06 AM.