Making .44 AMP Ammo

[chriskat]

I am in need of making .44 Auto Mag ammo. I could buy the brass but it is expensive and the original method to make the brass was to cut it from any '06 family of cases. I've got plenty of 30-06 brass and an old Logan lathe.

So the question is how to hold the brass in order to part it off? I only have a three jaw (or four jaw) chuck. The brass needs to be located in the lathe at the same location every time. I could make a depth stop for a collet easily but I can't think of a relatively easy way to do the same in a chuck.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jeff

[scatter cat]

How about just cut it close and use a case trimmer to get the right length? Otherwise you have to come up with a stop in the chuck. A collet would be easier if you have a collet chuck.

[scatter cat]

Sorry didnt see the part where you dont have a collet chuck. A piece of round stock in the spindle bore with a piece of small 1/4 rod in the center for a stop? might work

[jim davies]

IIRC, after cutting to length and trimming you have to ream the inside to somewhere around half the depth. RCBS etc has [had] the reamers

[BigBoy1]

If I'm understanding the problem correctly, mount the brass case in the 3 jaw chuck, neck end into the chuck and the base towards the tailstock. Mount your drill chuck in the tail stock and put a small piece of 1/2" wooden dowel with the end that has been squared towards the base of the case. Move the tailstock into position so that the base of the case is touching the wooden dowel. Adjust the position of the wooden dowel so that the correct length is obtained between the face of the chuck's jaws and the dowel face. Make this length on the long side so you will have extra when you trim the case. Since the case is brass, you can use a fine Exacto saw to cut the case. The jaws of the chuck can be used as a guide for the saw blade. Turn at a slow speed and the case should be cut cleanly and to length.

Bill

[Hawkeye]

Face one end of a rod that is a snug fit in the cartrige neck and ~1/2" longer than the cartridge. center drill the other end.

Place a short piec of ~1" rod in your chuck face then cut a recess to fit the cartrige base.

Place rod in a cartridge, put the base of the cartride in the recess, use the tail stock to press in place. cut the cartridge with parting tool. repeat.

[biometrics]

Jim Davies is correct. Once the case has been cut the inside must be reamed to .429 inches.

My AutoMAG is an early TDE .44AMP.

RCBS made a case forming set of dies that included a hardened length die that you mount in your press. I still own the dies.

These are the steps to case manufacture using these dies:
Mount the case cutoff die in your reloading press.
Insert the case you want to cut in the shell holder and put the case in the die.
Cut the case off with a hacksaw... die was so hard you couldn't even scratch it with a hacksaw blade...
Then the reamer was used to open the case to accept the projectiles.

This makes REALLY tough and durable brass... I haven't fired any or formed any cases in years.... but I do own the dies and reamer...

I don't know if RCBS still makes the dies, but it is work asking if you intend to shoot this caliber a lot.

As far as case trimming in the lathe... get yourself a LEE case trimmer. It comes with a pilot rod that has a pin that fits through the empty primer pocket. Lee also used to make a case spinner which was a special shell holder with a shaft you could mount in the drill press or lathe chuck to spin cases while you polished them. It would work great for trimming as well. Using the special case spinner shell holder that you can chuck in your headstock and use a jacobs chuck on the tailstock to hold the trimmer...

Once the cases were formed using my dies, I used to keep them trimmed after several firings by just mounting the trimming cutter in my drill press and holding the case by hand. I would bring down the Lee trim cutter until the pilot pin touched the drill press table. It would do a great job.

You don't have a location in your profile... where are you located, and how many cases are you thinking of making? I never have a lot of time, but I might be convinced to provide a little assistance to help you make enough cases to have a working supply.

[quasi]

Ken Lomont has a 2 part series on the Auto mag, including making brass from .308 or 30-06. It was in the early 70's Gun Digests.

[chriskat]

Thanks one and all. I know about the reaming, I figured once I determined how to position/hold the brass for trimming I could use a similar setup for reaming.

Hawkeye and biometrics I think either of those ideas will work, thanks. I'll see which I can work out best.

Thanks again.

Jeff

[HTRN]

I could buy the brass but it is expensive

Midway has it for $38/100.