Fireforming cases

[Hillbilly 12]

What is the proper way to fireform cases without sending bullets down the barrel for a 308. Thanks

[CNP]

I've never heard of this. I guess its doable but why go to all the trouble of inserting a primer, adding a powder charge and packing the case up with something other than a bullet? All of mine are fire formed from prior use, firing a bullet, and neck sized only for subsequent loads. Certainly interested on why this is a thing...

[fatboyz]

Usually fire forming is only done to make a new cartridge from a parent case. Most often it's a wildcat. To make my 338 Edge improved I neck up 300 RUM to 338 then fire form the case with red dot powder and cream of wheat cereal to blow the shoulder out. I also do the same with 308 win brass necked down to 6.5 then blow the shoulder out to make 260AI.

[Hillbilly 12]

I'm just wanting to get my cases same as my chamber, I guess the only reason I wanted to know of this way was to save a few less shots on the rifling.

[fps plus]

Checked out reduced loads for whatever cartridge you are talking about . Look up trail boss powder .

[Dick284]

Neck size
Anneal case necks
Prime
Put around 10gr. Of Red Dot, or 700x, or WW231 in the case
Fill with Cream of Wheat
Stuff tissue in the case mouth.
Load and go bang(it is loud)

[260 Rem]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Neck size
Anneal case necks
Prime
Put around 10gr. Of Red Dot, or 700x, or WW231 in the case
Fill with Cream of Wheat
Stuff tissue in the case mouth.
Load and go bang(it is loud)

And smells like burned cereal

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

And smells like burned cereal

You can always spend the afternoon, pass shooting horse flies, on a lazy summer afternoon.

[qwert]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Neck size
Anneal case necks
Prime
Put around 10gr. Of Red Dot, or 700x, or WW231 in the case
Fill with Cream of Wheat
Stuff tissue in the case mouth.
Load and go bang(it is loud)

Why size the neck?
(provided the rifle bolt will close on the new or previously fired case to be fire-formed).

Some suggest first expanding the neck, then partial resizing only enough to form a 'false shoulder', that will keep the case head back against the bolt face.

Since cases often shorten when fire-formed, I suggest waiting until after fire-forming to trim case mouth square and to length.

Good Luck, YMMV.

[260 Rem]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly 12

I'm just wanting to get my cases same as my chamber, I guess the only reason I wanted to know of this way was to save a few less shots on the rifling.

If you are FL resizing they are going back to the same dimensions as the die. If you are involved in competition you may save a bit of throat erosion. Depending on how hot you run your loads and how hot you let the throat get ... your 308 will likely give you good service for 3/5K rounds. As a hypothetical, you might ask yourself “Is it important to me if my accuracy drops off at 3500 rounds as opposed to 3700?”

[wolf308]

Candle wax and or a bar of soap work good too for sealing up the necks. I prefer candle wax. Don't take long to drip drop necks full

Also I remove the extractor on my bolt face prior to loading it in

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly 12

What is the proper way to fireform cases without sending bullets down the barrel for a 308. Thanks

I just load and shoot normal loads even in my match rifles .
When the barrel won't group anymore I re-barrel
You can send a lot of rounds down a 308 barrel and not notice much of a difference if you shout under normal conditions past 300 meters
Cat

[qwert]

Originally Posted by CNP

I've never heard of this. I guess its doable but why go to all the trouble of inserting a primer, adding a powder charge and packing the case up with something other than a bullet? All of mine are fire formed from prior use, firing a bullet, and neck sized only for subsequent loads. Certainly interested on why this is a thing...

When I need to pay ~$4/case for new Lapua 338LM brass,
I want to get the longest case life and most firings possible.

I also want to limit 'working' (work-hardening) the brass by resizing with a Lee Collet neck, or Redding neck bushing die, and only minimum required shoulder bump.

Fire-forming to an individual chamber while holding the case base back against the bolt face can substantially reduce or eliminate the stretching of the case wall in front of the case head.
This thinning of the case wall will often progress into an incipient or complete case head separation unless the case shoulder bump is correct for minimum head-space.

IMHE, the easiest way to achieve this is to load and crimp a heavy lead boolit jammed hard into the lands, or to form a false shoulder in the case neck, (which can then be fire-formed using COW (or corn meal).

Bill Leeper often suggests that a forming a false shoulder for fire-forming can be avoided by lubing the outside of the case and neck to prevent it gripping the chamber and stretching the case wall as it is driven back against the bolt face during firing.

Most factory loaded cartridges are sized very small to ensure chambering in any tight SAAMI chamber. These cartridges will have excess head-space which will result in thinning of the case wall in front of the head when fired.

Good Luck, YMMV.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by qwert

Why size the neck?
(provided the rifle bolt will close on the new or previously fired case to be fire-formed).

Some suggest first expanding the neck, then partial resizing only enough to form a 'false shoulder', that will keep the case head back against the bolt face.

Since cases often shorten when fire-formed, I suggest waiting until after fire-forming to trim case mouth square and to length.

Good Luck, YMMV.

Cuz I don't know if it's range pick up brass, or once fired. The OP never said in his questions. Maybe ya gotta knock out some primers first.

But then again maybe you don't get the mileage the rest of us do.

[qwert]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Cuz I don't know if it's range pick up brass, or once fired. The OP never said in his questions. Maybe ya gotta knock out some primers first.

But then again maybe you don't get the mileage the rest of us do.

I have fire-formed lots of range brass, never needed to resize the neck,
but often needed to bump the shoulder back just enough to close the bolt with slight drag.

Good Luck, YMMV. (all of us, and our rifles, are unique individuals)

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by qwert

I have fire-formed lots of range brass, never needed to resize the neck,
but often needed to bump the shoulder back just enough to close the bolt with slight drag.

Good Luck, YMMV. (all of us, and our rifles, are unique individuals)

You think the OP has a bump die, you must be psychic or something.

K I S S,

[qwert]

Originally Posted by Dick284

You think the OP has a bump die, you must be psychic or something.

K I S S,

I suspect you are well aware that,

A bump (or body only) die is not required to perform 'partial sizing' or shoulder bump,
which can be done with most common 'hunter class' FL resizing dies.

I prefer to use a body only die, (with proper over high shell holder,) when I have them.

Good Luck, YMMV.

[260 Rem]

In 308 Win, I have both FL & NK size dies with neck bushings that I use to reload several decent shooting rigs. From an accuracy perspective, I do not notice any difference when comparing the different die types, however I do get more reloads from brass that is primarily NK sized. After my first firing, I take care to “uniform” the brass by ... removing any burrs from the inside of the primer hole / trim to length / chamfer / and uniform primer pocket depth. I have weight sorted at that point, but now prefer to just shoot groups and pull any pieces that produce fliers for a second look. I have found with 150 - 168 gr bullets, either Varget or IMR 4166 are good choices.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by qwert

I suspect you are well aware that,

A bump (or body only) die is not required to perform 'partial sizing' or shoulder bump,
which can be done with most common 'hunter class' FL resizing dies.

I prefer to use a body only die, (with proper over high shell holder,) when I have them.

Good Luck, YMMV.

You know, what I meant.

You just enjoy find a better way to pick fly feces outta black pepper.

[Nyksta]

What type of shooting are you doing and what kind of rifle?

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by wolf308

Candle wax and or a bar of soap work good too for sealing up the necks. I prefer candle wax. Don't take long to drip drop necks full

Also I remove the extractor on my bolt face prior to loading it in

I too use the "cow" method wolf308. I've used a bar of soap to plug the neck, but your candle wax method has me interested. I use Trailboss because I don't have to use a filler material. Thanks for the tip

[Hillbilly 12]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

I too use the "cow" method wolf308. I've used a bar of soap to plug the neck, but your candle wax method has me interested. I use Trailboss because I don't have to use a filler material. Thanks for the tip

Ok what's the recipe for the use of trail boss

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly 12

Ok what's the recipe for the use of trail boss

If you follow the directions on the IMR loading data. About 10 grains is s starting load but it all depends on where the bullet is seated .
However as I stated earlier unless it is a wildcat that needs to be formed from something else I just shoot the cases in match rifles and hunting rifles loaded with the appropriate components .
Cat

[Hillbilly 12]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

If you follow the directions on the IMR loading data. About 10 grains is s starting load but it all depends on where the bullet is seated .
However as I stated earlier unless it is a wildcat that needs to be formed from something else I just shoot the cases in match rifles and hunting rifles loaded with the appropriate components .
Cat

Oops I was more meaning with cow method, no bullet

[RZR]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Neck size
Anneal case necks
Prime
Put around 10gr. Of Red Dot, or 700x, or WW231 in the case
Fill with Cream of Wheat
Stuff tissue in the case mouth.
Load and go bang(it is loud)

2x..

[1100winger]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Neck size
Anneal case necks
Prime
Put around 10gr. Of Red Dot, or 700x, or WW231 in the case
Fill with Cream of Wheat
Stuff tissue in the case mouth.
Load and go bang(it is loud)

I use a plug of wax rather than the tissue. Follow above instructions then plunge case mouth into a large candle. Slightly higher forming pressure.