Brass “break in” …

[Mikecr]

Well if you actually need 200 stable cases, then you need to give up 600rds of barrel life to get it.
There is nothing wrong with it, and no way around it.
But if I were you, and I do this myself, I'd get barrels finished in pairs (with my reamer).

Otherwise, if you try to hone in on a best load while brass is still changing, it will be tail chasing.
But you could find a 'good enough' load beginning of each fire forming, and functionally use the rest in lot for that cycle.
I guess that helps folks feel better about it. Nothing wrong with it.

I could never stand with good enough, or even excellent -while fleeting.
And it happens that 50 cases are plenty for me. I can make them last for a bunch of barrels.

 

[BoomFlop]

I'd love for 50 pc of brass to make it through multiple barrels. Not sure that 40 reloads on 50 pc of brass with 2000 rounds of barrel life is something to bank on though.

 

[Beluebow]

Well if you actually need 200 stable cases, then you need to give up 600rds of barrel life to get it.
There is nothing wrong with it, and no way around it.
But if I were you, and I do this myself, I'd get barrels finished in pairs (with my reamer).

Otherwise, if you try to hone in on a best load while brass is still changing, it will be tail chasing.
But you could find a 'good enough' load beginning of each fire forming, and functionally use the rest in lot for that cycle.
I guess that helps folks feel better about it. Nothing wrong with it.

I could never stand with good enough, or even excellent -while fleeting.
And it happens that 50 cases are plenty for me. I can make them last for a bunch of barrels.

I typically keep five barrels in a rotation for my Fclass rifles.....velocity migration is a bigger determent in fclass than very slight brass movement.

Velocity migration in a typical hunting rifle probably isn't as prevalent (still there) since longer shot strings are mostly limited to load dev.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I typically keep five barrels in a rotation for my Fclass rifles.....velocity migration is a bigger determent in fclass than very slight brass movement.

Velocity migration in a typical hunting rifle probably isn't as prevalent (still there) since longer shot strings are mostly limited to load dev.

I'm cheap, I only run 3 barrels.
You are correct about the velocity migration. I use intense cartridges for F-class, 300WM & 264WM……I know I am a stick in the mud and set in my ways, BUT I am learning as I do have a 6.5x47 as well, but only 1 barrel for it as it isn't a throat burner.
As to how many pieces of brass you use for a batch, is up to you, your chamber and your die. If there is a mismatch with ANY ONE OF THEM, your brass life may not be as good as it can be.

Cheers.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Would probably be hard to quantify of even justify the cost of the bullets to do it. But if he's a competitive f-class shooter or something it might make sense as he probably doesn't want to shoot any brass in a competition that is not fully formed to his chamber. That would seem more important than a hardened case head, to me anyways.

During fire forming with a 300WM barrel, I shot the best ever group at 300 yards with new brass. The load was the typical load I use in F-class, which I normally wouldn't have used for fire forming, but that's what I ended up with cause I was loading those anyway and realised I needed more fire formed brass to start another batch.
Anyway, that group was .135MoA in a 10 shot string. The overlay of all 50 pieces/shots was tighter than my normal agg from a F-class match by around 1/3.
I found this amazing, as the velocity had to be less by 50fps or more.
As I said previously, this extreme of accuracy may have been a fluke, but doing all this fire forming and such isn't necessarily going to make a difference to a hunting rifle if the shelf.
It's up to you what you consider to be 'enough' in the race for good ammo.
I work up a load in fire formed brass, then load up 100 rounds of new brass and hunt with it to get fired brass, as those rifles are just for hunting, not target shooting doing 100-200 rounds a weekend.

Cheers.

 

[Mikecr]

I'd love for 50 pc of brass to make it through multiple barrels. Not sure that 40 reloads on 50 pc of brass with 2000 rounds of barrel life is something to bank on though.

You don't hope for it, you plan for it.

 

[BoomFlop]

So how do I plan to get 40+ reloads out of my ADG brass?

 

[gohring3006]

Well if you actually need 200 stable cases, then you need to give up 600rds of barrel life to get it.
There is nothing wrong with it, and no way around it.

I couldn't agree more.
I don't get serious till the third firing.

 

[Reelamin]

Simple for me. I'm not a pro shooter. Don't want to spend that kind of money. Don't want to wear on my barrels if I need more brass I'll buy it. I'm not a pro shooter etc etc etc.

 

[Gobbler256]

During fire forming with a 300WM barrel, I shot the best ever group at 300 yards with new brass. The load was the typical load I use in F-class, which I normally wouldn't have used for fire forming, but that's what I ended up with cause I was loading those anyway and realised I needed more fire formed brass to start another batch.
Anyway, that group was .135MoA in a 10 shot string. The overlay of all 50 pieces/shots was tighter than my normal agg from a F-class match by around 1/3.
I found this amazing, as the velocity had to be less by 50fps or more.
As I said previously, this extreme of accuracy may have been a fluke, but doing all this fire forming and such isn't necessarily going to make a difference to a hunting rifle if the shelf.
It's up to you what you consider to be 'enough' in the race for good ammo.
I work up a load in fire formed brass, then load up 100 rounds of new brass and hunt with it to get fired brass, as those rifles are just for hunting, not target shooting doing 100-200 rounds a weekend.

Cheers.

Magnum- Would you share your load data?

 

[Gobbler256]

Would you share your load data?

 

[jarnold37]

During fire forming with a 300WM barrel, I shot the best ever group at 300 yards with new brass. The load was the typical load I use in F-class, which I normally wouldn't have used for fire forming, but that's what I ended up with cause I was loading those anyway and realised I needed more fire formed brass to start another batch.
Anyway, that group was .135MoA in a 10 shot string. The overlay of all 50 pieces/shots was tighter than my normal agg from a F-class match by around 1/3.
I found this amazing, as the velocity had to be less by 50fps or more.
As I said previously, this extreme of accuracy may have been a fluke, but doing all this fire forming and such isn't necessarily going to make a difference to a hunting rifle if the shelf.
It's up to you what you consider to be 'enough' in the race for good ammo.
I work up a load in fire formed brass, then load up 100 rounds of new brass and hunt with it to get fired brass, as those rifles are just for hunting, not target shooting doing 100-200 rounds a weekend.

Cheers.

I am slow to realize the actual problem when an accurate rifle slowly becomes not so accurate. Even with custom action, heavy hand lapped barrel, scope considered to be one of the best, benchrest well bedded stock and two ounce trigger, would be frustrated that accuracy had worsened. In desperation I would start changing things. Even pulling barrel and recrowning and re-chambering, usually to no avail. I had an incorrect feeling about brass in that good accuracy only came after brass had been shot and formed. And then the Reality sunk in. Even though I used bushing dies, occasionalyI would use a full length die with a button. When pulling button up through neck, I noticed a loud screech and had to use excess pressure on the ram. I too then realized that my best accuracy came with new brass. When using Lapua brass, it seemed problem wasn't as bad. But with other well known cheaper brass, it was usually after one firing. And on an ackley chambering, 50% of casings split on first firing, and chamber had perfect headspacing. Bad brass. You get what you pay for. So, now I anneal regularly. I had been missing the importance of consistency of softness of brass. I developed a method of determing when necks were soft and consistent,and not to ruffle anyone feathers, unless necks are brought to a glowing orange and quenched, they are not elastic enough. I have never experienced over annealing and damaged brass. Just my experience. Brass is a very important part of the equation

 

[Mikecr]

Jarnold37, no offense intended, but you describe classic and hopeless tail chasing.

So how do I plan to get 40+ reloads out of my ADG brass?

I don't know anything about ADG brass. What is their alloy?
That I know of there is:
C24000 Low Brass (Norma, Remington, possibly blue box Lapua)
C26000 Cartridge Brass (Winchester)
C28000 Muntz Metal (brown box Lapua)

For long life, stay clear of C24000 for sure.
And there is a pretty big list of build choices from there.

 

[BoomFlop]

I do not know what alloy ADG is. I do know that it is top tier brass.

What are some examples of long range big game cartridges that can get 40+ reloads on brass?

Thanks.