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Martin Taylor

I have been meaning to post about reducing some Hornady Interlock 225g .375 cal projectiles down to 9.3mm for a few weeks but have been bloody busy, including an amazing trip to NZ to shoot LR with Nathan.

After discussing the 9.3mmX62 with Nathan as a Factory built, 35 Whelen substitute l picked up a SS Tikka T3 (Tikka bedding post) that suited my build requirements. Then went off looking for projectiles. As l ’m not hunting the large dangerous game with the heavy construction/weight projectiles this calibre was originally intended to be used with we needed some options.
I could not justify using the extremely overpriced, light weight for calibre Euro projectiles so we discussed using the 225g Interlocks with the Idea of swaging/drawing them down to .366. I have been using the locally made Woodleigh 250g RN and these worked extremely well but the Idea of using/testing the Hornadys was always there, just waiting for stocks to return here to Aust.

l found many references to people using 222 dies and machining them off in the taper of the body until the projectile when pressed through is reduced down to .366.
I ended up taking the temper out of the dies and machined them on a lathe so that one die reduces down to .368 and the second sizing down to .3655 (as measured with my Mitsitoyos & same as the Woodleigh's) and then re-tempered them. The final sizing die has a 10mm sizing section so there is no spring back in the projectile that l had heard mentioned many times. The shallow taper in the dies aligns the projectiles perfectly.
I didn’t end up using these in my press as l felt it’s too much strain on the linkages. I made a pin that fits into the dies neatly and knock the lubricated projectile (sizing wax) through with a hammer. The dies have 2 lock nuts tightened on them and sit in a deep impact socket on my vice anvil.

I have an moa load with 2208 and will be using them on Sambar deer in a few weeks l hope!!!! so it should be interesting.

Nathan mentioned he has been asked about sizing other calibres and with some careful die selection or a specially made tool, l don’t see any reason why this wouldn’t work just as well.

I forget the photos to put up on photo bucket so this all makes sense, l will get that done tonight.

Cheers Marty