Wouldn't it be faster and easier to chuck it in a drill press or lathe and use a file to turn it down .004? You're probably going to have to neck turn them anyway.

 

Maybe, but not all of us have lathes or drill presses.

Your thread got me thinking that possibly RCBS might offer a Small Base Sizing Die (SBSD) for reforming 30-30 to 25-30. RCBS offers a SBSD for 223 Rem, 308, Win, 30-06. They might offer a SBSD for 25-35 as a special order. Call them and ask.
RCBS 800-533-5000

Although you probably know this, but I thought I'd include the cartridge case, and chamber drawings from SAAMI. And yes. The SAAMI cartridge and chamber illustrations are indeed rotated slightly. That's how they published it on their website. View attachment 298798 View attachment 298799

Good thought. I use SB dies for some of my .223's, .308s, and my '06 BAR. I don't think it would help in this case because the oversize area is at the head, below the area the die contacts due to the thickness of the lip of the shellholder.

 

Wouldn't it be faster and easier to chuck it in a drill press or lathe and use a file to turn it down .004? You're probably going to have to neck turn them anyway.

First thing I thought of, before finishing the post.

 

Your thread got me thinking that possibly RCBS might offer a Small Base Sizing Die (SBSD) for reforming 30-30 to 25-30. RCBS offers a SBSD for 223 Rem, 308, Win, 30-06. They might offer a SBSD for 25-35 as a special order. Call them and ask.
RCBS 800-533-5000

Although you probably know this, but I thought I'd include the cartridge case, and chamber drawings from SAAMI. And yes. The SAAMI cartridge and chamber illustrations are indeed rotated slightly. That's how they published it on their website.

 

I know of people using the 6.5x52R instead of 25-35.

 

when i found and got a Savage 99 in 25-35 i had no problems getting two boxes [40 shells] and reload to my hearts content. they are out there.
oh and a fun gun to shoot.

rick

 

I believe the 25-35 is making a comeback, depending on where you live.
Around here, there has been a huge influx of 6.5x52R combination rifles coming into the country, and since it "can" be interchangeable with the 25-35. The old 25–35 rifles are now coming out of the gun safes, and are being used once again, causing a demand for ammunition.
I have a choice of getting another combination rifle due to the good price. My choice of either a 6.5x52R or a 7x57R.

 

Several years ago we had a fine German double rifle come into the shop, some Bubba had tried to turn it into a .410 shotgun. Thankfully he stopped drilling out the bore when he figured out that .410 was larger than the outside diameter of the muzzle end of the barrels. We lined it to .25 caliber and chambered it to 6.5 x 52 R.

 

Good grief. There is reasons for castration

 

Nope, still cause for castration.

 

I don't know about castration, but some people have no business owning or using power tools.

Ditto this!

Especially the infamous 'Dremel' tool!

 

Do you have a battery drill or a corded drill? They can be made to work. It wouldn't take long. Years ago I did the same thing by holding the case in a vise and taking it down in tiny increments, by hand, with a three sided file. 'Course that was before the internet and helpful hints.

 

If you don't have a big bad press whose linkage is up to snuff ... and since you are going to remove the case from the die , sans shell holder ... you can use a big old Vice to press the the washer /brass case into the die , after it's all the way in ... just like you outlined , remove from vice and gently tap the case out with a rod ...don't hit the rod too hard you don't want to deform the brass base and flash hole . Might be a good idea to ream the flash hole in case the rod closed it some while it was pounding out the case .
Gary

 

I know of people using the 6.5x52R instead of 25-35.

It's a lot easier to find, but won't always chamber in a 25/35. 25/35 will chamber in the 6.5x52 though. Reasons given is usually the 6.5 shoulder needs to be bumped back. Current Euro loading for the 6.5 uses a .259 bullet, as opposed to the 25/35 bullet diameter of .257.
Friend had a 94 in 25/35, and he picked up two boxes of once fired 6.5x52r. I annealed them, ran em through an RCBS sizer, and never had a problem.

 

When I size down larger cases to build ammo for smaller neck sizes, like my 1893 Marlin takedown in .25-36, I use a K&M case neck turner to thin the necks so they chamber fine with appropriate bullets. The case neck turning tools do the job very fast, and easy.

 

Not to dry up my supply but hopefully get them to make more.... Black Dog Ammunition does stock several variants in 25-35 and offers to recycle your spent brass.

25-35 Winchester | Black Dog Ammunition

The 25-35 Winchester, or WCF (Winchester Center Fire) was introduced in 1895 by Winchester for the Winchester Model 1894. Together with the .30-30, it was one of the earliest smokeless cartridges designed in North America for a sporting rifle. Savage adopted it for its Savage Model 99...

blackdogammunition.com

 

When I size down larger cases to build ammo for smaller neck sizes, like my 1893 Marlin takedown in .25-36, I use a K&M case neck turner to thin the necks so they chamber fine with appropriate bullets. The case neck turning tools do the job very fast, and easy.

I use the Hornady neck turning system.
Not happy, the tolerances are really poor and the cutters are garbage.