fire forming with .001 neck tension

[milboltnut]

Will it work with .001 neck tension? I had trouble with the redding ball and the right amount of lube in the die, so I mandraled after FL'ed. Plan on near max load. I used a .307 mandrel and just measured my Redding ball.... .307. Go figure. Do these Redding expanders need polishing from new ?

 

[lancetkenyon]

It will work fine. I run a mandrel for .001-.002" neck tension on every piece of brass I shoot. Even with drastic changes to case dimension fire forming loads like an Ackley or other "Improved" variants.

 

[milboltnut]

Oh if it works to blow out shoulders to a n improves cartridge, I'm good !! LOL

 

[QuietTexan]

You just shooting the brass the first time then sounds like, not fireforming to a new cartridge?

Some people will go so far as to pull the ejector and seat the bullet long to get a good jam on the headspace. I've never gone that far, but I will say it's not a one-and-done to get to fully formed brass either.

I try to find a load that works good in the virgin brass because I don't want to waste trigger time or components just shooting the cases. The last time I started with a new lot of Lapua brass the virgin load held together for the second firing and came apart on the third, which is also when the bolt started closing hard on the empties and I set the sizing die up to start bumping shoulders back. The rifle shot it's first one-hole group with the 3x fired brass, during a pressure ladder no less.

 

[milboltnut]

considering that some brass grows to trim and some don't while sizing, I believe it's not one and done, yes.

Thanks for the other tips too. Didn't think about seating the bullet out to get more pressure. I loaded ammo before near max with .006 off the lands and noticed the brass not maxing out to max HS. Then I thought most times, actually, in the last few years loading that way due to my scope ballistics required these loads, I load slow powder with heavy bullets, that doesn't build up enough pressure to stretch the brass. Gonna go with lighter bullets and faster powder.

What about brass shot in another rifle? Is it better to start with new brass ?

 

[lancetkenyon]

Some people say you can't get an accurate and consistent load with fire forming virgin brass....these are either 5 round or 20 round groups at 100 yds while fire forming my 6.5SS over the course of 3 weeks. Small squares are .1MIL (.36").

 

[milboltnut]

I take it you use new brass on the initial FF ? Can you thumb nail your pics ?

 

[QuietTexan]

What about brass shot in another rifle? Is it better to start with new brass ?

If you're going for accuracy and precision, yes. Removes a significant number of variables that way.

I will FL size and use brass in a different bolt rifle on occasion, but not when I'm trying to do serious load work. It'll be fine for popping a deer under a feeder, but trying to take it to distance would be a waste of bullets and powder IMO.

 

[milboltnut]

I know it's not necessary for deer hunting. But I just like seeing how well it can shoot. I did get almost a one hole group... Just going to Mag primers with ball powdern and mandreling rather than FL/decapper ball expanding made a group cluster to a half an inch, and then neck turning made the almost one hole.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I take it you use new brass on the initial FF ? Can you thumb nail your pics ?

Yes, virgin brass. You can see the "improved case" in the fired brass. 30* to 40* shoulders, less body taper. Forming 6.5SS.

 

[J-B welder]

Some people say you can't get an accurate and consistent load with fire forming virgin brass....these are either 5 round or 20 round groups at 100 yds while fire forming my 6.5SS over the course of 3 weeks. Small squares are .1MIL (.36").

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Really like those targets. Did you design those yourself or find them online?

 

[Csbc4fun]

Some people say you can't get an accurate and consistent load with fire forming virgin brass....these are either 5 round or 20 round groups at 100 yds while fire forming my 6.5SS over the course of 3 weeks. Small squares are .1MIL (.36").
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Awesome groups! Thanks for sharing. You obviously have your entire shooting universe dialed in for success. Love to hear more about every detail.

 

[biff's reloading]

I like the lee collet type factory crimp dies a lot for fireforming. Thatd help if you dont think you have enough Tension. I anneal before and after forming, then every 2 loads and dont get cracks.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Shoot me a PM with your email address and I will email you a file.