Fireformng load data

[DeanWinchester]

I just finished a couple hundred pieces of brass for my 308. I formed them from range pick ups; 243, 260, 270, 7mm08, 30/06, whatever I find. I usually fire form cases like this with a cast boolit but I was given a couple hundred 110g fmj and a few pounds of IMR 800X. I will NEVER use the 800x for anything. Fire forming would be a great use for it.
Wat would be a good charge for the 110fmj in my Savage 10PC? I'm not nitpicking accuracy here, I'll just shoot at clays or dirt clods. Be a nice relaxing morning at the range. Just enough pressure to stretch the case out good.


Yes I know it's blasphemy to ask for advice on a copper condom here in this blessed sanctuary of lead, but it's for a good cause. I'm buillding a new lot of brass for a new cast load

[rexherring]

Hmm, not sure on that. I've used a lot of Unique for fire forming after annealing the neck and shoulder area with good luck. It's slower than Unique and I use about 10 grs to make my improved cases with grex or cornmeal.

[DeanWinchester]

Glad you said that, I do need to anneal them. I'll do that after I turn the necks, I still need to do that too.

[DeanWinchester]

I wonder if 10g would do the trick? I can't see pressures getting too high from that. Opinions? If I can't use it for this, I'm going to fertilize some plants with it.

[6.5 mike]

I fire form for 5 tender bbls, have always used a starting load with enough pressure to ensure filling the chamber to size. I do use pp'ed when doing it in the 30 herret, 7 m/m tcu, & ready to try it in the 6.5 when I get home this time.

I had thought about using unique, but as was pointed out, might not fully form the case. I do know that the 2nd firing seems to fully match the chamber, mostly in my 6.5 jdj bbl. One way to find out, give it a try with a few as you are not making a big change to the case.

[DeanWinchester]

I had thought about using unique, but as was pointed out, might not fully form the case. I do know that the 2nd firing seems to fully match the chamber, mostly in my 6.5 jdj bbl. One way to find out, give it a try with a few as you are not making a big change to the case.


That's what I was thinking, it's just the shoulder I need to 'smooth out'.

[rexherring]

It may not be enough, in my .30-30 improved I am staying with .30 cal to .30 cal and the .30-30 cases are thinner to start with. It doesn't fully form the shoulder sharp but I neck size them and then shoot some lighter cast loads before a final trim to length. With the cornmeal filler and a full gas checked 110 rn they form almost perfectly with 10 grs of Unique.

[DeanWinchester]

Okay. I may have to run a little more.

There's a thread here on C/Bs where someone states they run 15g in their Remington 375 H&H. I wonder how much pressure that 15g would make in a 308? You can run that much unique safely. The Savage action is strong, I may run 15g and see how they go.

[DeanWinchester]

Going to load these tonight with 15g of 800x under a 110g FMJ. Anyone have any last suggestions or comments. Still not completely comfortable doing something I have ZERO data for.

[excess650]

800X appears to be JUST slower than Herco and Winchester Super Field and JUST faster than IMR 4756.

[Hang Fire]

Just me, not recommending as other's mileage may vary. Many years ago I used to be heavy into wildcats and fire forming. The standard load I used for such was 5 grn of Bullseye topped by a case full of Cream of Wheat with a wax plug. It never failed to perfectly form the cases to chambers.