Ridge Runner
Well-Known Member
Not an expert but I'll run this by the guys in the know, couldn't he send a couple loaded rounds to someone and have a reamer made just like his chamber is cut with?
RR
RR
Why would a gunsmith change the shoulder of a 338 Lapua ?
- Thread starter texasdave
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texasdave
Well-Known Member
Ridge:
I had thought about that too. I did send 5 fired cartridges to Redding and they said they could make the dies, So why not as you suggested.
I had thought about that too. I did send 5 fired cartridges to Redding and they said they could make the dies, So why not as you suggested.
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
Only thing I have to offer is about the Hornady Hydroform die. If will not work on the Lapua. When they started making these, I talked with them and they made me a couple form dies to test out on my wildcats that are based on the 338 Lapua case.
Simply put, they DO NOT work on this large of a case or a case with case walls this heavy. We beat the living hell out of that thing and the best we could get was a slight round on the case shoulder, less then 20% formed.
I passed on my results with them and they said the case was designed for small capacity, thin walled cases and that they suspected it would have problems with the large capacity cases with heavier walls.
Do not waste your time or money on this one if your trying to form cases on the Lapua.
Simply put, they DO NOT work on this large of a case or a case with case walls this heavy. We beat the living hell out of that thing and the best we could get was a slight round on the case shoulder, less then 20% formed.
I passed on my results with them and they said the case was designed for small capacity, thin walled cases and that they suspected it would have problems with the large capacity cases with heavier walls.
Do not waste your time or money on this one if your trying to form cases on the Lapua.
texasdave
Well-Known Member
Kirby:
I really appreciate your reply. What is your suggestion? Is fire forming the best way? I appreciate your thoughts.
Sincerely,
I really appreciate your reply. What is your suggestion? Is fire forming the best way? I appreciate your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
You can fireform with pistol powder, corn meal and a paper wad, this is the cheapest way to fireform.
The biggest thing I recommend with something like this is that unless you really need alot of formed brass, just form up 50 rounds of brass. With a case like the 338 Lapua case, they will last a long time so its not like your going to wear your cases out every 3-4 firings.
Fireforming is a pain to some degree and doing a full 100 rounds is also a pain.
As far as fireforming. Most will tell you to use Unique handgun powder. It certainly works but when I started offering formed cases for my customers in my wildcat chamberings I realized that putting 20 grains of powder in each case started to add up when you were forming thousands of rounds. Does not sound like much but when your running a business, your concerned with every penny you can save. As such, I started playing with faster handgun powders and settled on Green dot.
In my 300 AX which is very similiar to the round your dealing with, I used to use 20 grains of Unique to form brass, now I use 13 grains of Greendot so I save a substantial amount in cost and the end result is the same.
Some will say this is hard on the throat and acts as a bead blasting effect on the bore. I am not sure I agree with this but its possible. I have several thousand fireforming loads down my fireforming fixture barrels and they still look very good once I clean them up but I wanted to mention it.
If your only going to do a limited number of rounds, it will not be an issue but if you try to form up 500 rounds of brass you may see some issues in the throat.
The biggest thing I recommend with something like this is that unless you really need alot of formed brass, just form up 50 rounds of brass. With a case like the 338 Lapua case, they will last a long time so its not like your going to wear your cases out every 3-4 firings.
Fireforming is a pain to some degree and doing a full 100 rounds is also a pain.
As far as fireforming. Most will tell you to use Unique handgun powder. It certainly works but when I started offering formed cases for my customers in my wildcat chamberings I realized that putting 20 grains of powder in each case started to add up when you were forming thousands of rounds. Does not sound like much but when your running a business, your concerned with every penny you can save. As such, I started playing with faster handgun powders and settled on Green dot.
In my 300 AX which is very similiar to the round your dealing with, I used to use 20 grains of Unique to form brass, now I use 13 grains of Greendot so I save a substantial amount in cost and the end result is the same.
Some will say this is hard on the throat and acts as a bead blasting effect on the bore. I am not sure I agree with this but its possible. I have several thousand fireforming loads down my fireforming fixture barrels and they still look very good once I clean them up but I wanted to mention it.
If your only going to do a limited number of rounds, it will not be an issue but if you try to form up 500 rounds of brass you may see some issues in the throat.
AJ Peacock
Well-Known Member
TexasDave,
I tried to read all the replies, but may have missed this info if it was already posted. If you do fireform, make sure to remove your muzzle brake while doing it.
AJ
I tried to read all the replies, but may have missed this info if it was already posted. If you do fireform, make sure to remove your muzzle brake while doing it.
AJ
texasdave
Well-Known Member
AJ:
Thanks for that info. I did not know and as I think about it I would bet that could make a problem if it were not removed.
Sincerely,
Thanks for that info. I did not know and as I think about it I would bet that could make a problem if it were not removed.
Sincerely,
Key is too find which mftr made the reamer and if the reamer owner has the reamer print number. You can go to the mftr (PTG, Manson, Heirickson, Clymer etc) and order the same reamer cut to the same specs.
You can use a COW type fireforming or use a false shoulder method. I personally like the false shoulder method. It forms first time to the chamber where as the COW might not. www.6mmbr.com has an article with pics showing how to do it.
Basically if you have a 30-338, use a neck bushing die to partial NS the brass to where it it just close with a slight tightness in the chamber. test one case to determine amount of powder needed to fully form the case and then do the rest. You will have to shoot all cases, but you normally have to do the same thing at least once with the COW cases.
Most of the standard die mftrs are 3-6+ months on dies and $200. For that I would go with the Neil Jones dies from www.neiljonescustomproducts.com . IMO these are the gold standard dies from anywhere. My delivery time was about 40 days or so and $366 with three shoulder bump bushings. and micro seater.
Tom Sarver in Ohio has a shortened 30-338 called the Hulk that holds the 1K light gun records of 1.4xx, perfect 50 score and 5Xs. The cases had 54 loadings on them when he shot the record and he retired the cases at 80 plus reloadings. He shoots both the 240s and 210s. JLK has a new 210 with a .680 BC also.
BH
You can use a COW type fireforming or use a false shoulder method. I personally like the false shoulder method. It forms first time to the chamber where as the COW might not. www.6mmbr.com has an article with pics showing how to do it.
Basically if you have a 30-338, use a neck bushing die to partial NS the brass to where it it just close with a slight tightness in the chamber. test one case to determine amount of powder needed to fully form the case and then do the rest. You will have to shoot all cases, but you normally have to do the same thing at least once with the COW cases.
Most of the standard die mftrs are 3-6+ months on dies and $200. For that I would go with the Neil Jones dies from www.neiljonescustomproducts.com . IMO these are the gold standard dies from anywhere. My delivery time was about 40 days or so and $366 with three shoulder bump bushings. and micro seater.
Tom Sarver in Ohio has a shortened 30-338 called the Hulk that holds the 1K light gun records of 1.4xx, perfect 50 score and 5Xs. The cases had 54 loadings on them when he shot the record and he retired the cases at 80 plus reloadings. He shoots both the 240s and 210s. JLK has a new 210 with a .680 BC also.
BH
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