I'm a long time reloader but have never necked down a case to make a wildcat cartridge.I've just ordered a new Bullberry Contender barrel in 6mm Bullberry Improved which is probably identical to 6mm/.30 .30 improved or a 6/30 Waters Improved.I've ordered the dies also but I dont have any experiance with necking down the .30.30 cartridge.Is there somewhere I can find step by step procedures to do a good job necking down and fireforming the cartridges..Any help would be appreciated...Thanks Johnboy

Talk to RCBS, they can set you up with all that is needed. If it is just a 6mm version of the 7x30 waters it is possible that you could just get the 7x30 dies and then neck it to 6mm. I have formed the 7x30 cartridge out of 30-30 and fire formed with out a case loss at all. The rim makes it an easy to fire form cartridge. Kurt

I would think Bullberry would be the ones to talk too. It is their cartridge, so they are going to know how best to form it and very likely instructions will be included with the dies on forming. If like many rounds, a trip through the sizer die may be all that is needed followed by fire forming. Sometimes neck reaming is needed to thin the neck as when going down in size, necks tend to thicken. However, you are not going that much smaller so I doubt you will have to do that unless BB cuts a minimum chamber. When fire forming loads, you can get as complicated as you want, or take the easy route. On my .309 JDJ, I run the .444 Marlin brass through a .308 Win. Sizer die, load a minimum load behind the cheapest .308 bullet I can find and let her rip. Then proceed as normal with the .309 dies.

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Good points all,

I too would ask Bullberry first and inquire especially about whether Fred cuts for added neck thickness. If he doesn't, you could ask that he do so, to negate any need for possible neck turning.

The 30-30 necks are fairly thin at any rate so I don't really think there will be a problem necking down or with excessive neck wall thickness.

But verify it with Fred to be sure. He should have load data also on his website.

Are you getting the dies from him too?

Regards

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I think the recommendation to ask Bulberry is very good.

I have a .30 Gibbs and cases for it must be fireformed.This is based on a 30/06 case with a sharp shoulder moved forward and a short case neck.It increases case capacity about 12% over the '06. The Gibbs will hold about 4-5 more grains of 4350 than the Ackley Improved will.
In order to get a shoulder to hold the case against the bolt head while fireforming,some reloaders will expand the neck of a 30/06 and then partially neck it back to .30 caliber.
I do it different - I neck down new .35 Whelen cases to the point where the bolt will close with some resistance.Since this thickens the neck considerably,I use an outside neck-turner on a Forster case trimmer to reduce the neck thickness and uniform the necks.
For a fireforming load,I use reduced loads with any 30 caliber bullets that I no longer want.
Some people have reported using light loads of a fast-burning powder with a tuft of Kapok stuffed on top of the powder,but I haven't tried that.
Other people have recommended seating the bullet out far enough that it jams in the lands to support the case,but my experience is that the firing pin will drive the case forward and you end up with a "stretched" case.

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I have a 6.5mm Bullberry in a carbine barrel. You will be getting their Redding dies I assume/hope? Talk to them about what needs to be done. They cut the chambers to tight tolerance, but neck turning is not needed with the 6.5 version. The process for the 6.5 is exceptionally simple. Adjust the die down until the reformed casing will chamber easily, load with the start load from their data, fireform! You should measure your casing OAL to determine if it will require trimming before the fireform. I prefer to do it afterwards if possible, but I have on batch of casings that exceeded OAL before they where fireformed.

If you follow the advice of just sizing the case until it chambers normally, no more, no less....you will have excellent casings to work with...as the casings will headspace on the neck and not the shoulder.

I think you'll be exceptionally happy with the accuracy of the barrels the Bullberry produces. I've had very good luck with them.

Give Fred a call and he will help you. I have a 6mm bullberry and use the seating die for the first step in forming cases. The 6mm Improved bullberry case is shorter than 30-30 case so you will have to trim before fireforming. Go to Bullberry's web site and there is load data also case length. Love my 6mm bullberry

johnboy - I have been there and done that. Fred at BB was helpful but there is a fairly simple way and I would be happy to tell you how I did it. Works like a champ. My barrel is a 6mm 30-30 AI which is identical to a 6mm BB imp. Redding was 12 weeks to make dies for me..........ch4d didn't have them either. So I came up with a way to make them using the dies I had and a set of .243 dies I had to buy. Whole process cost me less than $35.

wicked accurate round too