Reforming .308 brass to .338 FED

[puddleglum]

I ordered up an AB 338 Raptor 8 and am going to be sending the barrel from the Cabela's Tikka D-18 in to PAC-NOR for a new 16" barrel in 338 Federal with matched contour soon. I will be reloading for this, obviously, and this will be my first foray into reloading. I am going to start keeping an eye out 308 brass to reform.

New seems like it probably would be the best bet since I would know what I am starting with, and I could get something quality like Starline, Lapua, etc.

Once fired would be less expensive, and if I have a few cases that crack or crumple it wouldn't be a big deal if I have bought more for the same amount of money. I also like the idea of something like Lake City brass that isn't stamped 308 (not a big deal, but perhaps convenient down the line)

Is once fired brass going to be a headache compared to new, or not that bad? Will I likely get better practical accuracy out of new?

Thank you,
-pg

 

[rifletuner]

You probably wont have a big problem with once fired brass, but you could. A couple of times I have had problems trying to chamber old brass in a new barrel, even after resizing it in a FL die. I would definitely start with new brass for what you are describing.

Necking up from 30 cal to 338 is very easy and you should have zero case loss. I use K&M tapered expanding mandrels and have very rarely had an issue with the expanded brass. I once expanded 270 Winchester cases to 9.3 (in multiple passes) and never lost a case. Just use a little case lube on the inside of the necks and it will be easy.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Watch out for donuts that are created when necking brass up.


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[49ereric]

Use imperial wax

 

[prm]

I like the idea of Lake City. Good FL resize with plenty of lube. I know Lapua 308 brass works well too.

 

[Andouille]

I ordered up an AB 338 Raptor 8 and am going to be sending the barrel from the Cabela's Tikka D-18 in to PAC-NOR for a new 16" barrel in 338 Federal with matched contour soon.

Can you clarify if PAC-NOR is making you a new barrel, or re-boring out your Tikka barrel. If re-boring, was the thin(ish) barrel profile a factor in chosing the short length?

 

[puddleglum]

I am having a new barrel made. The short length is because I will be sticking a 6" can on the end, so I want to keep the over all length down.

 

[TSnave]

Consider getting a tapered size button. Redding makes them, I use one to reform 308 to 358 Winchester. I lube with Imperial, with just a touch inside the neck. After a pass through the sizing die and cleaning, I'd check the OAL and trim if necessary. Should be a painless process, good luck!

 

[puddleglum]

Consider getting a tapered size button. Redding makes them, I use one to reform 308 to 358 Winchester. I lube with Imperial, with just a touch inside the neck. After a pass through the sizing die and cleaning, I'd check the OAL and trim if necessary. Should be a painless process, good luck!

I have read the RCBS 338 Fed die comes with a pretty good taper. If I run into trouble, that isn't just me being a newb, I'll look at extra tools for the process. I'll read up on the tapered size button so I can keep that idea in mind.

 

[Superx3]

I have done 100 rounds of new SIG 308 brass to 338 FED with RCBS dies and RCBS lube in case mouth no problem at all. Less pressure on lever than full length resize die. I did debur inside and out first.

 

[z987k]

I ordered up an AB 338 Raptor 8 and am going to be sending the barrel from the Cabela's Tikka D-18 in to PAC-NOR for a new 16" barrel in 338 Federal with matched contour soon. I will be reloading for this, obviously, and this will be my first foray into reloading. I am going to start keeping an eye out 308 brass to reform.

New seems like it probably would be the best bet since I would know what I am starting with, and I could get something quality like Starline, Lapua, etc.

Once fired would be less expensive, and if I have a few cases that crack or crumple it wouldn't be a big deal if I have bought more for the same amount of money. I also like the idea of something like Lake City brass that isn't stamped 308 (not a big deal, but perhaps convenient down the line)

Is once fired brass going to be a headache compared to new, or not that bad? Will I likely get better practical accuracy out of new?

Thank you,
-pg

338Fed brass is in stock with starline at the moment.

 

[Caseknife]

I just did a two-step process with an 8mm expander and then the 338 die with sizing wax in the neck, worked great, no problem. Was tired of waiting for Starline brass to come available.

 

[puddleglum]

338Fed brass is in stock with starline at the moment.

Thanks for the heads up! 250 ordered.

 

[buffybr]

My first experience with necking up brass cases was back in 1977 when I had my .30-06 re-chambered to .30 Gibbs. The Gibbs shoulder is farther forward than the .30-06, so I had to expand the case necks up to about .35 caliber to be able to create a false shoulder to get the correct headspace to fireform the Gibbs cases.

I make my own long taper case mouth expanding plugs from various size steel bolts with my "poor man's lathe", my electric drill, a metal file, some fine emery cloth, and a thread cutting die. These expandiong plugs fit in a Lyman M-2 die.

Like others have said, liberally lube the inside of the case neck with Imperial Size Wax, then after the cases are sized up, trim them to length and lightly chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth.

Over the years, I've made a number of these expanding dies for various needs...

Almost 20 years ago I got a .375 RUM for an Africian Cape Buffalo hunt. I bought 100 new .375 Rum cases when I bought that rifle, but more of those cases are becoming hard to find, so I made another long taper .375 case expanding plug. I made this expanding plug from a 7/16 standard thread bolt that screws into a RCBS FL expanding die body.

I'm able to expand 7 mm RUM and .300 RUM cases up to .375 RUM in one pass without any failures if I generously lube the inside of the smaller case neck. I don't anneal the smaller cases before expanding beause annealing will soften the case shoulder which will collapse before the neck is expanded.


This pic shows a 7 mm RUM case on the bottom and another one expanded up to .375 RUM on the top.