NEEDED- 2 OR 3 FIREFORMED 25-06 MASHBURN IMPROVED CARTRIDGE CASES

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Last Post 17 October 2019

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mashburn posted this 16 October 2019

Hello Agaiin,

Ken Campbell just loaned me his 25-06 Mashburn Imp. chamber reamers .So far I haven't been able to find a head space gauge for such a critter. I'm still looking but if I don't find gauges I would like to have a couple of fireformed cases to set headspace. My last resort is the make a barrel spud for an action that is laying around, waiting on something to do, and chamber it and fire form some blanks to make cases and again it takes a lot of piddling to get the chamber right on the barrel spud. If anyone out there has some cases or head space gauges or know where I can rent such critters, please let me know. I was shocked to see advertisements for new reamers for sale in this old wildcat, so maybe I'll find some gauges for rent. I am willing to pay for the above mentioned items and would be beholding for someone who comes to my rescue. I don't know why I developed such a love for odd ball wildcat cartridges, about half of my rifles are in calibers that I have to make cases for and make my own loading dies. about 20 years ago the owner of what is now Mashburn Arms (a lot like a bunch of used car salesmen) agreed to sell me all of the Old Man Mashburn shop tools and his notebooks. After driving 200 miles he decided he didn't want to sell them. He said they were going to put Mashburn arms back into production. (they never did such) Boy, if I could have gotten all that good stuff, I would really have had fun these past 20 years or so,

Thanks in advance,

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 16 October 2019

hi dave ... you don't really need the correct headspace gauge for the mashburn ...unless you are building multiple rifles that need to be identical. which is pretty hard to do anyway short of extreme measures.

since the headspace is only crucial for the first fire-forming firing, here is a way you can use a standard ( 30-06 etc. ) go gauge::

when final chamber reaming, just cut until you feel the bump when the bolt handle is at the top of the closing motion. or even just closing a few degrees., not freely closing all the way as would be a hunting type chamber. ... this will mean that every brass you later chamber to fire-form will be tightly supported with no slop. that is the goal. >> not to have the brass sliding forward when first fired.

grease your locking lugs when fire-forming, you will be crushing the shoulder just a tad the first time.. ( heh ) .

when fire-forming, if you get a case that doesn't bump a little, you might not use one.

keep us up on your fun, what action are you using ?? ...

ken

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M3 Mitch posted this 16 October 2019

I may only be showing my ignorance here, but, assuming a 25-06 Mashburn Improved is capable of using regular 25-06 ammo, the brass of which will fire-form to Masburn specs in the chamber - I think most wildcats are set up like this, where in this case factory ammo would headspace on the shoulder just behind the neck - this leads me to think while a regular 25-06 headspace gauge might not be ideal, it should work.

Or am I completely out in left field?

I see ads in Rifle and Handloader for outfits who rent reamers and headspace gauges. If you don't have these on hand, I can post up a couple of specific outfits. Of course I would just be repeating their ad like a parrot, I have not done business with any of them.

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mashburn posted this 16 October 2019

Hello Ken,

Thanks for your response. If I was chambering a unchambered barrel I would not be looking for a Mashburn Imp. headspace gauge, I would do exactly what you said and I have done many times in the past The problem is that both barrels that I want to change to an improved chamber are already chambered for 25-06. I learned many years ago that when rechambering a chamber for a rimless case to a improved one that If you used the improved go guage you would have excessive head space and if you used the method that you suggested, you would have a little ridge in the shoulder. Back during my prairie dog shooting days this was a big gripe from shooters who had sent their rifles off to be rechambered to a improved version. I would think that gunsmiths who advertised for work would have figured this out. I learned the hard way, the first rifle of my own that I rechambered to .223 Ackley Iimp. that I used the Imp. go gauge on wound up with excessive headspace. I loaded up a few hundred case with very light loads of a fast burning powder and wax plugs in the necks and I lightly lubricated the cases so that they would slide back,. and fire formed them. This pushed them back against the bolt face and cured the headspace problem. With the straight walled cases, if you loaded them with real bullets would not shove back. The head space was not bad but I couldn't stand it. I can't stand any gun that isn't perfect

I'm going to set both barrels back and use the method that you and I seem to agree on.

Thanks a lot Ken for the tools and you comment,

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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mashburn posted this 16 October 2019

Hello M3 Mitch,

I think my response to Ken will answer most of your questions. As far a suppliers I have been renting and buying reams for 25 years or so. I used to do this kind of work every day for a living.Thanks,

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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M3 Mitch posted this 16 October 2019

Hats off to you for not putting up with anything but a stand-up job of gunsmithing. Like that old commercial - "Who would know? - (answer) "We would know!"

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mashburn posted this 17 October 2019

Ken,

By the way, years ago, I have driven through your nice little town several times. You and I definitely are not big city boys. My town is just barely larger than yours.

Mashburn

David a. Cogburn

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 17 October 2019

" visit ken's little town "

hey, that's pretty good ... more people visit Kat Man Du than can find my little town ... ( g ) ...