223 fireforming Powder Charge?

[RabbitSlayer]

Just bought a new tikka 223 varmint. I have new starline 556 brass, Remington 7.5 primers, 50 gr poly tip blem bullets from midway, and xterminator powder. I just want to break in the barrel and fireform the 250 pieces of brass with a cheap load. Sierra lists a 50 gr BK with min of 22 gr and max of 25.9. I just want to run enough powder to fireform. Could anyone recommend a charge weight? Would the min be enough for fireforming? Im thinking 23 to 24 gr.

Ill load n133 and 53 gr vmax after fireforming and break in.

 

[Homerange]

Just bought a new tikka 223 varmint. I have new starline 556 brass, Remington 7.5 primers, 50 gr poly tip blem bullets from midway, and xterminator powder. I just want to break in the barrel and fireform the 250 pieces of brass with a cheap load. Sierra lists a 50 gr BK with min of 22 gr and max of 25.9. I just want to run enough powder to fireform. Could anyone recommend a charge weight? Would the min be enough for fireforming? Im thinking 23 to 24 gr.

Ill load n133 and 53 gr vmax after fireforming and break in.

No show even with the 223. It will require a couple of loads to fully fireform.
Pick mid to warm load, zero it, break in and go shooting.

Tikka tubes need little break in and by the time a half dozen are down the tube you should be good to go but do keep an eye out for copper every 10 or so rnds.
Son's 243 Tikka got faint copper scrubbed out at 2rnds then shot another 30 without further sign of copper.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I have never found a need to fireform brass as a seperate operation unless doing a major modification to the case. For 223 brass in a 223 chamber, load your normal load and shoot. I do mine at 600 yards in matches. Loaded 50 last night for next weekend.

 

[Bc'z]

I have never found a need to fireform brass as a seperate operation unless doing a major modification to the case. For 223 brass in a 223 chamber, load your normal load and shoot. I do mine at 600 yards in matches. Loaded 50 last night for next weekend.

I'm still trying to figure out what breaking it in is.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I'm still trying to figure out what breaking it in is.

And I’m still trying to figure why fireforming for a cartridge that already fits a chamber.

 

[762willdo]

My load for my .223AI is 28 grains of H4895, my fire forming load for the same rifle is 28 grains of H4895……

 

[ebb]

I understand why you fireform to get 223AI cases, But just like 762 willdo says just load and shoot your normal load. But why fireform for a 223 in a 223 chamber? Rabbit slayer, enjoy more worry less.

 

[JSH]

I would be working up a load/testing, while break in/fire forming, or what ever you want to call.
Just go shoot it.
If new to me factory cartridge, I usually shoot a few to see what I get with a factory load.

 

[Bill K]

As mentioned, just load some loads within the range listed in your reloading manual for the powder/bullet you are using and shoot a ladder test/group and find the load that your rifle shoots best for that given cartridge.
No need to do a separate fireform load, with the standard round/chamber. Keep it K.I.S.S. and have fun.

 

[Longtrain]

I don’t know if special fire forming load for a standard 223 is necessary, generally a nice mid power load will make a nice chamber fit.

Although the factory cases will certainly fit and function, my measurements of new brass are several thousands under what will finally become that rifle’s standard down the road.

New, they have to fit every SAAMI spec’ed chamber, my reamers are cut for the end job that that rifle will do, so they all vary a little, an initial firing will get your brass expanded. So, your first resize can be used to set your sizing die to get the most accuracy out of your reloads.

 

[Webster]

Just bought a new tikka 223 varmint. I have new starline 556 brass, Remington 7.5 primers, 50 gr poly tip blem bullets from midway, and xterminator powder. I just want to break in the barrel and fireform the 250 pieces of brass with a cheap load. Sierra lists a 50 gr BK with min of 22 gr and max of 25.9. I just want to run enough powder to fireform. Could anyone recommend a charge weight? Would the min be enough for fireforming? Im thinking 23 to 24 gr.

Ill load n133 and 53 gr vmax after fireforming and break in.

Just about any load should give you 50,000 PSI. 50,000 should be way over hydro forming pressure. I use my standard load to FF 6BRX. It's not complicated.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

I don’t know if special fire forming load for a standard 223 is necessary, generally a nice mid power load will make a nice chamber fit.

Although the factory cases will certainly fit and function, my measurements of new brass are several thousands under what will finally become that rifle’s standard down the road.

New, they have to fit every SAAMI spec’ed chamber, my reamers are cut for the end job that that rifle will do, so they all vary a little, an initial firing will get your brass expanded. So, your first resize can be used to set your sizing die to get the most accuracy out of your reloads.

Exactly. The cases are way undersized when they are new. A new barrel also tends to speed up in the first 100 rounds or so. There is no point in getting too hung up about .1 gr of powder till the cases have been fired once and there are some rds down the pipe, or at least thats how understand it.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Where is this stuff coming from? I'm lost...

Fireforming new cases.... Huh.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Where is this stuff coming from? I'm lost...

Fireforming new cases.... Huh.

Jeez, you are all making me feel crazy. I haven't been reloading too long. I have seen tons of youtube videos and forum posts that say don't bother with the fine details of load development until the brass has been fired once and the barrel has 100 or more rounds on it. I haven't been loading long enough to test it for myself.

I have my Ruger AR shooting 10 consecutive 3 shot groups averaging .6 at 100 with brand new brass. I don't expect to beat that after the brass has been once fired. I do think I should check the velocity and accuracy on the next firing and I may need a very minor change to the powder to keep it shooting the same. Am I completely wrong?

 

[memilanuk]

I have seen tons of youtube videos and forum posts that say don't bother with the fine details of load development until the brass has been fired once and the barrel has 100 or more rounds on it.

Context is important... most of the people saying that are aiming for (pardon the pun) quarter moa or less, and are laying the foundation for that.

I'm not saying that you can't get there without fireforming your brass first, but that's the goal those posts/videos are going for.

 

[JSH]

It’s a good factory rifle. You can go down a rabbit hole buying gadgits and widgets.
Good bench setup and good manners from you, can go a lot further than forming brass.
I have tried and done what you mentioned of what I consider very meticulous. Weigh cases, each and every one the same length all sorted into lots. Almost to the point of counting each kernel and weighing each charge.

It gained me a lot of experience in working with my equipment. On paper it gained me very little, initially.
I got the t shirt too, lol.
Trigger time. Be particularl as you please.
I quote from I forget who here, (I listen to a fair number of folks when the speak here)
“If YOU think it matters to you, then it does”.
Confidence in your rig and your ammo is of the utmost’s importance. You should go to the bench with no doubts.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Context is important... most of the people saying that are aiming for (pardon the pun) quarter moa or less, and are laying the foundation for that.

I'm not saying that you can't get there without fireforming your brass first, but that's the goal those posts/videos are going for.

My goal is to eventually be able to load and shoot 1/4 moa or better. I know a factory tikka probably ain't going to do it, but I'm going to try to get everything I can out of it. I am loading everything as close as I can to the way those fclass and benchrest folks are. I have a lot of free time so I dont mind the extra steps like using an expander mandrel and annealing every firing.

I have a tikka with a Bartlein 6 creed barrel on it too. That one I expect to do consistent <.5 considering how it shoots Hornady match ammo. I want to burn out some barrels on my tikka actions while I learn how to tune and get better at shooting. One day I'll get a full custom bench gun or something.

Off to do seating depth test on the 17 hornet! Cheers

 

[urbanrifleman]

Jeez, you are all making me feel crazy. I haven't been reloading too long. I have seen tons of youtube videos and forum posts that say don't bother with the fine details of load development until the brass has been fired once and the barrel has 100 or more rounds on it. I haven't been loading long enough to test it for myself.

I have my Ruger AR shooting 10 consecutive 3 shot groups averaging .6 at 100 with brand new brass. I don't expect to beat that after the brass has been once fired. I do think I should check the velocity and accuracy on the next firing and I may need a very minor change to the powder to keep it shooting the same. Am I completely wrong?

The size of your chamber and the setting of your die have more to do with subsequent firings. Unless you have a die that's made for your chamber specifically it's all relative. And I've not seen brass that's " way under sized " from the factory. Typically brass is made to a specification that is standard and typically chambers are also made to standards.

I certainly wasn't saying you are crazy, I just keep hearing this same thing being bantered about and I was just curious because I'd never seen it before.