Thread: Resizing .308 brass to .243

I have a bunch of good Norma and Hornady brass in .308 could sell it, maybe trade it for .243 brass but I but fancy necking it down to .243. I have 7mm08 dies so I can give it an intermediate step, feel free to offer advice/comment. Some seem to believe the necks get thicker, can't grasp how, I get how it might get longer and need trimmed (got one of those so no drama there),but thicker? nahh.

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...essfully/99538

Is that so you can fire all those 95gr Berger. LOL.

Originally Posted by TeRei

https://www.shootingtimes.com/editor...essfully/99538

Is that so you can fire all those 95gr Berger. LOL.

I love the 95 Berger, but you knew that already! the 95 Targex is nearly as good! I got about 1200 .243 pills of a right all sorts mix, so I won't be using my favorite pill again any time soon unless I can trade some out to standardize the mix.

Have bought some 308 Lapua Palma Brass (small primer pocket, to cover shortages) recently, despite only using 243 and 7mm08.

Would reccomend annealing first and using a 308 small base/body die first to get everything down to a uniform minimum dimension.

Have found that .243 Win brass tends to run on the short/small side in terms of body dimensions when fresh from the factory (unfired).

I had no issues taking 30/06 down to 270 or back up again...and same deal with 25/06 so cant see any issues...if you decide you got fat necks,I have fancy neck trimming stuff here,pretty sure there is .243 bit for it...let me know if you need it.

Yes I have done it, yes naturally your necks will get thicker but as long as there is still room for them to expand and let go of the projectile your good to go.
I was using fed brass in a Tikka 595 and it had just enough clearance.

Interesting..I have a heap of 308 brass and not so much 243. Please post your progress.

I would suggest just doing a couple first and then load them up as dummy rounds to see if they fit.
I once turned mil surp 308 into 260 rem and they were too tight to close or chamber and I ended up neck trimming them.

I reload 243 and 308, but I'm too paranoid about loading the wrong ammo so decided against resizing, and use different brands of brass for each. It doesn't help that my eyesight ain't what it used to be!

I tried it and I think the necks were too thick.

Originally Posted by JohnDuxbury

I tried it and I think the necks were too thick.

I'll be miking and checking chamber fit prior to loading any and shooting them.

Got started on this tonight, now have 20 Hornady .308 cased sized down to .243 - full length sized to 7mm08 first, then again in .243, didn't lose any cases and all chamber happy as, tomorrow I will measure neck thickness compared to standard .243 and load them with a full house load ready to form to the chamber - if all is happy, then I'll do the same to the 40 Norma cases in .308 I've got spare.

I'm sorry to ask this my friend but one has to wonder
243?
Have you a mouse problem ?

Originally Posted by jakewire

I'm sorry to ask this my friend but one has to wonder
243?
Have you a mouse problem ?

We have real mice up here in the hills, fast bouncy oval headed ones, not like you lot living near the beach.

@257weatherby

How did you get on?