PURPOSE: To obtain a metallic carrier by forming a core material made of a honeycomb body having an elliptical cross section with pressing dies and forming a rolled honeycomb body with the core material as a winding core.

CONSTITUTION: A flat sheet 11a and a corrugated sheet 11b are superposed and wound around an elliptically formed core material 12 in a rolled state to form a honeycomb body 11 and the objective elliptical metallic carrier 10 is obtd. The core material 12 is a honeycomb body formed by alternately superposing flat sheets 12a and corrugated sheets 12b each having a flat part 12c and elliptically compressing them with pressing dies P. Since the core material of the metallic carrier 10 is made of the honeycomb body, the area of gas passages in the carrier is not reduced and the weight of the carrier is not increased. Since the core material is formed with the pressing dies, production is easily carried out.