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Thread: Making everlasting 44 Rinfire reloadable brass

  1. #1
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    Making everlasting 44 Rinfire reloadable brass

    Here's another how too post

    I recently brought a very tidy 1865 Ball & Williams Ballard 44 Ballard Long Rimfire rifle.

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    The rifle is in excellent condition and has a 9/10 bore

    I made a single reloadable case from a massively modified 7x57R case for reloadable rimfire
    It was just a proof of concept and I used the single case multiple times
    The rifle functions perfectly and it groups well

    The case takes 24 grains of 1 1/2 FG BP behind a 210 grain powder coated and heeled bullet

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    Three shots at 25m
    The Church of
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  2. #2
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    The internet told me that 44 Special cases were the best option to easily form reloadable cases from .

    I got given some from a generous forum member.
    Spent an entire day getting 10 of them nearly ready to use.
    But then realized they were not a great donor case because they end up very fragile.

    I don't want to just use this rifle to shoot targets etc

    So I revisited the 7x57R idea.
    Played around with what was on hand and realized that 303 British was a good option.

    So another full day in the workshop and I have formed 15 completed cases with 2 slight variations on the final machining of the primer pockets that the Acorn Caps go in

    Attachment 258874

    With these cases I've got a mouth thickness over twice as thick as the 44 Special cases.
    So they are heavy and stay in shape better .

    Because I am heeling the bullets on the lathe heavy case mouth is ideal for my use.

    Attachment 258875

    The 303 based cases only hold 22 grains of BP but that's plenty.
    The cases are very robust and I hope they will last many firings
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  3. #3
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    I ended up with 15 excellent cases
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    Name:  20240909_102847.jpg
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    Pretty fiddly reloading them which is why the heavier cases with slightly reduced capacity is a huge help
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  5. #5
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    Can't view middle two photos. Great work as always,love seeing how you just make it work.
    75/15/10 black powder matters

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    Name:  20240909_132051.jpg
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    And test fired at 35m and pretty happy and what I expected.
    Fouling starts to string the shots after 3 rounds .

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    I have adjusted the front sight to get point of impact over the bull.
    Reloaded the last 5 of my bullets on hand.

    Started another 20 cases from the last of my 303 brass.
    And will cast some more bullets some time soon

    It's been a very fun project and I'm looking forward to going hunting something bigger than a hare with it

    Realistically these cases each take 30 minutes plus to make !
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  7. #7
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    Name:  20240909_101741.jpg
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  8. #8
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    Name:  20240909_111851.jpg
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  9. #9
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    are the acorn caps a press fit in the case?
    may be sarcastic may be a bad joke

  10. #10
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    If someone is interested in making reloadable Rimfire brass for 25 RF 32 RF or 44 RF I can give you the recipe for them all

    The 44 RF has 19 steps in the process

    25 RF is as complicated but slightly more difficult because it is so much small

    32 RF is child's play if you can get ahold of some 32 Long Colt brass

    56 RF I haven't done
    But if someone has a 56 RF and has never fired it and wants too, get in touch
    Should be easy with 50-70 brass
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  11. #11
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    22 LR

    25 Long RF original

    25 Long RF reloadable

    44 Ballard Long RF reloadable

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  12. #12
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    And these are reloadable 32 RF

    The short one is 32 RF that fits in a no4 Rolling Block rifle

    The Long ones are 32 Long RF which is more common in falling block rifles.

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  13. #13
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    The key to being able to make these cases is being able to accurately and securely hold them in a lathe

    And drilling out and tapping the center fire primer hole
    Screwing in a brass bolt dipped in flux
    And very securely soldering right through the thread to the inside

    Because you are drilling a new Acorn Cap offset it is cutting through half of the brass machine screw.
    If the solder joint isn't good the case will fail during machining

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  14. #14
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    Oh my gosh, thats some serious thought and work.
    My cases are lucky if they get a wipe b4 loading .
    Hats off to you good sir

  15. #15
    AR7
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    Nice work Mate when you have to make your own brass an projectiles then you really know you have walked the walk Good Hunting and dont lose that brass .Regards

 

 

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