Low cost 6.5mm Bullet to use for fireforming.

Are you planning on jamming them, or just running them through the put a firing on the case?

I use the Barnes 140 MBs for steel, they're honestly more than good enough for fun shooting. Just got 600 factory seconds in the mail for forming from Midway today, seems like bullets have been everywhere lately. Not everything, but enough from several manufacturers in several calibers instead of the one-offs.
 
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QuietTexan said:
Are you planning on jamming them, or just running them through the put a firing on the case?

I use the Barnes 140 MBs for steel, they're honestly more than good enough for fun shooting. Just got 600 factory seconds in the mail for forming from Midway today, seems like bullets have been everywhere lately. Not everything, but enough from several manufacturers in several calibers instead of the one-offs.
Click to expand...
I will load them at the lands.
 
QuietTexan said:
Are you planning on jamming them, or just running them through the put a firing on the case?

I use the Barnes 140 MBs for steel, they're honestly more than good enough for fun shooting. Just got 600 factory seconds in the mail for forming from Midway today, seems like bullets have been everywhere lately. Not everything, but enough from several manufacturers in several calibers instead of the one-offs.
Click to expand...
Just to blow the shoulder out and the case taper. Not chasing accuracy with these.
 
Mike from Texas said:
Where can I find a couple hundred low cost bullets to use for fireforming cases in a 264 Win Mag? I have plenty of .264 projectiles but they aren't cheap and are hard to c9me by so I'd rather not burn up too many of the good stuff.
Click to expand...
Why don't you just use corn meal ? some pistol powder and a cotton plug does a nice job. It does make noise.
 
Mike from Texas said:
I've considered it, I've just never done it.
How would I know which powder, and how much for a 264 Win Mag case?

I have corn meal and cream of wheat and cotton balls I could use for a plug.
Click to expand...
I had some unique I don't use. I was doing it in a .303 and used about a teaspoon. Just look at fired case and see how it did. Tip, don't spill corn meal in action - makes a mess. Keep pointing rifle/case raised up so meal does not fall out and powder stays back on primer.
 
Mike from Texas said:
I've considered it, I've just never done it.
How would I know which powder, and how much for a 264 Win Mag case?

I have corn meal and cream of wheat and cotton balls I could use for a plug.
Click to expand...
Rule of thumb is to use a 1/3 of normal charge using a fast pistol powder. I use Universal and COW with a plug of TP.
This generally gets me a 99% formed case, the shoulders are generally rounded a little.
Good enough to headspace off the shoulder with belted magnums for the first full power loads while working up loads.

Cheers.
 
Mike from Texas said:
I've considered it, I've just never done it.
How would I know which powder, and how much for a 264 Win Mag case?

I have corn meal and cream of wheat and cotton balls I could use for a plug.
Click to expand...
It is very easy, and there are a few videos on YouTube. I use WST powder (or similar burn rate pistol powder) in fireforming mine from .35 Whelen (.270 win/.280 Rem) to .30 Gibbs. As far as how much powder to use, you might have to experiment. There is also a video by a British shooter that explains it. I started with 15 and ended up with 20 percent of the full load to get the right shoulder impression off the chamber, i.e., if a full load calls out 57g, it is 8.55g of WST at 15% and 11.4g at 20%.

.30 GIBBS fire-forming progress.jpg

From L-R

1 - Virgin .35 Whelen brass
2 - Establishing false shoulder using the .30 Gibbs die
3 - After COW fireforming
4 - After full load fireforming off the chamber

.30 Gibbs fire-forming from .35 Whelen - COW method 11g WSF 1 of 2.jpg




Good luck!
 
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Mike from Texas said:
Where can I find a couple hundred low cost bullets to use for fireforming cases in a 264 Win Mag? I have plenty of .264 projectiles but they aren't cheap and are hard to c9me by so I'd rather not burn up too many of the good stuff.
Click to expand...
Look up the cream of wheat method on youtube. Alot cheaper than any bullet
 
Mike from Texas said:
Where can I find a couple hundred low cost bullets to use for fireforming cases in a 264 Win Mag? I have plenty of .264 projectiles but they aren't cheap and are hard to c9me by so I'd rather not burn up too many of the good stuff.
Click to expand...
Mid-South shooter supply has match burners for good prices and they shot well out of my PRC
 
Mike from Texas said:
Where can I find a couple hundred low cost bullets to use for fireforming cases in a 264 Win Mag? I have plenty of .264 projectiles but they aren't cheap and are hard to c9me by so I'd rather not burn up too many of the good stuff.
Click to expand...
Good place to buy is Shooters pro shop they sell Nosler blems. They are just cosmeticly blended and are about 50% off. I would use the Nosler RDF.
 

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