I have a wildcat that the original owner made from 22-250 brass. It's a 22 BR reamer that is run in .300" deeper. So I'm making brass for this rig.... (lost too many of the original cases I got with the rifle from way too loose primer pockets) from some old 308 Norma brass I don't use anymore for my 308.

I did 15 cases pushing the shoulder back with using a 308 FL die shorten to around 1.800", then using a 22 BR FL die set .300" higher in the press for the final size. This two-stage size method does not shorten the case from the original 308 OAL (did not mic, just visually sitting in the MTM case necks down). I did some 15 more using only the 22 BR die set .300" high in the press. This 1 stage size does shorten the cases OAL. Next, shorten to length, neck size up using mandrel from turning tool, neck turn (25 thou old wall material down to 8 thou in two passes by hand), primer pockets, debur, chamfer, prime, powder, and seating bullet extra long so base of case is on the bolt face.

Off to the range, BANG, all fire form nice, one or two really tight cases on closing (like stand up and force that bolt closed types). Back home, size/de-prime in Wilson style die (22-250 Wilson with 22 BR reamer run .300" deeper and re-hardened), powder, and seat bullets again for second firing. Now the 15 from the 1 stage size have no problems, but the 2 stage size cases stick in the seating die (22 BR with a special die holder that holds the case .300" deeper from were the base of the seating die sits), so pulled those 15 bullets and run them thru the 22 BR die again, The problem was in the body up near the shoulders, as this is were the cases were being sized by the die and then they did not stick in the seater die either.

Now for my question… how in the heck did this old owner (now dead) make it from 22-250 brass? I tried and all of my 1 stage / 2 stage die attempts (like above but with 22-250 cases) failed, with crushed bodies just below the nice new 30 degree 22 BR shoulder. I know this is because there is nothing supporting the 22-250 case wall as it is pushed back by the 22 BR die, and nothing pushing this brass wall out to the 22 BR die wall either.

Does one have to neck up to straight walls and then back down, or do I need to shorten to length, neck turn, fire form to the chamber, re-turn, etc...???? There must be an easier way eh???? Any ideas guys? My hands are killing me from all that thick 308 wall material in the necks!!

There must be a few wildcaters on this board that has been down this "Similar" road...