Bulletless fire-forming new brass

[TonyH]

This topic has come up previously but I'd be glad if someone could offer any recipes (powder, charges, wadding etc) they have for fireforming .223-sized cases in bulk. I have 100 new 20Tac cases I want to form quickly and economically; so which pistol or shotgun powder, charge, type of wadding...?

Thanks, Tony

[1967spud]

Tony every thing expalined here.

 

part 1

 

 

part 2

 

[Elwood]

You will need a fast pistol powder, I use Unique, but I'm forming a much bigger case than you are and although Unique will do what you require you might need to use something faster.

 

There's only one way to find the right powder charge and that's to start low and work up. Fill your case up to the case mouth with your chosen powder and then weigh it, and then double check it again. Use 10% of that weight as a starting load and work up in half grain increments, whatever you do pay extra attention as a double charge of pistol powder is very easy to do but it's not going to be good!

 

I use semolina as a filler, fill the case up to the shoulder/neck junction and then roll a piece of tissue into a ball and gently push it into the neck.

 

 

 

http://ukvarminting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10600

 

http://www.angelfire.com/sd/6mmackley/fireforming.html

[terryh]

Elwood

 

Your method echos mine but I stab the neck into a bar of soap rather than use the bit of tissue.

 

Also do it outside after the very early learnings of 'it'll be alright in the cellar' - not

 

Terry

[Elwood]

Elwood

 

Your method echos mine but I stab the neck into a bar of soap rather than use the bit of tissue.

 

Also do it outside after the very early learnings of 'it'll be alright in the cellar' - not

 

Terry

 

I did mine outside the back door into the lawn, but the neighbours complained, can't think why!

[garyw]

This topic has come up previously but I'd be glad if someone could offer any recipes (powder, charges, wadding etc) they have for fireforming .223-sized cases in bulk. I have 100 new 20Tac cases I want to form quickly and economically; so which pistol or shotgun powder, charge, type of wadding...?

Thanks, Tony

load and shoot-dont waste any powder get some stuff shot-the accuracy will be there from the start when i had my 20tac i shot it from day one with virgin brass the acuuracy only got better.dont waste time get out and shoot!

[TonyH]

Thanks gentlemen, good info / advice delivered promptly. Gary W's advice has much to commend it and I might follow that path - only thing is that new unfired brass shoots to a different point of impact. But I might just load up the new brass and work my way through it, 'til it matches my exisiting brass. I need a goodly amount to take on a trip this summer.

Otherwise I'll get some pistol powder and follow the good recipes offered here.

Thanks again, Tony

[c18rch]

Do any of your bulletless methods fully form the case?

 

In my experience none of them fully form the case (rounded shoulders etc) so you first 'full' load is still a fireforming load and doesn'y match the performance of the second full load firing.

 

I know it uses up barrel life but I now have a firefoming load that is very accurate and can use for practice/vermin shooting, the only difference being the velocity is redced from what would be expected. But with bulletless fireforming I have found the first load to be a little down on velocity too.

 

Saying that I have shot my firefoming loads at 1000yds with some succes.

 

Rich

[Elwood]

Do any of your bulletless methods fully form the case?

 

In my experience none of them fully form the case (rounded shoulders etc) so you first 'full' load is still a fireforming load and doesn'y match the performance of the second full load firing.

 

I know it uses up barrel life but I now have a firefoming load that is very accurate and can use for practice/vermin shooting, the only difference being the velocity is redced from what would be expected. But with bulletless fireforming I have found the first load to be a little down on velocity too.

 

Saying that I have shot my firefoming loads at 1000yds with some succes.

 

Rich

 

Mine formed perfectly.

 

I have had a major headache with case stretch on the second lot I formed in the same barrel (wasted 100 RWS 7x57cases) and have had to form my surplus Win brass with bullets jammed in the lands.

[c18rch]

Did you do both lots at the same time? Seems strange that one lot would cause problems and not the other.

[Elwood]

Did you do both lots at the same time? Seems strange that one lot would cause problems and not the other.

 

Rich, they were done about a year apart! Same barrel, same technique.

 

I think I know the reason why it happened to the RWS which was down to a c ock up on my behalf, but I can't understand why it has done it to the Win brass, unless of course the shoulder angle had changed on the Win brass causing a headspace issue.

 

I guess I ought to post a few photos of the cases with stretch, it could be quite informative.

 

Interesting post on it here, why didn't I think of the false shoulder!

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3786511.0

[matchking]

I have done 6ppc cases. Just fill to the neck with bullseye and plug the end with toilet paper. Perfect cases everytime.

ATB SEAN