.25-06 AI fireforming question.

[Guest]

Does anyone have any info on the procedure for fireforming the brass for this cartridge. First off the chamber is a .282 neck chamber. What happens if I just fireform the cases by shooting loaded .25-06 Rem ammo in it or reloaded with standard loads for that matter. Do I need to neck turn the cases first and reload them or won't it matter on fireforming.
Or would I be better off buying .270 brass and necking it down enough to close the bolt on the case and then fireforming with a .25-06 load and bullet.

Anyway I'm on a learning curve here and want to get the new gun shooting. I will be thankful for any and all advise.

Also if anyone has a good pet load they can pass on that would be good too.

 

[Wild_Bill]

Hi measure the loaded neck of a factory case and if it measures under .282 you can fire it in the factory chamber the AI cases were designed to be fired in a factory chamber if you are handloading use the top load for the standard case and fire it it will come out perfectly formed. I would not use Win cases recently their loaded ammo has had cases that are veru brittle and every one i tried to fire in a 22-250AI cracked but Rem/Federal/Pmc all worked perfectly with no failures.

Cheers Bill
Australia

 

[Centre Punch]

Hi BillR,
The standard neck diameter for 25-06 is .290" so fireforming with factory ammo is completely out of the question, as is handloaded ammo with standard brass.
You are going to have to neck turn your cases in order to get them to chamber in your rifle.
You say you have a .282" neck, based on that diameter a finished round neck dimension wants to be no more then .280", preferably .279".
This will give you .0015" clearance between your round and your chamber neck wall, adequate to allow easy bullet release and not effect the accuracy gained by having a tight neck chamber.

Ian.

 

[Guest]

Pics my .25-06 AI. The .300 RUM is identical to it so I didn't post any of those.

 

[brianwinzor]

BillR, I concur with the advice of both WildBill, and CentrePunch.

I currently have two rifles chambered for the 25/06AI, and both have a chamber neck diameter of 0.291. I am certainly glad that I don't have one with a .282 chamber neck, as you would have to love neck turning to have one that small.

I don't believe that factory 25/06 loads would chamber in your rifle due to the tight neck.

I can understand someone wanting a .286 or .288 chamber neck using the 25/06 or AI, but it is hard to understand the rationale for having a chamber neck that small. To achieve a neck diameter of .279, you will have to reduce the neck thickness on either Remington or Winchester brass from about .014 to .016 to a maximum of .011, which in neck turning terms is quite a lot.

Using 25/06 brass will be a bit easier than .270W brass, as you will not have to trim about .040 from the necks before loading for fireforming. However, using 270W brass does allow you to start the brass at the chamber length of 2.494, and after fireforming, the case would end up at about 2.485.

New Remington or Winchester 25/06 brass seems to be about 2.485 - 2.490, and after fireforming can end up between 2.470 and 2.480. However, to me that is no big deal, and it just means that you will go an extra 2 -3 shots before trimming.

I always neck anneal "improved" and "Wildcat"cases after fireforming, and have found that the necks on new Remington brass are far better annealed than new Winchester brass. As a result at least 90% of Remington case necks expand correctly when fireforming, while at least 90% of Winchester case necks don't, when fireforming in my 22/250AI and 25/06AI.

The capacity of the Winchester brass is usually about 1 - 2 grains greater than that of Remington brass. However, although you may use 1 grain less powder with Remington brass, I have found that velocity achieved from either is about the same.

You don't mention what game you intend to shoot, and what bullet weights you are considering using. Due to the wide variation in chamber dimensions, it is inadvisable to give someone else one of your own "pet loads" for use in his rifle.

However, if you let me know what bullet weight(s) you intend using, I will suggest which powders are the best options.

I agree with Wild Bill, and suggest that when fireforming you choose a maximum 25/06 load for the bullet weight you choose. Hope that the above is of some help. Brian.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Brian, I'm looking at the 110 Accubond's for this gun. I've shot more .25-06 ammo and rifles than I care to remember but I just never had the chance to get a Ackley or shoot a 110 bullet. Mostly the 117 Serria's and 100BT's
Mostly the rifle is going to be used on deer on down to varmints and I probably will be using H4831 powder as I have had great luck with that powder in the .25's

 

[brianwinzor]

BillR, I have not tested the 110 grain Accubond or any 110 grain bullet for that matter.

I have found that IMR 4831, Re22, VihtN560, and Vihtavouri N165, work well with the 100 grain Nosler BT. My lot of H4831sc for some reason delivered about 100 fps less velocity than the others mentioned above, and the accuracy was inferior as well.

Powders such as IMR 7828, H1000, Re25, VihtN165, and N170, work well with the Nosler 115 BT.

Obviously the 110 Accubond lies between the above two bullet weights, but I would be tempted to try H1000 first, then Vihtavouri N165.

Re22 and possibly Re 25 will almost certainly give good velocity, but the velocity and pressure variations that occur when the temperature rises exceed what I tolerate for use under all conditions in the field. Hope that the above helps. Brian.