# Rifle Shell Pen Question



## reddwil (Feb 28, 2008)

I have been making pens for years but have never made one using shell cartridges. A friend asked me to make him one using a shell and antler. What casing works best with the slimline and european set up? I compared the slimline to a 270 wsm, the brass was pretty close but a little loose. What have some of you used?
Thanks


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## rherrell (Feb 28, 2008)

I drill out the bullet. I like the look much better.


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## alamocdc (Feb 28, 2008)

Any .30 cal will work, but it depends on what you want. The .308 is just about the same length as the lower barrel and a .30-06 is a bit long.


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## Rifleman1776 (Feb 28, 2008)

I'll echo Billy. I have made Euros from cartridges. To my eye, the .308 gives a more pleasing balance. The 30/06 is a bit too long to give a proportional appearance. Sad, for me, the aught-6 is my favorite modern hunting caliber.


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## Sylvanite (Feb 28, 2008)

Any 270 or 7mm caliber case will be a pretty close match to the slimline/euro tube diameter.  Unfortunately, the case mouth diameter will come out shy of the kit nib.

Most 30 caliber cases will be a pretty close match to the nib, but you will need something to fill the gap between the tube and the case mouth.  308 Winchester and 30-06 Springfield are both good choices.  308 is probably more popular for slimline kits, and 30-06 for euro kits.

If you choose to use a real bullet instead of a kit nib, that opens up more caliber choices, but my personal preference is 30-06.  There are some excellent tutorials in the library, and I have some short instructions on my website (link in my signature).

Regards,
Eric


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## loglugger (Feb 28, 2008)

The eaiest way is to buy them already tubed lead drilled and the transmission already installed from EddieO.
Bob


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## ken69912001 (Feb 28, 2008)

Get yourself a 308 casing and glue a short section of 8mm tube to one end of a 7mm tube. But make the 7mm tube extend all the way through the casing by drilling the primer end with a 7mm bit.


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## fernhills (Feb 28, 2008)

> _Originally posted by ken69912001_
> 
> Get yourself a 308 casing and glue a short section of 8mm tube to one end of a 7mm tube. But make the 7mm tube extend all the way through the casing by drilling the primer end with a 7mm bit.


          Hi that is what i do works out very well,only difference is i use the 30-06 shell.  I buy them new from Cabelas for $33.00/per 100 count.. Carl


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## jskeen (Feb 28, 2008)

I use a 30-06 with the euro tubes, and a slimline nib, with either the euro or the slimline cap.  An unfired 30-06 is .3337 in outer diameter at the neck, a fired one is .3390.  A standard slimline nib is .3000 and a euro .3572    , which is a noticeable step from the cartridge neck.  the Slimline nib is a nice smooth fit with no noticeable shoulder.   I drill the casing held in my scroll chuck from the inside, so that the (almost always) offcenter firing pin dent in the primer don't throw the hole off.  If you plan to use the euro cap with the center band, you will need to turn the bottom rim of the case from .4650 to .4000 to fit inside the center band.  Buff the brass and remove all scratches at this point, cause you don't wanna do it later with the nib installed.  Then press the nib onto the bare euro lower tube and fill the top end with play dough, base wax or whatever and insert it into the casing.  I use the syringes of 5 min epoxy with the little premixer tubes to inject a good shot of epoxy through the hole in the base, into the casing around the tube, then stand it up in a clamp and center the nib on the shell neck.  Thick CA will work too, but it's more expensive and harder to clean off.   The top end of the tube will enter the drilled hole in the base of the shell just enough to center it.  After it dries clean it up, blow out the play dough with compressed air, press in the transmission, and add your cap assy of choice.  

Admittedly, these don't have the "gee whiz" factor of the ones with the drilled bullets, but they are much faster to crank out and if fitted and polished nicely look quite professional.  I prefer to just renwax mine and allow them to acquire a natural patina, but they could  be clear powder coated just before assembly easily enough.


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## LabTrnr (Feb 28, 2008)

Here's another option, I cut a 5" x 1/2" strip of aluminum duct tape (not the standard cloth duct tape) and wrap it around the end of the pen tube. This will take up the slack between the end of the cartridge and the tube with room to glue it in. I buy longer lengths of tube for 30-06 cartridges but standard length tubes work for 308 caliber. The primer end is drilled with a 7mm bit.
I also think the center band should be left out, seems to clash with the cartridge. I use the second smallest cigar pen bushing to turn an antler upper that matches up nicely with the cartridge.


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## reddwil (Feb 29, 2008)

Lab. The picture you show is the way I want to make them. Looks good. Thanks for all the info guys


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## ELCAMINO63 (Oct 9, 2008)

with the 270 you have to flange the end for the nib or it sticks out and is uncomfortable to use 30 cal is much better


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## ELCAMINO63 (Oct 9, 2008)

here is a goody you might like to try use an 8 mm tube in the end to steady the nib instead of tape take  an 8mm tube cut a small bit with a tubing cutter on each end press into the 30 cal shell and the 7mm tube fits nice and snug and doesnt sway with a heavy hand


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## TellicoTurning (Oct 10, 2008)

Rifleman1776 said:


> I'll echo Billy. I have made Euros from cartridges. To my eye, the .308 gives a more pleasing balance. The 30/06 is a bit too long to give a proportional appearance. Sad, for me, the aught-6 is my favorite modern hunting caliber.



Frank,
I haven't tried the Euro on a cartridge... I usually use the slimline kit on my 30-06... I've only done one .308 that I can remember.  Since I don't shoot or hunt, I had to buy casings, and bought a bag of 30-06 casings from Gander Mountain... they don't have the caps in place and it makes drilling the ends pretty simple since the hole for the cap is already centered.

Question is, does the nib on the Euro fit the tapered end of the cartridge as well as the SL?  I don't drill out the bullets, since I don't have any way to press it into the cartridge as a nib and drilling lead is a pain anyway.
I would think that the larger Euro cap end would make a better and easier fit than the SL.. I fit the caps to the cartridge using my calipers.


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## thevillageworkshop (Apr 7, 2009)

This pen seems to be very popular and so I have added a kit that makes things easy.  If you want see it go to my web site www.thevillageworkshop.net  I have brass and nickel 308 kits that have the brass tube already installed.


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