Making 7.7 from 30-06

[Flash]

I've successfully made three cases that chamber and eject but i haven't loaded them yet. I am going to use this for cast bullet shooting so the loads will be moderate at best. Has anyone made their Arisaka cases from 30-06's? There is a .008 difference in rim diameter but that is negligible in my opinion.

[Mikey]

Flash:  I believe that technique has been used for quite a while.  I think moderate loads will help preserve the brass.  Does Starline or Grafs make 7.7 brass???  Good luck.  Have fun.  Let us know how she shoots. 

[mauser98us]

not a good idea. your asking that brass to expand a lot in that area. Rupture the case in that area,and you can send gases into the action and create havoc with both the rifle and your body. Graf is making brass in this caliber, and it's fairly reasonable. My opinion,do as you wish.

[Steve P]

I didn't have any problems with the ones I made from 06 brass.  I used RCBS 165 Silhouette bullets as cast with GC and lube added.  Mild loads. 

Steve

[Flash]

Flash:  I believe that technique has been used for quite a while.  I think moderate loads will help preserve the brass.  Does Starline or Grafs make 7.7 brass???  Good luck.  Have fun.  Let us know how she shoots. 

Yes, I know i can buy 7.7 but the size difference between it and 06' is so small that one pass with the 7.7 die and it's formed. The shoulder angle is a little different and the rim diameter is only .003 difference and not the .008 I thought. It should be a breeze but wanted to hear from members here that had done it already.

[kwells2006]

thats how I got all my brass, just make sure to trim to specs and you're good to go

[bill439]

Back in my younger and dumber days, I happened on to a 7.7 that had been converted to 30-06.  I took this beauty to our local range, hung a target and comenced to shoot 1" to 1 1/2" groups.  It had some sort of a german scope with the heavy post and crosshairs.  I was in love until I gave the fired brass the once-over.   Very bad bulge on the head part of the case.  I was a reloader and knew I was'nt going to be able to load for this thing, when I say it had a bad bulge I would guess maybe .030 bulge and out of round.  I took the rifle back and traded in on a Savage Mod 99F .308.  Didn't I say someting about dumber, I then traded the 99 for a 6.5 swede.  Oh well !! I have gotten a little smarter since then.  Bill439

[bill439]

I forgot to mention that no doubt the rifle I had, had a bulged chamber.  I hope yours dosen't.  Make a chamber cast and measure to be sure of the differences in head diameter.  If indeed is only .003 I think you should be safe with the cast loads you plan on using. I found out later that someone else had bought that jap rifle and fixed the chamber by (rumor has it) wraping 2 or 3 layers of masking tape aroung the head of the 06 case before firing.  Man some people have all the luck! Good luck, Bill439

[cbxboy]

I waited to reply as I wanted to consult "my book" but near as I can tell with the minor amount of loading I have done....I think you'd be fair to give it a go.  I don't see the harm in it.  I have started shootign cast bullets at low velocity and lower pressures.  I enjoy the heck out of it.

[Hank08]

Quoting from the book "Cartridge Conversions" by Major George Nonte.
7.7 x 58mm Arisaka, Rim diameter .473, head diameter .472, form this case from 30/06.
Full length size in 7.7 Arisaka die, trim to 2.27" fire form, head will expand to fill chamber, use .310 bullets, 150 gr and 46 grs. 4895 for 2700 fps or 174 gr. and 42 grs. of 4895 for 2420 fps.  Haven't done this just quoting but have used info from this book for forming many other hard to get cases.
H08

[Flash]

I already made 60 of them. I'm going to load them up sometime this coming week and go shooting.

[budman46]

my 2 cents:

8 mauser brass works. size a case incrementally until brass just chambers with a bit of resistance, leaving a small portion of the 8mm neck as a false shoulder. fire-form with 123 gr .311 bullets 42 grains of 4895. no cases lost with virgin brass, about 10% of fired 8mm were lost.

at 100 yds, using lee's .30 cal, 160 grain, gas-checked, tumble-lube cast bullet, sized .313" with 20 grains of alliant 2400, a gallon milk jug is in trouble.

budman

[docmagnum357]

I have to say this is a bad idea. I have read in several reloading maunals that it is a bad idea, and common sense will tell you to really watch for case head seperation, more than any other wear factor on a case.  Try this simple test; strasiten a paper clip, and then at the end, make a bend 90degreees.  If you run this feeler up the inside of the case, you will be able to feel a vey thin place right above the case head.  The 6.5 jap was supposed to be the strongest military action of ww2. TYPE 38?  7.7 were renown for being some of the weakest.  also, gas control from a ruptured case( what is likely to happen with the 30-06 as a parent case) just above the web is not good, like in a maser, springfeild, etc. I assume you are free sane, and over 21, so do what you want, n feel is safe.  I wouldn't, and if you were asking me, Which you didn't, I wouldn't do that.

Also, fast burning powder usually used in a cast bullet load makes just as much CHAMBER pressure as a full case of slower burning powder, it just doesn't make the pressure for as long, so even with mild loads, you may be tredding on what little safety threshold there is

[mrussel]

I have to say this is a bad idea. I have read in several reloading maunals that it is a bad idea, and common sense will tell you to really watch for case head seperation, more than any other wear factor on a case.  Try this simple test; strasiten a paper clip, and then at the end, make a bend 90degreees.  If you run this feeler up the inside of the case, you will be able to feel a vey thin place right above the case head.  The 6.5 jap was supposed to be the strongest military action of ww2. TYPE 38?  7.7 were renown for being some of the weakest.  also, gas control from a ruptured case( what is likely to happen with the 30-06 as a parent case) just above the web is not good, like in a maser, springfeild, etc. I assume you are free sane, and over 21, so do what you want, n feel is safe.  I wouldn't, and if you were asking me, Which you didn't, I wouldn't do that.

Also, fast burning powder usually used in a cast bullet load makes just as much CHAMBER pressure as a full case of slower burning powder, it just doesn't make the pressure for as long, so even with mild loads, you may be tredding on what little safety threshold there is

 Great,now that I have a few Mosins and a Mauser,this article makes me remember the Arisaksas Ive been seeing around and not really looking at too closely. Now I want one.

[budman46]

p.o. ackley used a late 99 action in his blow-up tests...not a last-ditch, but a very late war production action. ackley ended up with a bullet jammed in front of a round overloaded with 40+ grains of bullseye...it was so over-pressure that the barrel had to be unscrewed from the action to open the bolt...which suffered absolutely no lug set-back. a pal later used the action to build another rifle.

i would agree forming a case from one with a smaller head diameter isn't the best idea, but i purchased 500 rounds of new w-w 6.5x55 brass to form into 7.5x54 french. the swede case head is listed as .479", a lot closer to the french round @ .486" than .30-06...my virgin 6.5 brass miked @ .473", the same as .30-06, but worked fine.

7.7 arisaka is only nominally only .003" over @ .476" and i've had no problem with resized '06 or 8 mauser.

budman