new to wildcatting...help!

[3sixbits]

I know you fellows will sure enjoy your first wildcat. Learn how to anneal brass and you will enjoy wildcats even more. The cream of wheat fireforming method is without a doubt the best method I've used to form with. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] web page 50_BMG This link is a great source of information on case annealing!

[Bob S.]

3 six - Good to here that. I want to try it out. What do you think about fireforming already fired 1x or 2x brass? I don't think it will be a problem but it <u>is</u> a stretch for the shoulders and necks. I've heard read that the necks tend to run short as it is, I would hate to compound the problem.

[3sixbits]

COWBOY, that's why I sent you the link for annealing. If you don't anneal the necks you aren't going to have any fun, It's welcome to crack brass city. This is even more the case with once fired cases. This is the reason I do not care for the .243AI as that crappy short neck on the .243WIN does not get any longer when you AI this case. What does kick is the 6mm REMINGTON AI, it's even better with a 35 deg. shoulder rather than the 40 deg. shoulder. I know there will be howls of hate, I don't remember any hand loader that knows squat that likes a short neck case! The reason I like the 35deg. shoulder over the the 40deg. is the fact that you loose less cases when you load. The 35deg. shoulder means no more brass trimming after the first trim (cases don't grow) You still get the extra powder capacity. The big down side I see about AI in a used barrel is what it can do to a good reamer. The throat in your barrel can be vary hard from the repeated firings. However if the guy doing the work on the re-chamber doesn't care why should I? One thing about re-cambers, the barrel doesn't get anymore accurate, so if it ain't good to start, it ain't gonna get better. And remember if you are going to use brass thats not new, learn to anneal! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Bob S.]

Gotcha, thanks!

[Mysticplayer]

Never had a problem with case neck stretching using the COW method simply because pressures are quite low. The process just uses the COW to push the case to fit the chamber.

The COW might even lap the barrel a bit. Try and prove that one [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

you can use once fired brass. The caveat is don't size the brass anymore then you have to. If you use a case that had a high pressure forming, squishing it down a bunch then expanding again will lead to case head separation in short order.

I just throw once fired brass into the chamber and hope it fits. Then I have no issue to COW them and use them. If the case does not fit, I will partial size so that they are a firm fit when chambered. This keeps everything nice and tight so no case head stretching occurs..at least as little as possible.

I also rarely anneal case necks anymore. As long as there are no splits in the first 3 to 5 loadings, the annealing is good enough.

Jerry

[Centre Punch]

3six,
Please correct me if i'm wrong, but Lapua brass already has the neck and shoulder area annealed from the factory.

Ian.

[3sixbits]

Centre Punch: All ctg cases have been annealed from below the shoulder. The reason we don't see the discoloration on most commercial brass as the maker polishes the cases after they final draw and pinch trim. All military brass on the other hand is not polished after the final draw. Cartridge cases are annealed a number of times during all the stages of manufacturing. The head stamp is even important to the hardness of the case as the case has been annealed and the case needs to be hardened at the head. ( a soft head case is deadly) If you can take the time to view the 50BMG link you can readily see the flame bars that stops the flame going any deeper (further down towards the head). Why is this annealing so important to forming? Well brass hardens two different ways. 1. Work hardens 2. Season hardens. The last can be seen in old brass cases that were loaded many years ago, the necks will show cracks. We the re loader do not spend to much time trying to form from 50+ year old military brass (like we did as kids). So the work harding we deal with comes from repeated firings and reloads. This working of the brass hardens it to the point of being brittle. We usually see this after we fire the ctg. Starting with new unfired brass we don't need to anneal. However if we are going to make a lot of change in forming then even with unfired ctg. we do need to anneal! Please read about annealing this is such and important subject that we need to understand the subject to it's fullest! My good friend Dr. Ken Howell wrote the book that covers this subject so vary well. The article on the 50BMG web-site is written by the Dr. and is a great read. Even better is his book. One of many hundreds of books in my collection of firearms books and "one of the vary best"! Hope I have made this clear? If not let me know! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]