Wanting to buy 35-36 Marlin Brass.

Or looking for suggestion on just how to effectively make it without a high mortality rate. And hopefully having a decent case life afterwards.

I have some success making it from 38-55, but currently mortality rate is pretty high. would work better from 32-40 but finding that brass is almost as hard as 25-36.


Thanks for your input.

I realize this is posted in the wrong place, but it might help you. I made some for a friend about a year ago. 38-55 ran into a .347 (8mm) neck bushing in a Jones die about ½ inch so they start easy in a 30-30 die. Then ran into a 30-30 die about 1/10 inch short, lubed well. Then ran into his 25-36 die---I believe made by C-H, most of these had to be trimmed. We also made some from 30-30 cases sized in the 25-36 die but they turned out about 0.055 inches short, which worked and didn’t seem to be an issue, however some of the rims had to be turned down a bit as they were tight in his gun—Old Remington UMC cases. Going from 38-55 through the 30-30 die had very few ruined cases, but from 30-30 to 25-36 a few crushed. The fired rounds showed about .007 expansion on the necks in his rifle. I was worried that the case might be too thick in the neck when we finished, but it wasn’t so with his rifle. Good lube on all of these steps---Imperial sizing lube is what we used. The expander button was removed from the 30-30 die but we left it in the 25-36 die.

I tried stepping Starline brass to 32 Win to 30-30 (only the neck, shoulder is to short) then 7-30 waters, then finally to the 25-36. lost %25 but it might be the lube, going to try stepping to 32-40 then 30-30 7-30, and then 35-36. Fire forming with mild loads and see where I get next.

Had some that where 25-35 or resized 30-30 that where separating the head after as little as two firings, but the load may have been to hot for fire forming and shooting in one step.

Learning alot with this cartridge and gun, but damn it shoots good and flat. It is one hard steel killing machine with no where and tear on the shooter.

Grizz, your process should work better than mine because you have better steps for the sizing, especially access to a 7-30 die. There are a couple of things that might make a difference. Take out the expander balls. I find that most of the case stretching comes from friction when the case is pulled over the expander button. If you are running the cases through several dies with expander buttons, it’s likely that is what is causing some of the incipient separation. When you do the final sizing make sure the inside of the neck is lubed well. We didn’t worry about the short shoulder caused by the sizing in the 30-30 die. We used the Ackley method of jamming a bullet in the lands to create the proper headspace and it blew the cases out very nicely with standard loads. One thing I did notice with his 25-36 dies is that in order to get the cartridge to chamber smoothly, the die had to be set so the case was pretty much ran in all the way to size the base of the case. Each time he did this, the shoulder was set back visibly. So each time he reloaded and fired one, he was really working the brass. Even though the headspace is set on the rim, the body of the case was really being worked a lot. But we reloaded some cases five times while we were messing around with this process and none failed. I told him I didn’t think the brass would last long because of how much the brass was being worked and I was surprised none failed. If your dies and your chamber are a better match than his and your sizing die is set correctly, you should get some decent case life. We did anneal the old Remington UMC 30-30 brass prior to forming it. Good luck with it---fun stuff.

Use 32-40, 30-30 brass will be too short. Run the 32-40 into the 30-30 sizer with as little lube as possible. Next into a 25-35 sizer. Gently fire form with reduced charge. 25-35 dies can be used to reload after fire forming, just back them out of the press enough to just bump the shoulder. Over working neck/ shoulder are will shorten case life. 25-35 seated will work fine also, just leave it backed out of the press enough to not hit the brass. If this sounds like too much trouble, buffalo arms sells brass for the 25-36. Just be in a sitting position when you order it!

I hear you about the prices, I have 500 reserved from Quality Cartridge when he makes a run next year. But for now sizing 38-55 to 32-40 to 30-30 (neck only then 25-36 and fire forming witha mild load looks like it might work pretty well. I have only done a dozen or so, but the process it doable.


Thanks for the input.

PS: I am always looking to loads too.

I hear you about the prices, I have 500 reserved from Quality Cartridge when he makes a run next year. But for now sizing 38-55 to 32-40 to 30-30 (neck only then 25-36 and fire forming witha mild load looks like it might work pretty well. I have only done a dozen or so, but the process it doable.


Thanks for the input.

PS: I am always looking to loads too.