.270 to 25-06

[Dixie Dude]

Can you neck down a 270 cartridge to 25-06 without annealing?  I know you can neck up a 30-06 cartridge to 35 Whelen by just running it through the 35 Whelen die, but I know someone who has a 25-06 and needs to buy brass, and I have some .270 brass. 

[Kurt L]

Yes you can the newer the brass the better once fired you will be fine.
only real trouble necking down is neck thickness.
but you should be ok with that one but the 270 case is longer than
06 based cases and you will need to trim them.

[cwlongshot]

Kurt said something important, the 270 is a longer case, be sure you trim accordingly.





Something else to consider. The 270 and 25-06 are quite similar in appearance. If you have both rifles I would suggest AGAINST doing this. It would be VERY EASY to grab the wrong bullet. I suggest you sell the brass and buy the correct stuff OR trade with someone for 30-06 then form it. 

I have a 6.5-06 and I make its cases from the 30-06 for this very reason.

CW

[Kurt L]

cw longshot.
how do you like your 6.5-06
give me a pm so we don't take over this thread.

[Blowtorch53]

Dixie Dude,

I suggest you take CW's advice and let someone who has a .270 use the brass.  It might not be a disaster to fire one of these mismarked .25-06 cartridges in a .270 but the opposite would, if it would chamber. You should make up a dummy round with no powder and primer to see if it will chamber if you go ahead with this.  Trim to length first.  I made up 100 rounds of .30-06 to .25-06 for my Ruger #1 when I first started handloading and not a one would chamber!  Of course I didn't check any of them before spending all that time on a single stage press.  Had to pull all of them.  They were the right length cases but the necks had thickened too much.  It would be much better to keep all the headstamps correct, no doubt.

BT53

[wncchester]

"It might not be a disaster to fire one of these mismarked .25-06 cartridges in a .270 but the opposite would, if it would chamber."   True, but:

1.  Chambering a .270 in a .25-06 without using a hammer would NOT be possible.   
2.  The newly formed necks will NOT be too thick for a factory chamber.
3.  If people can't keep their ammo straight they will soon find some way to kill themselves anyway.
4.  Case lengths better be checked properly no matter where the brass comes from.

Handloaders have been reforming cases ever since brass cartridges were invented and there has never been a way to remark the head stamps.

[Blowtorch53]

Winchester,

True but....25-06 brass is common and plentiful.  You are right.  If someone wants to blow themselves up, you can't stop them.  A guy I used to work for put a .270 Win. cartridge in a .270 Weatherby Magnum and shot at a deer on a freezing morning.  It took off the stock and it was so cold he thought he blew his hand off!  He was ok and the gun performed as it should by venting the gas and blowing way the wood.  A .270 is a .270 to a guy that hunts once a year or a clerk at Wal-Mart.

Thanks,

BT

[cwlongshot]

 Yup same as a 25-06 is a 270 if that case is marked 270 too.    NOT SMART.  Cases are plentiful and not expensive, its NOT 1950 anylonger. We have a bit of responsibility here in our reloading.
 
 Another scenario, what happens when your gone, expectantly like and your Son, father, buddie, buddies son inherits your junk and HE blows him self up cause you where stupid. All because he put more faith in your responsible loading practices than you did. Not so funny then, Huh? But then again, that poor sob was due to die any way right... nice really nice.

 Good people do stupid things ALL THE TIME!!  Some years back I sold a good customer a BAR Browning in 308 Win. I bore sited the gun and shot three shots at 50 yards for him as he didn't have time to site it in before the season. Opening day arrived. I opened up the store and there he was in the parking lot waiting for us to open. He came in fighting mad!! Hollering a yelling quite a spectacle. he was out hunting and Mr big Whitetail was right there in front of him. he pulled the trigger and Bang Boom, out goes the mag off goes the deer and he finds himself bleeding from his forarm.

 Long story short, he knew his stuff, long time hunter with a busy life. Grabbed his gun and his 30cal bullets. Only thing is he grabbed 30-30's not 308's. SHOULDNT fire right? Well my friend it did!! Gun was returned to factory and came back all OK. he changed his tune fast when he realized I hadn't done him wrong, he did it to him self. Just like the "T" Shirt says.. she-it happens!!

CW

[stimpylu32]

Guys , I've done exactly what DD wants to do with no ill efects , the problem is not when you neck down with a peice of brass as in this case the 270 , with a bore of ,277 and the 25/06 having a bore of .257 .

The smaller bullet will pass right through the larger bore , while in worst case it will split the case neck , possable a real bad headspace problem and shoot like crap .

The real problem comes into play when you neck up a 25/06 to 270 = VERY BAD !

http://www.levergun.com/articles/wrong.htm

Give this a once over .

stimpy

[wncchester]

"Another scenario, what happens when your gone, expectantly like and your Son, father, buddie, buddies son inherits your junk and HE blows him self up cause you where stupid. All because he put more faith in your responsible loading practices than you did. Not so funny then, Huh? But then again, that poor sob was due to die any way right... nice really nice."


Goodness!  Not only am I stupid, but so is my family!  Wow, what a smart guy your are!  Well, one end or the other is anyway.  But, I am quite comfortable that you know best what it takes for you and your faimily to be safe with firearms.

Stimpy is absolutely correct.  And people do some things just because they want too, there are valid technical reasons to reform cases that don't involve economy but I'm not taking the time to explain it to you.  Have a happy day! 

[cwlongshot]

Guys , I've done exactly what DD wants to do with no ill effects , the problem is not when you neck down with a piece of brass as in this case the 270 , with a bore of ,277 and the 25/06 having a bore of .257 .

The smaller bullet will pass right through the larger bore , while in worst case it will split the case neck , possable a real bad headspace problem and shoot like crap .

The real problem comes into play when you neck up a 25/06 to 270 = VERY BAD !

http://www.levergun.com/articles/wrong.htm

Give this a once over .

stimpy

 Stimpy,
 I have too. I also know the 25 is smaller than 27.   
  This is one of those times what I'm writing and what I want to get across, doesn't seem to jive.
 I have personally seen a few cases that where shot from wrong calibers, all of them from very intelligent and careful hunters/shooters. One good friend and Police Sargent, almost blew his had off in a 40 Glock when a 25ACP case was INSIDE his 40cal reload that he was shooting!! I would think it would just go out the barrel, but it kept most of the powder away from the primer and somehow.. blew appart. It was only because of the quality & integrity of that glock that he has both his hands today!! Tell me how that one happened!?!?!?

 How about a 308 in a 3006... I got a couple of those. A 303 Savage in a 308, I have seen one of those... or a 280 in a 7mm mag. How about a 12-20 burst? I had one of those happen not ten feet from me on a trap field...NOT GOOD!!! Luckily no one got seriously hurt with any of these. My point is mistakes happen and ANYTHING that could be done to reduce the POSSIBILITY of one, should be done. Its really no more or less effort to do it one way over another in this case. None of these really have anything to do with using a 25-06 for a 270. I realize that. But its could be a recipe for disaster or at the very least disappointment.

 Wmcchester, it wont change the way I do things one bit, if you choose to hear what I am saying. But there are many new re-loaders on here and if I can save just one of them form a fatal mistake. Than what I have said here has merit.

 Something to think about.. With firearms things tend to be fineate, like black and white. Mistakes happen everyday, its only thru safe handling practices do we keep the mistakes from becoming a tragedy. An Accidental Discharge in a gun is a mistake, a A.D. with the gun pointed at someones chest, is a tragedy.

CW

[stimpylu32]

CW

I do agree with you on this that the danger is real , when I first got my 41GNR it came with a box of 41 mag ammo - 6 , after my first 6 rounds I understood what the problem was , as all 6 had split from the case mouth to the rim , the wrong ammo in a gun is ALWAYS a bad thing , just how bad will depend on the ammo & the gun .

The proper headstamp is always the best way to go , yet not always the choice we as handloaders have .

stimpy   

[cwlongshot]

CW

I do agree with you on this that the danger is real , when I first got my 41GNR it came with a box of 41 mag ammo - 6 , after my first 6 rounds I understood what the problem was , as all 6 had split from the case mouth to the rim , the wrong ammo in a gun is ALWAYS a bad thing , just how bad will depend on the ammo & the gun .

The proper headstamp is always the best way to go , yet not always the choice we as handloaders have .

stimpy   

 Absolutely correct. We are in complete agreement.
 
 Its 2009, brass is READILY available from countless sources, both local and on-line for both calibers. Juat so its clear, we are talking about 25-06Rem and 270 win cases here. Two very popular calibers. Cost about 25-30 for 100pcs virgin, less than half that for used. We have a very active classified section where one could offer up a trade of one for the other. Likely get them for NUTTIN!! 
 As a matter of fact, I'll put my money where my mouth is, I'll GIVE HIM 100pcs once fired 270. Just PM me the address, it wont cost him a dime! I'll ship it on mine!!!
I do not have a large supply of 25-06 or I would send them too. If he doesn't need them, he will still have trading fodder to help get what he needs!! Its a win win!!

CW

[wncchester]

"...the wrong ammo in a gun is ALWAYS a bad thing "

No one would suggest otherwise.  Certainly it's foolish to not know what we chamber.  But "safety" lies in knowing what we are doing and, from the examples, it's obvious that no headstamp will cure that.  In fact, the supporting examples quoted, headstamps weren't even a side issue.  Blissfull ingnorance was. 

How anyone could reload a pistol round with another case inside is beyond my imagination.  But, my question would be, "How might the headstamp have changed anything for that sargent?"   Guess my head is in the wrong place to be able to see how that might happen.  Yes, it's an interesting story but as an example it means nothing to the question of headstamps and reformed cases.

If someone chambers a  20 in front of a 12, no headstamp or reforming confusion could have existed so, what caused it?  Certainly, ignorance applied with stupidity, but it's not a headstamp issue.  So, again, the example is a common event but it means absolutly nothing to the issue. 

If someone is so ignorant of his chamber he attemps to load a .270 into a .25-06 it won't matter, the larger cartridge simply won't go in.  Thus, the stated fears are unreasonable.  Ignorance - blind stupidity really - is the issue you caution against, not headstamps, and no headstamp will cure it because a determined fool will always find new ways to be foolish.   Dixie Dude will make his own choice as he sees fit but what he is wanting to do is fine. 

I'm not going to let the foolishness of fools slow me down from case reforming anything I wish.  I see no honest way it can be unsafe with knowledgeable shooters, which includes my family.  I sometimes form .22-250 and .243 from .270. and .30-06 and .35 Whelen.  Trust me, I've been at this a LONG time and there is no danger or foolishness in it.  Nor is there any from making .25-06 from .270 or .30-06 or .35 Whelen, the larger cartridge simply won't allow it to go together wrong, no more than we can chamber a 12 into a 20.  On the other hand, as Stimpy pointed out, if the smaller cartridge IS loaded into the larger, the accuracy will be poor and it won't go far but there's no danger.

My point is, think a little before you make foolish blanket statements about people being "fools".  And don't grab  completely irrelivant examples and misapply them to support your alligations in an effort to stop others from doing something which is, in fact, quite safe if not "correct" as you  may wish to define it.   I'm all grown up now so the foolish statements of strangers aimed at me don't mean a thing but it's still not helpful to a discussion, is it?

If I were Dixie Dude I would take the free brass.  Why not?  Free is free and that's never bad! 

Before this gets out of hand and people end up with feelings hurt I'm locking this topic !

stimpy