How do YOU fire form?

[UncleDano]

I have a 25-06AI build in the works that I will hopefully have finished by deer season. I'm in the process of gathering up all the reloading components and I got to thinking....why would I waste the "good" primers and powder heck even cheap bullets ain't cheap anymore on fire forming?

My chamber will be set up properly where I can shoot factory 25-06 ammo out of it. But I hear that makes short cases that aint gonna grow much especially in an AI. And factory ammo ain't cheap or easy to find. Also this is going to be a 1:7.5tw so I don't know how well a 100gr sst or corelok would hold together to hunt with while fire forming. Also not planning on using Remington or hornady brass. I have 150pcs of lapua 30-06 so far.

I've used the c.o.w. method before but in a 223ai and that was when primer bricks were $35 and that is a much smaller case.

Barrel life is of concern. But I'd rather do something right the first time so if that means fire forming with a bullet then so be it.

Can I load a medium charge of superformance which a have a lot of and a cheapo bullet and a cheapo primer and start there? Would using a cheap primer for fire forming change my primer pockets?

This isn't a 25-06AI specific question. How do yall fire form your improved cases?

I find a factory loaded round in a bullet I want to use and just shoot it in my AI chamber. That simple. I shoots accurately, and fire forms perfectly. Don't know where you heard about it making "short" cases, but it is not true. Reloading the newly formed cases gives me a little more powder room for a little more velocity.

That's the beauty of the AI chamber - factory loads plus custom reloads shoot very accurately.

 

[Harry Knutz]

Some cases do become shorter when fireformed, My .30x54R Improved is one of them, However my 6.5x54R gets long after necking down, SO must be trimmed and also neck turned because the necks are too thick.

 

[UncleDano]

I forgot about the datum line being what touched in the chamber on a crush fit standard cartridge to AI conversion. For whatever reason I was thinking it was the neck shoulder junction.

So your step by step is

Virgin brass
Neck up
Neck turn?
Neck to correct size and form donut
Prime
Powder
Load bullet
Shoot

Do you aneal in the process?

It IS the neck shoulder junction. Also, forget about a false shoulder, that is only if you are starting with a larger dia. neck or shorter shoulder.

 

[UncleDano]

Necking down 30-06 to 25-06, Should be done in steps, Say run it through a 280 die first and so on, Necking down usually creates necks that are too thick and will need to be turned or reamed. Annealing should be done afterwards, Doing it before could cause collapsed shoulders.

I don't have any trouble running 30-06 down to 25-06 in one step. But yes, you might need to turn necks or ream if you use military brass, or other thicker brass.

 

[.30-06]

I don't have any trouble running 30-06 down to 25-06 in one step. But yes, you might need to turn necks or ream if you use military brass, or other thicker brass.

Inside neck reaming or neck turning is a must when sizing down. For these calibers, .30 to .25 range. That's a lot of drop.

 

[DUCKMAN11]

SAMMI dimensions ? Or is the die machined to the chamber of your rifle ?

It's still gonna give you rounded shoulders either way. I do like the 12ga case holder idea though but thats gonna cost as much as a hydro die I'm sure. I think getting a good fire forming load is the way to go. By starting off with 30-06 lapua brass all I'd have to do is neck down to create the false shoulder and load the 121hh or 135 burgers with a moderate load. Yeah its gonna be slower than fire formed but for stand hunting at under 200yds its not going to effect much as long as it shoots a good group. Then once I get a hundred cases or so I could really dial it in. C.o.w. would be the 2nd choice for me......I think.

 

[BillLarson]

Most cases will shorten on first firings...

 

[QuietTexan]

It IS the neck shoulder junction. Also, forget about a false shoulder, that is only if you are starting with a larger dia. neck or shorter shoulder.

That's incorrect, sorry. You can build a false shoulder on same-caliber AI case forming loads very easily. Refer to post #35.

 

[UncleDano]

That's incorrect, sorry. You can build a false shoulder on same-caliber AI case forming loads very easily. Refer to post #35.

Sure, you can but why waste your time with it?

 

[QuietTexan]

Sure, you can but why waste your time with it?

Other than it produces very accurate fireforming loads, consistent case expansion, and long case life, no reason I guess.

 

[.30-06]

I,ve had guns that shot FF loads as good as 3x firewformed loads.
At a match against some Texans,the guy that won was using brand new lapua brass..

some rifles do it some don't.

 

[FEENIX]

We all have different ways to fireform and achieve the desired result - that's what matters.

 

[Chas1]

Buy factory ammo and shoot it...walla perfectly fireformed cases.

 

[BigDon]

Buy factory ammo and shoot it...walla perfectly fireformed cases.

Only with an Ai.