best brass fire forming method?

[drpbroun5]

What have you guys found to be the best way to fire form brass? Is there any difference in the technique that you would use in fire forming in a barrel that is new vs. one already broken in? I would appreciate any recommendations on powder, wads (bullets), etc.. I have several large case rifles in which I need to form brass. Thanks for your input.
Paul

 

[royinidaho]

Unique powder under cornmeal plugged w/tissue paper.

Remove brake and don't let the barrel get too hot.

Also, its loud....

How much unique? For Ultra Mag size cases as much as 20 grains but you are on your own with this.

If using this method be cautious of the charred cornmeal ring around the case mouth. Eject easily w/o neck or mouth touching side of action so that the brown ring doesn't remain in the chamber for the next shot.

 

[J E Custom]

Find cheep and lightweight bullets, look in any
reloading manual for the lightest load listed
and proceed.

Dont go any lighter to avoid squibb loads that can be dangerous.

NOTE: clean every 10 to 15 rounds and try to have fun.
(Boring)

J E CUSTOM

 

[Iron Worker]

I have 22-250AI I shoot a Max charge for standard 22-250. For example 40grs of H-380 behind 52 gr A-max. Its very accurate much faster than a 223 . Blows that case up, like a balloon

 

[abinok]

I too am a fan of the COW- cornmeal fireforming method. Ido mine with a false shoulder formed in the neck, cream of wheat, and some Hodgen Titewad... no papertowel needed. I just point it to the sky and let her rip. Ive never lost a single case with this method... and thats with about 800 or so cases formed. I usually ultrasonic the cases after they're formed to be sure theres no COW in the case. The ring that forms at the mouth of the case is a result of the differance in the chamber and case length. make sure it dosen't drop out and get on the bolt face... as you will then form the next case with a bump under its rear!
Great method!

 

[srhaggerty]

Maybe this is a duh question. But why remove the brake?

 

[Buffalobob]

Obviuosly it is a "duh" question, but each of us has to be told individually so we don't make a mistake and get hurt. The amount of shotgun/pistol powder you put in the case is a full load for a shotgun and very powerful. All of that corn meal has the weight of a decent sized bullet. Toilet paper wadded up does not disintegrate inside the barrel but flies out of the barrel in a compressed wad. If it should hang on some of the ports and cause a constriction then you have 20+ grains of Unique pushing about a 150 grains bullet made out of cornmeal. SOMETHING HAS GOTTA GIVE.

You might can get by without taking off the brake but then why risk a $5,000.00 custom rifle on "might".

When I fireformed cases up on Wildcat Creek I was ashamed of myself because there was little balls of toilet paper littering the place and making it look trashy. Also there was cornmeal sprayed all over the place.

 

[srhaggerty]

So that would imply if you did it like abinok with no wad the brake could be left on.

 

[James Jones]

Does the COW method make for a 100% formed case ? or does it need another full throtal load to get it done?

I generaly use the lighest bullet that I can make touch the lands , choose the fastest powder for that weight and a mid range charge , I seat the bullet hard into the lands and let it rip. I have only fire formend Ackley chamberes and some 280 Ackley brass from 30-06 cases , I generaly only loose one or two per 100 on the 280Ai

 

[abinok]

I can't tell the differance. Velocity wise, or accuracy wise, with the same loads in cow formed cases compared to conventionally fireformed cases.

 

[Buffalobob]

The 7AM cartridge cases that I used to kill the 6X6 elk at 968 yards were cornmeal formed cases that was on their first loading with real bullets. I relied on what SS7MM, James Staggs, Bill Bailey and Lerch had said as well as Kirby. They all said that accuracy and power would be just fine to go straight from the cornmeal to shooting animals. Most of them had killed animals at some considerable distances with the cases that way, so they were speaking from first hand experience, and so I believed them. That is why the forum is a great place. I am loaded maybe 3 grains of H US869 below maximum but given the temperature swings I was seeing in Idaho, I was happy with the load I was shooting.

As far as other calibers and other cases I do not know anything about that. All I know is that I did what I was told to do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Black Diamond 408]

The forming will usually not fully form a case as the pressures are not of a full loaded round. BUT, in some cases if i am in a hurry to check a chamber i will just load the rounds and fire them to form the case. The target groups were just the same as the cornmeal method. The only problem with forming with full loads is your over stressing the brass on large form jobs, ie. the 338-408 type neck downs. Small cases react differently. Lighter brass vs the heavy duty stuff. I formed 25 338-408 with full loads, i did split two cases, thats 4.00 gone, so its better to use the cornmeal method on the larger cases. H&H cases formed up to wildcats should also be cornmealed.

Dave

 

[älg]

Dave, are you referring only to wildcats or even fireforming a standard case just to make it adjust to the particular rifle without using full loads??

 

[Black Diamond 408]

alg,

I only fire form brass that are being stretched to fit a larger wildcat chamber. Small modifications i just load normal and shoot. A person could form the cases in a regular chamber to get a "fit" but i dont see any benifit.
Everytime you send a bullet down the tube the life of the barrel has been shortened, this is why Cornmeal or Cream of wheat is best, just remember to keep it all clean while forming.

Dave