Does anyone on here own a TC Contender in .309 JDJ and successfully form their brass? I own barrels and dies in both .375 JDJ and .358 JDJ that I use to step down closer to .309. I've done it before long ago, but can't remember how I did it.
Does anyone on here own a TC Contender in .309 JDJ and successfully form their brass? I own barrels and dies in both .375 JDJ and .358 JDJ that I use to step down closer to .309. I've done it before long ago, but can't remember how I did it.
I went with the 308 Bellem in a Contender. It just skips the 40° shoulder and fire forming step. 358 JDJ is a breeze. Just run it through the full length sizer.
I finally figured it out. Lubed .444 case through .375 JDJ size die, then lube case again and through my .358 JDJ size die. I always wiped the outside neck area of the brass clean. Next it goes in my .308 Win. die with the neck expander/decapping rod removed. That was my problem with split and crushed case necks. Then a pass through the .309 JDJ size die. I have NOE's case neck expanding/flaring set-up and with generously lubing the inside of the case neck, all my problems have disappeared. Zero creases, wrinkles and dents. The loaded rounds are a bit tight to chamber for fire forming but the gun closes and fires. Now I need to figure out a charge of faster burning powder to use for fire forming instead of using the slow burning rifle powder I plan to use.
Last edited by bosterr; 03-08-2024 at 07:18 AM.
Glad you got it!
I was cheap and didn’t want the fire forming step back when I got mine rechambered. Really glad I don’t need to use precious large rifle primers for that step these days. I wonder if a Contender has enough oomph to reliably fire Ginex brand LR primers?
I have no experience with Ginex primers. I have owned Contenders since the early '80s and I've never had any kind of primer issues, but never used anything but domestically produced primers. Thank you Barry for your help!
With case forming like you are describing, I use 5 grains of Bullseye, 1/4 of 1 sheet of toilet paper tamped with a new flat tip pencil and no projectile. Large pistol primers work fine. I fire them in the garage, outside doors closed, into a cardboard box to keep shredded paper contained. Works like a champ.
“There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
Cervantes
“Never give up, never quit.”
Robert Rogers
Roger’s Rangers
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
Will Rogers
I run 444 brass partway into a 308 win die.
For fireforming, jD suggested the starting load of whichever powder you are looking at.
I lost many more with Starline brass than with Remington brass.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |