forming 25/20WCF from 32/20 brass

GWarden

GWarden

Active Member
I know there are many methods for making 25/20WCF brass from 32/20, but I wanted to share my method with an attached pic to show how. I use Starline 32/20 brass to start with. I do not anneal the brass, and do not have a problem in the forming process if one does not hurry. 1. Start with 25/20WC seater die, take out the seater stem. Use Imperial sizing die wax in each step. Full length size the case with this die, adjust it so it does not turn the neck in as if forming a crimp when seating a bullet. Important, do not muscle this or any of these steps by trying to do it in one stroke of the handle. Just pull down on the press handle and go a little bit at a time and then back off and repeat. You can either turn the die clear down and go a bit at a time, or only turn the die in until you get a small resistance on the stroke with your press, back off then turn the die a bit more. On the picture the first piece of brass is the 32/20. Second piece of brass in front of the seater die is one that has been run through this die. 2. Next step is use the 25/20WC full length size die and remove the expander stem. Again use your Imperial sizing die wax. As before just do a short stroke with your press, back off, then a little more pressure again. 3. Last step is to expand the neck with a Lyman "M" die. If you go slowly you should not get any crushed brass. I imagine it would not hurt to start out by annealing the case, but I have never had any problem in my method.
Bob
IMG_2493.jpeg
 
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david s

Well-Known Member
I use almost your exact method when forming 25-20 and 218 Bee brass (also from Starline) my only variation is I'll full length size first. I do this as I feel that if the case mouth has any flaws that's where the case will fold. This mostly applies to forming 218 Bee's. As an aside it always surprises me how little effort it takes to run the cases up into the seating die, you get a case about 90% formed here. Then when you run it up into the full length die the amount of effort required goes up significantly, still pretty trivial effort but quite a step up from the first case neck reduction.
 
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