Sizing Maynard Brass

[Paul L]

Hello,

I have a few Maynard tubes that are getting really hard to insert and remove from the breach. Is there a way to size this brass? Obviously it can be done since modern brass is resized, but I am not aware of a "modern" style sizing die for Maynard brass. Do any of you have any suggestions on how I might size these?

Thanks!

Paul
15th Virginia Cavalry

[Tom Magno, 9269V]

Try using a 50-70 resizing die. You'll need a shell holder, which are available from a couple of the Sutlers, and use a small amount of resizing lube on the case -even though it is not a bottleneck case, the lube really helps to keep it from sticking in the die.

[ChrisWBR]

Hello,

I have a few Maynard tubes that are getting really hard to insert and remove from the breach. Is there a way to size this brass? Obviously it can be done since modern brass is resized, but I am not aware of a "modern" style sizing die for Maynard brass. Do any of you have any suggestions on how I might size these?

Thanks!

Paul
15th Virginia Cavalry

Dan Whitacre makes shell holders for the Maynard tubes. Tom is right, 50-70 dies are what to use to resize them.

[John Bly]

Northeast Trader generally has the Maynard shellholders also. The 50/70 sizing die works fine for resizing the 50 cal Maynard brass. You don't need to insert the case very deep into the die to get it sized enough to chamber. Don't size them anymore than they need to get them to chamber OK. They are machined from bar stock and the grain orientation is not conducive to long life if overworked. Be sure to lube the case well or you'll pull the thin rim off the case trying to extract it.

[RaiderANV]

+1 on what John said!!!

[John Holland]

John Bly's advice is well taken.

[Kevin Tinny]

Perhaps Mr. Holland and Mr. Bly will comment further on the cause(s) of the problem.

The fit issue is probably a symptom of something else, perhaps chamber dimensions.

I don't think sizing should be necessary IF dimensions are correct.

Just my two cents on top of a deep respect for both John's.

Tx.

Kevin Tinny

[Chris Sweeney]

Is it full capacity or reduced? Sizing can work-harden brass and it seems to most affect the area in reduced capacity brass where the thin bit and the thick bit meet. If you resize often you might need to anneal the brass to prevent splits.

56-50 spencer dies work for resizing also. Just be careful not to try to size the full length OBTW, don't forget to take the decapping pin out of whatever sizing die you use!

[Eggman]

Just my two cents on top of a deep respect for both John's.

Kevin Tinny

Don't suck up to John. He's at his best when he's pissed off.

[Paul L]

Thanks for the helpful responses!

These are full capacity cases, that were used when I got them. The amount of powder I am using I wouldn't think would expand the cases (25grs fff). There are just a handful that seem to be sticking. I will definitely look to getting the shell holder and sizing dies that was recommended here.

Thanks!

Paul
15th Virginia Cavalry

[Rob FreemanWBR]

I just saw this thread and wished I could have responded earlier.

You MAY not have to re-size your Maynard Brass!!

I had the same problem with brass sticking in my Mod 1. I bought the brass several years earlier. Each case with inspected, tested for fitting in the breach and then chamfered.

The brass worked as expected until last year when cases started getting hard to extract.

Thinking that re-sizing was the cure, I segregated the "problem children" and resized a handful that were collected over the course of the year. But problems persisted with other cases. I was lucky to mention my dilemma to an experienced skirmisher who is intimately familiar with Maynards. Bottom-line, resizing Maynard brass, esp. reduced capacity cases is to be avoid if at all possible due to the permanent "distortions" that occur from re-sizing. And given the cost of brass I don't really want to purchase another batch!

Low and behold the brass was NOT in need of resizing! Instead, and unbeknownst to me, the brass developed a small "lip" or "ridge" around the mouth of the cases. This deformity was minute, but enough to hamper loading. It wasn't until that I dragged my fingernail over the mouth of some cases that the "ridge" was perceptible. The remedy, simply re-chamfering and in some cases, VERY, VERY lightly using a fine file to remove the outside "rim" that formed on the outside of the case's mouth.

After doing this over last winter, ALL of my brass is once again fitting properly. As a simple test to know if your brass is properly sized, the brass case should simply drop into the breach.

If you or anyone have to take pliers, or a cleaning rod to remove stuck cases, there's a problem that needs to be addressed - in most cases it's a simple fix.

Good luck!

[Kevin Tinny]

Any ideas on what causes the lip, please? Tx.

Kevin Tinny

[ms3635v]

I am still using the same brass that I bought 30+ years ago when I bought my 2nd Model Maynard. After each shoot, I throw the cases in white vinegar for about 30 minutes. Then I rinse them in hot water and when they are dry, I put them in my Lyman tumbler. After the cases are clean I do a visual check and if there are any cases that have a tiny burr, which is rare, I will de-burr if necessary. Then they are ready to be loaded and used again. I have only had one case in all these years that had a very small split in the case at the mouth, and I took that one out of service. Maynards are probably one of the easiest carbines to shoot and care for.

[Rob FreemanWBR]

Any ideas on what causes the lip, please? Tx.

Kevin Tinny

Not certain Kevin as to where the lip comes from or how it occurs.

I shoot an original Model 1, with a repo barrel.

I'm guess at this point, that the breach somehow allows for the lip to form over time after repetitive firing, due to minor "imperfections" in the size/design of the inside of the breach & barrel.

My accuracy was dramatically improved after tending to my batch of brass.

[bobanderson]

Not certain Kevin as to where the lip comes from or how it occurs.


I had this problem with my Romano Model 1. I polished the end of the chamber with 0000 steel wool.

Modern cartridges get that lip when the brass is too long for the chamber. Ever do a chamber cast?
May need to trim your brass a few thousandths.

[ian45662]

You could also pick up a de-burr and chamfer tool if you dont want to use a file. Anyplace that sells reloading equipment would have such a tool. I had to chamfer some of my ballard brass because of the "lip" that was forming on the mouth of the case

[Kevin Tinny]

Tx, so much, each of you three, for sharing:

I never thought about overall case length because I'd been assured the cases didn't grow, but they might be too long to begin with. Time to measure or feel for stoppage before rim contact. Now makes sense. It seems that this condition can be caused by too long a case that is "crunched" during closing in AN ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE A BETTER BREECH SEAL.

Time to measure.

VERY much enlightened.

Tx, again.
Kevin Tinny

[John Bly]

Cases can pick up a lip on the mouth from shaking in a container to remove fouling or tumbling in a tumbler. The cases bang into each other thus peening a lip on the edge. A case deburring tool will remove any lip easily.

[RaiderANV]

What John said......I've only seen the lip on cases that were tumbled. Not to say there isn't some other magical way for it to form. Seems if it formed from an imperfection in the chamber that all cases would get it and also be hard to pull out.

[Rob FreemanWBR]

What John said......I've only seen the lip on cases that were tumbled. Not to say there isn't some other magical way for it to form. Seems if it formed from an imperfection in the chamber that all cases would get it and also be hard to pull out.

Raider/John,

VERY interesting. As dad always said, "if you aren't learning something new every day, you might as well be dead".

I do tumble my brass with Stainless Steel Media, water, and a spot of Dawn in a Tumblers Tumbler. Maybe I'm running the brass TOO long (5-6 hours).

Other skirmishers turned me onto the steel media, and it does an absolutely FANTASTIC job of making bright, shinny cases - INSIDE and out. Also the media doesn't clog up the cases' touch holes as when I used crushed walnut.

As for tools, yes I have two RCBS de-burring tools that make quick work of the minor deformities.

And as for extraction, some of the "problem children" case were difficult in pulling out.

[John Bly]

5-6 hours seems way too long for tumbling. I do mine for 1 1/2-2 hours, change water and run about an hour with a pinch of Lemishine to make the cases bright and shiny. I still get a little lip on the case mouth sometimes. I use aquarium gravel with the Maynard cases in a Tumbler. I use the s/s pins with Black Powder cartridges.

[bobanderson]

I use ceramic media and usually tumble for about 6 hours also.

The lip formed by tumbling, or a short chamber for that matter, would bend the case mouth in, not out. I don't see how that can affect extraction. You would see problems seating bullets before anything else.

I shoot oversize bullets which are then lubrisized to .517. Even there, an outward lip could only happen if there was room for the brass to expand if the chamber was oversized.

I still think you should polish the last 1/4" of the chamber with 4-0 steel wool on a dowel mounted in a drill until they come out easily.