11.75 X 36mm Austrian Gasser Revolver

[The Goose]

To make the 11.75 I start by cutting 45/70 brass to just a hair over 1.42".



Next I lube the case and run it up into a .45 ACP sizing die.



After sizing there is a bulge at the base of the case that must be removed. Also the rim thickness and diameter both need to be reduced.



I put the case in the chuck being carefull to make it as centered as possible. I loosen the tool post slightly, set the dial wheel to 0 and put the tool blade at the narrow point on the case where I want to end up. Then I tighten down the tool post and back off the cutting tool.



I start removing the bulge. I have found that removing a little at a time is easier and cleaner than doing too much at once.



Once the bulge is removed and the case is one diameter I thin the rim to .06" by slowly moving the cutting tool back against the rim and keeping the other distance the same.



I than back the cutting tool clear and move the cross slide back so the cutting tool is now behind the rim. I move the cutting in until it just touches and I remove a layer from the diameter of the rim. I keep doing this until it is .555". Once I have done each of these steps once they are easily repeatable on the following cases.



Next I turn the speed all the way up and use a cheap file to smooth the surface and rim.



Then some medium grit sand paper.



Now into the case trimmer for an accurate length of 1.42"



Chamfer inside and outside.



Once more into the .45 ACP sizing die and TA DA!



Primer is seated, (large magnum rifle), case mouth is expanded and 36 grains of Goex 3F is poured through the funnel.

A .030 Walters wad is placed on top of the charge and a compression die is utilized.

Bullet is seated. A 300 grain soft lead bullet from an Accurate mold sized to .446 and lubed with Sagebrush black powder lube.

Lee .45 Colt factory crimp die.

The end result. Whew!



Just for a comparison a 44/40 with 200 gr. bullet. A .45 Colt with a 255 gr. bullet and the 11.75 with a 300 gr. bullet. Most people considered the .45 Colt to be the magnum of the day. It was pretty much the most powerful revolver round. The most blackpowder that I have ever gotten into a .45 Colt case is 34 grs. and that was with a drop tube and heavy compression under a 255 gr. bullet. The 11.75 takes 36 grs. easily with light compression and a wad under a 300 gr. bullet. I think it would probably take 40 grs. easily. The Austrian Gasser revolver came out and was issued in 1870 before the 44/40 and .45 Colt. Quite a banger I think.

[Nuclearcricket]

Nice write up on how you did your cases. That is a lot of work to go through. I can make some suggestions that may speed things up for you a little and at first they may not make much sense. Going out on a limb I am going to take a guess that you do have a tail stock with a drill chuck as well as a center for your lathe. In the past I have set my lathe up to thin rims from the underside. First I turned a steped plug to fit the case mouth and center drilled it. Then I took a piece of aluminum, chuck it up and drill a hole, maybe 3/16 or so through it. The put a counter bore in it that is just large enough for the rim diameter to set in. This way you hold your case against the aluminum by pressure from the tail stock, this will allow you to cut the rims all to the same thickness and you can also turn the case diameter at the same time. After that is done you can chuck up the case and turn the OD of the case rim and debur it.
It may not make a lot of sense but friction will work to do a lot of things, its just not something that is taught. Its just a little trick I picked up along the way. One place I worked at just used friction to hold Fly Wheels to turn them. and these were the big ones from large disel over the road tractors.
Sam

[The Goose]

Sam, wow thank you for that advice. I am definitely just learning, but I get what you are saying. I appreciate it!

[Nuclearcricket]

Goose, your welcome. The way your doing things isn't bad for just a few cases, it works. But to do a quantity a better/faster/different set up would save you some time. I think I may have failed to mention that having a carriage stop would be a necessity. That would insure consistency on the rim thickness. Lots of things to learn with a lathe. They do make an nice addition to a home shop. The one I have is one of the 7x14 models, I got mine from Micro Mark in New Jersey. I have made a few changes to it over the years but for the most part it standard. I did regrind the underside of the saddle as it wasn't flat, and I put tapered bearings in the headstock. I think that for what I have invested in it its a great little lathe and the new ones would be even better.
Sam