FIREFORMING - The Fred Zeglin method

[Deleted member 115654]

Lots of ways to fireform but most involve extra equipment or barrel wear.

Fred's method does neither and is cheap and easy. All you need is the rifle the cases are for, primed cases, a can of Bullseye, some inert filler (I use cornmeal), some dacron pillow stuffing, a loading funnel and a Lee dipper set.

I was making 300 Weatherby cases from 300 H&H cases for a Ruger No. 1 I bought here.

Primed the new cases with magnum primers, dropped in 15 gr Bulleye (10 is enuf for smaller case), dropped in enuf cornmeal to fill 1/4 way up neck and stuffed in a dacron wad to hold everything in.

Then go outside, put on your muffs (they are loud) and form your cases.

Now they are ready for standard case prep and reloading.

 

[TRexF16]

Perhaps Fred invented this method or maybe he didn't, I don't know, but it's been around a long, long, time. Do you have a reference for its origin?

I've been forming my 35 Whelen AI cases this way for about 30 years and it was a well established method when I learned it. Though many fillers will work, Cream of Wheat (AKA "COW") has been popular for a long time. If one does a search for "Cream of Wheat fire forming" or similar words, even "COW", all sorts of references appear.
With the way things are going, I recently bought a couple of pounds of IMR Target, to replace my aging can of Bullseye (with which I've been fireforming for 30 years from the same can! But my can is nowhere near as old as your can in your photo!). Maybe I'll actually load some pistol rounds with it but the main thing I've used my Bullseye for over the years is "COW" fireforming.

Regardless of its origin, your posting this is a service to the community.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Rex

 

[ButterBean]

I use COW and bar soap for the cap

 

[LoneTraveler]

That Bullseye can is a antique, It dates back before the short fat square cans, Hercules packaged Bullseye in 60 years ago.

 

[P7M13]

Some use toilet tissue, I've used Dacron - think I'll try a bar of soap like @ButterBean - anything to keep the corn meal from getting around the shoulder.
Typically takes two firings get the case to form completely in the chamber.
One caution here: Without the bullet or something to keep the cartridge case back against the bolt face, when the firing pin strikes, if the cartridge is not held against the bolt face, the pin will push the case forward, and some of the stretch will happen at the case head, possibly leading to premature case head separation.

Lately with the cost of primers, powder and bullets, let alone wear and tear on the barrel, seems a hydraulic case former (I believe Whidden makes one?) is a cost effective solution.

 

[GLTaylor]

I use grits and tissue or soap.
If you remove your ejector (rem 700), the extractor will hold the case head against the bolt face.
My can of bullseye isn't as old or neat as yours!

 

[Deleted member 115654]

Thanks for your comments.
I was FF a belted case, so no headspace issues.
If you are concerned, use the false shoulder method to avoid case stretch.
However I would note that factory ammo or new primed cases loaded with bullets will stretch as much or more unless the bullet is rammed into the lands.
Fred probably did not invent it but he has a long explanation in Gun Digest that's available here: https://gundigest.com/gear-ammo/reloading/the-ins-and-outs-of-fireforming-cases

 

[Trnelson]

Canning wax also works well to compress and seal the case. Just push it into the case until the wax block bottoms out on the neck.

 

[Deleted member 115654]

The trouble with wax or soap is it fouls the bore.

 

[TRexF16]

A little wad of toilet paper has been all I ever needed. I take a traditional wooden pencil with a new eraser and just use that eraser to tamp down the tissue wad. I reckon you'd need something else for smaller calibers but that works great in the 35 WAI. If you're going to keep everything vertical you can get away with no wad at all, and just pour in the COW just before chambering and firing.

 

[David Emerson]

i use a candle and drip wax on top of the meal

 

[Send it 284]

Haha thanks for reminding me what a PITA fire forming is
I was thinking about going with a sherman mag but after the last one I swore to myself I'd never do it again

 

[Deleted member 115654]

It took me 30 minutes to do a box of cases using Fred's method. Hardly a PIA.

 

[GLTaylor]

No PIA. I usually do 100 at a time. Got several AI calibers