How To Expanding Brass

[wm460]

I am trying to expand a neck of some .308 and 30.06 cases from 7.95mm to 9.25mm internal Dia.
I have tried heating the necks with propane gas torch, I pushed a metal insertion tool into the neck till the mouth is the right size. Then tried to expand the rest of the neck with transfer punches, working my way up with various sizes still using the gas.
Problem is the last two punches always get stuck in where the neck meets the shoulder and it crumples the shoulder.

What can I do to avoid this problem?

 

[KenV]

Two ways

Start with 35 Whelan cases. They are already most of the way to your intended size.

35 Whelan is a 30-06 made to shoot a 35 caliber buller. That is just shy of your target size.

OR

Get some one with reloading dies to resize the cases.
The reloading dies help support the shoulders and he will have the lubricants to help resize the cases.


Nominal 40 caliber is big for a 7,62 mm start.

 

[wm460]

Thanks for your reply Ken, Unfortunately I don't know anyone with one of these rifles but gives me something to look for.

 

[KenV]

I shoot and reload and make pens from the 7.62 cases, but do not have any sizing dies to get to the 40 cal sizes.

Rereading your process description, i suspect you are annealing the shoulder. One technique used to anneal the necks is to stand the cases in water and heat the necks. Try to set the water level to just above the bottom of the neck. Heat the necks and immediatly push them over. Brass act differently than steel and the quench leaves soft brass after the work hardening of stretching.

Will keep an eye out for Whelan cases locally.

 

[wm460]

I shoot and reload and make pens from the 7.62 cases, but do not have any sizing dies to get to the 40 cal sizes.

Rereading your process description, i suspect you are annealing the shoulder. One technique used to anneal the necks is to stand the cases in water and heat the necks. Try to set the water level to just above the bottom of the neck. Heat the necks and immediatly push them over. Brass act differently than steel and the quench leaves soft brass after the work hardening of stretching.

Will keep an eye out for Whelan cases locally.

Thanks Ken, I will give this a go, will let know how the results.

Where I live it just about impossible to get any cases bigger than 30.060 or .303
You probably heard of our crap gun laws.