32-20 into .310 Cadet

[NP435]

Well this has been emotional.

I have now trimmed 100 of the 32-20 down to .310 Cadet and they all chamber OK
I still have another 100 to go but think I may kick that into the long grass - I am running out of life.

The bullet is a heeled lead at 120g.
I am using Bulls Eye and think 3.5g will be sufficient.

Any last pearls before I commit?

Jump forth sir ! win the day and enjoy a unique piece.

 

[Stalker62]

Post some pics if you can.

Herewith:-

In relation to the brass. From left to right. Original .310 - Bertram - 32-20 cutdown.

I have tried to capture the Kangaroo stamped on the breech.

Makers marks.

 

[sh1kar]

Interesting The rim on the cut down is obviously much thicker Assume extracting ok though

S

 

[Stalker62]

Assume extracting ok..

Yes.

I was warned that the rim may need attention but this little rifle is just not bothered by it.

 

[Stalker62]

Two hundred pieces of 32-20 trimmed down to .310 Cadet.
Why, this Lockdown is simply flying past....



It has been traumatic.

 

[Fosbery Holster]

Great little rifles, well worth the time and effort preparing the brass, good luck with it, the price of the rifles only go one way.....up !

 

[alberta boy]

Herewith:-

In relation to the brass. From left to right. Original .310 - Bertram - 32-20 cutdown.

I have tried to capture the Kangaroo stamped on the breech.

Makers marks.

Nice

 

[Stalker62]

Right then.

This makes no sense but stand by.

As above; the empty (trimmed down) 32-20 case chambered and ejected fine.
I have gone on to make 200 (count them - 2 fing hundred) rounds of the Frankenstein monsters.

When I took the rife into the field on Monday we could not chamber a single of the little feckers.
I have this morning (through the tears) looked closely at the situation and it seems that I now need to trim a tiny bit off the rims to get them to chamber.
Why this is only so once they have been made up, I am at a loss to explain.

Now to the point.

How does one go about trimming a tiny bit of the rims of 200 live rounds...

I fully expect the following to top the list of answers:-

1) You don't it's too dangerous.
2) Get over yourself and start pulling the damn things.
3) I did try and warn you off this project.
4) Why oh why do untrained folk insist on 'playing gunsmith"?
5) It's time you thought about another hobby.

 

[sh1kar]

If they chambered without a bullet in but now won’t I am unclear why you have concluded it’s the rims?
Could it be the bullet is on the lands? Is it worth seating one a tad deeper and see if that makes a difference?

 

[Stalker62]

If they chambered without a bullet in but now won’t I am unclear why you have concluded it’s the rims?
Could it be the bullet is on the lands? Is it worth seating one a tad deeper and see if that makes a difference?

Yes, that was my plan this morning but when I hold them up to the .310 rounds they are shorter.
That said I am off down to the cave and will give it a go.

All cars wait...

 

[sh1kar]

Very odd

 

[Stalker62]

If they chambered without a bullet in but now won’t I am unclear why you have concluded it’s the rims?
Could it be the bullet is on the lands? Is it worth seating one a tad deeper and see if that makes a difference?

Right then.

Image from left to right.

.310 Cadet brass which chamber perfectly.
.32-20 cut down which did chamber as brass but not as a loaded cartridge.
.32-20 cut down seated way deeper and still does not chamber.

Next time you are passing, you can cast an eye over the nightmare - I am now going to put everything carefully back in the cabinets and act as if nothing has happened.

"Move along now ladies and gentlemen. Nothing to see here...."

 

[Fosbery Holster]

If they chambered without a bullet in but now won’t I am unclear why you have concluded it’s the rims?
Could it be the bullet is on the lands? Is it worth seating one a tad deeper and see if that makes a difference?

Measure the case body width above the rim then measure the case width where the bullet is seated, l bet the bullet has expanded the case width not allowing you to chamber any of your hard won .310 rounds, if this is the case run your rounds back through the FL sizer die but obviously remove the total decapping pin assembly leaving only the bare FL die body !!

This operation should resize all your rounds to what you had before you seated the bullets.

Just my opinion, did this myself when making up pistol ammunition some brass was thicker than others (case wall thickness).

Don’t forget to lube your rounds before this operation unless your die is a carbide die.

Just seen your posted photo and it looks to me that my assumption is correct, the case has expanded when you’ve seated your bullets.

 

[Stalker62]

Eureka!

Two things.

I promise you I did this before I read FH's post.

Just ran back down to the Cave with one round and did exactly that. Fits like a glove.

Huzza!

Only 199 more to go.

Thank you FH - spot on.

 

[Stalker62]

Remove decapper from .310 Die set.
Lube cases with Lyman Quick Slick.
Resize the complete round.
Wipe off.
Chamber to check fit - and it does!
Unload.
Place in MTN case.
Repeat x 200

It has been an emotional learn...

We got there in the end. Thank you all.

 

[Fosbery Holster]

Well done........ensure you completely remove the case lube from your ammunition otherwise any residual lube will gum up your chamber making extraction difficult, any residue present will become sticky with the heat that the chamber produces.......future problems avoided !!

 

[Stalker62]

Well done........ensure you completely remove the case lube from your ammunition otherwise any residual lube will gum up your chamber making extraction difficult, any residue present will become sticky with the heat that the chamber produces.......future problems avoided !!

With all the financial and emotional investment that has gone it to making these bastards delightful little rounds; I am not sure I will be able to bring myself to fire them off...

 

[Stalker62]

Well done........ensure you completely remove the case lube from your ammunition otherwise any residual lube will gum up your chamber making extraction difficult, any residue present will become sticky with the heat that the chamber produces.......future problems avoided !!

As an aside this was the first time I had used the Lyman Quick Slick lube and it does get a thumbs up from me - that just sounds wrong...

I can only imagine how much more "sticky" the process would have been with standard type lubricants.

 

[Fosbery Holster]

Don’t think about it just do it you know you want to....how else are you going to zero that wonderful little rifle.

 

[Fosbery Holster]

Quick Slick lube and it does get a thumbs up from me - that just sounds wrong...

Yes it does......you’ll end up with a sticky mess all over what orifice your thumb enters