New stuff fireform questions

[Peebles24]

I just ordered 200 peices of peterson brass, an annealeez, and im getting ready to order a shillen select match 28" barrel for my savage 12 lrp in 6.5 creedmoor.

The question is: i have read lots about fireforming new brass with pistol powder, i keep w231 on hand for 38 special. Would i be better off breaking in the new barrel by fireforming those 200 brass with 140 grain pills and a light load?

 

[JRS]

You aren't forming a wildcat cartridge. Load it and shoot.

 

[Peebles24]

You aren't forming a wildcat cartridge. Load it and shoot.

No wildcat for sure. Maybe that is what has been confusing me. I wasnt sure if i needed to shoot it once to get my proper shoulder bump before node testing.

Thank you

 

[fredo]

You don't 'have to' fireform for standard chambers. BUT... if you start off loading your first round of 'virgin' brass with a modest charge, you'll give it a chance to 'fit' your chamber. And you're not unduly straining the primer pockets with a hot load.

With 1x fired brass, subsequent resizing can be done minimally, just bump a (measured) couple thou., and/or use your rifle as a gauge to bump shoulders back only until the bolt closes freely on that sized case...

So, yes & no. Ya don't 'have to' fireform. But, its usually a good idea to get one firing on your brass before getting serious with load testing. And especially so with a factory rifle, where the chamber might be on the high end SAAMI spec.

Lastly, by the time you've fired your brass 1x, your barrel is likely to have 'settled in' to the velocity its gonna produce. Seems like barrels wanna 'speed up' after 50-100 rds, so 'fireforming' brass is a good way to get ya past that hump...

BE SAFE and have fun!

 

[Peebles24]

Thank you sir.

 

[Richard Coody]

You don't 'have to' fireform for standard chambers. BUT... if you start off loading your first round of 'virgin' brass with a modest charge, you'll give it a chance to 'fit' your chamber. And you're not unduly straining the primer pockets with a hot load.

With 1x fired brass, subsequent resizing can be done minimally, just bump a (measured) couple thou., and/or use your rifle as a gauge to bump shoulders back only until the bolt closes freely on that sized case...

So, yes & no. Ya don't 'have to' fireform. But, its usually a good idea to get one firing on your brass before getting serious with load testing. And especially so with a factory rifle, where the chamber might be on the high end SAAMI spec.

Lastly, by the time you've fired your brass 1x, your barrel is likely to have 'settled in' to the velocity its gonna produce. Seems like barrels wanna 'speed up' after 50-100 rds, so 'fireforming' brass is a good way to get ya past that hump...

BE SAFE and have fun!

usually 1 firing does not fully fireform a case. you surely do not want to set up a sizing die for a shoulder bump on once fired brass.

 

[cw308]

Peebles24
Good luck with your new barrel , great caliber 6.5 CM . I would also use the chamber to size the cases by installing the case an lowering the FL die very little each time until it Chambers with very little resistance is zero chamber headspace . Record that measurement and retest with another case .
I would fireform using the bullet and powder your using for that bullet , on the starting or alittle higher to start . Why not start start group testing from the start , no break in , start with clean dry barrel , try not to heat up your new barrel . Look into thermal strip to monitor barrel heat , it's a 1.5" x .5 label that attaches to the barrel 86 to 150 degrees , From McMaster -- Carr . Hope I Helped

Chris

 

[fredo]

usually 1 firing does not fully fireform a case. you surely do not want to set up a sizing die for a shoulder bump on once fired brass.

Please explain, keeping in context that OP is shooting a Savage w/screw on Shilen in factory 6.5Creed...

 

[Peebles24]

I dont know if it makes any difference but my dies are whidden full length click adjust bushing die. Obviously i will be neck turning to match my bushing.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Set your dies up each time you fire the brass. Dont set it and forget it cause it will change every time

 

[Peebles24]

My chamber should never change? Once i find a 2k shoulder bump why would that ever change?

 

[Richard Coody]

Please explain, keeping in context that OP is shooting a Savage w/screw on Shilen in factory 6.5Creed...

ok
i have built 3 savages with shilen prefits. they shoot like this

you do not want to shoulder bump until you need to. it is foolish to try to set up a die for a shoulder bump of .001 to .002 when the shoulder of the brass has not even reached the shoulder of the chamber yet. try chambering a piece of your fired brass. if it chambers easily then you are not ready for a shoulder bump. when you can chamber a piece of fired brass and have tight bolt closure then you are ready to set your shoulder bump. until then set your die to just size the neck. back the die off and size a piece of brass. you might not have even touched the neck this time. the gradually screw the die in and size each time look at the neck of the brass. you can see the portion of the neck that is getting sized. keep at it until you have sized the majority of the neck without touching the shoulder.

once i have my shoulder bump set i put a lock ring on it and don't plan to mess with it again. of course i do measure fired cases and compare to sized cases periodically.

 

[fredo]

you do not want to shoulder bump until you need to. it is foolish to try to set up a die for a shoulder bump of .001 to .002 when the shoulder of the brass has not even reached the shoulder of the chamber yet.

Hence, my recommend to "and/OR use rifle as a gauge..." yadda yadda...to set the die.

Basically, we're in agreement, but you decided to cherry pick a small part to dissect out and refute? To what end is that helping answer OPs question?

When asked general questions, I give general answers & offer options that a novice might find useful (and safe). And only because none of us really know the experience level of whom we are answering/helping...

If you're gonna 'cherry pick' a post to disagree with only a part of it, ya might wanna be sure that the rest of the post doesn't actually cover the very same alternative you propose.

Congrats on your Savage(s)

 

[Peebles24]

Thank you all, i am between a novice and mid experience reloader id say, that is why i ask questions. I am new to loading for long range competition, so much more to it than just loading plinking, hunting, or even 3 gun comp ammo.
I did not realize that it takes more than one firing to push the brass shoulder all the way to the chamber.

I do really appreciate all the help i can get and as much detail as possible, i am trying to be a sponge. There is so much knowledge on these boards.

Thank you all so much!!

 

[tomswede]

Just posted in the 6XC tread. Got some of the Petersen 6XC brass. Went ahead and shot it at 600 in my tube gun. A new personal best. My best string ever at a 1000 was with new Lapua brass. With your setup I say shoot it and don’t worry about fire forming it to the chamber. Maybe for serious BR shooting it makes a difference. Anybody actually tried a test to compare?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

My chamber should never change? Once i find a 2k shoulder bump why would that ever change?

Your brass changes on every firing. You bump a new case .002 and the second firing you may bump it .008 with the same setting

 

[Peebles24]

Your brass changes on every firing. You bump a new case .002 and the second firing you may bump it .008 with the same setting

So basically keep backing off my bump till the brass quits growing. Should be easy enough to keep measuring and backing off for.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

So basically keep backing off my bump till the brass quits growing. Should be easy enough to keep measuring and backing off for.

Check it every session in your chamber

 

[Richard Coody]

Hence, my recommend to "and/OR use rifle as a gauge..." yadda yadda...to set the die.

Basically, we're in agreement, but you decided to cherry pick a small part to dissect out and refute? To what end is that helping answer OPs question?

When asked general questions, I give general answers & offer options that a novice might find useful (and safe). And only because none of us really know the experience level of whom we are answering/helping...

If you're gonna 'cherry pick' a post to disagree with only a part of it, ya might wanna be sure that the rest of the post doesn't actually cover the very same alternative you propose.

Congrats on your Savage(s)

did not mean to be offensive. just read the posters post. i did not read yours. not.really sure what i agreed or disagreed with in your post.

 

[Richard Coody]

Your brass changes on every firing. You bump a new case .002 and the second firing you may bump it .008 with the same setting

my brass doesn't really change after fireforming. same fired dimension same bump.