# Shell Casings?



## nightowl (Mar 4, 2009)

A guy gave me a couple 300 Weatherby shell casings.  Has anyone ever used this caliber to make a pen?  It sure is big.  I couldn't find any kit that would work.


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## oldcaptainrusty (Mar 4, 2009)

Dave its a matter of fitting the mechanics of the kit you want to use to the size of the brass. If you check out the tutorial on the 50 cal pens, it has you putting a cross refill or a parker refill kit in the brass. You have to make bushings of some sort to get things to fit. It is not nearly as hard as it sounds. Give it a try.:good:


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## Art Fuldodger (Mar 5, 2009)

That's a nice gift... Weatherby brass sure ain't cheap.  High-dollar, high-class stuff.


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## pssherman (Mar 5, 2009)

Dave,
The 300 Weatherby (magnum?) uses a 30 caliber bullet (.308 in diameter) which is the same as the 308, 30-06 and the 30-30. The nib from a slimline will almost exactly match the outside diameter of the neck of your casing. The shell is 2.825 in long and will need a tube installed for the transmission. Here is one way that this can be accomplished:

1) Remove the spent primer using a suitable tool. A small diameter pin punch works well.

2) Drill out the primer pocket using a letter "I" drill (preferred) or 7 mm drill.

3) Clean and polish the casing. Apply powder coat or brass lacquer at this time, if desired.

4) Cut a piece of 7 mm tubing to a length of at least 2.9 in. You can trim the ends later after the tube is installed.

5) Cut a short length, 1/4 to 1/2 in long, of 8 mm PENCIL tubing if available. Slide this over one end of the 7 mm tube leaving the 7 mm tube sticking out about 1/8 in. Apply a drop on CA to firmly bond it in place.

Alternate 5) Wrap teflon tape, electical tape, masking tape or use shrink fit tubing over the end of the 7 mm tube. Leave about 1/8 in sticking out past the wrapped material. Test the fit inside the neck and adjust until you have a snug fit.

6) Insert the prepped tube into the casing from the neck and position it so that a small portion of it extends beyond the casing at both ends.

7) Apply 1 or more drops of thin or medium CA to the tube and let it wick into the joints at both ends of the casing. Repeat application if necessary.

8) After curing, remove any CA that made its way inside the tube and trim the tube so that it is flush with both ends of the casing.

9) Press the slimline nib into the neck end and press the transmission into the base end. Take care to not push the transmission in too far.

10) Make the upper portion like any other slimline except that the diameter of the center portion, adjacent to the base of the casing, should be about .532 in.

Alternately you could use a 30 caliber bullet instead of the slilmline nib. You can push the 7 mm tube in from the base and you should be able to center it on the tail of the bullet.

Hope this helps you get started.


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## Darley (Mar 5, 2009)

Paul, thanks for this little tutorial about shell casing pen, never done one but will do some soon.


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## nightowl (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks everyone.  I'm not scratching my head nearly as much now.


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## Sylvanite (Mar 5, 2009)

If you're willing to try using a 30-cal bullet as the nib, then I suspect a 300 Weatherby shellcase would work well with a cigar kit.  It is dimensionally similar to 300 Winchester Magnum (only 0.2 inches longer), which is one caliber I use for cigar cartridge pens.  If I were making it, I'd consider seating the bullet a bit deeper and/or omitting the plated accent ring on the upper barrel centerband.  Check out http://www.littlerivercrafts.com/Supplies2/300WinMagInstructions.pdf for some ideas.

I hope that helps,
Eric


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## juteck (Mar 25, 2009)

I made this pen this past weekend from some 300 Weatherby (mag.) brass & bullet given to me by a co-worker. The magnum casing is long. I used a 7mm pen kit and a spare 7mm brass tube from a magnifying glass kit. With the transmission pushed in place, there is approx. 1/2" extending beyond the brass to engage with the cap. It still twists fine, and does not feel like it's jamming.


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