30 BR Fire Forning Questions

[yat3b35]

In another week or so I'll have my 30 BR ready to start fire forming.I've read most of the posts on the 30br but found no mention of fire forming . I've done lots of fire forming,6ppc)and others. I found with the 6ppc that my fire forming loads were in some cases good enough to shoot in matches, never won a match with fire forming loads but came close at local groundhog match.
My questions for you 30 BR shooters ; Have you found accurate enough loads for forming to use in a match ? Or do you just do a lot of practice with your fire forming loads ?
I have 200 Lapua cases prepped ready for their first load,Fed BR primers, H4198 powder and 118gr Bib bullets. I hate to use those Bib bullets for fire forming so was thinking of using some left over 110 gr Berger's. My chamber is original Randy Robinett design with zero free bore, so I'm thinking the 110's will be OK.
I'm running a .330" nd and a loaded round measures .328" . After turning the necks they measure .325" leaving me with .005" tention on the bullet and that's more than I want. After fireing I will adjust with proper bushing to get around .002" . What would be a safe starting load ?

 

[tripcrow]

Hey John, between Charlie’s record score at Ship and Henry’s constant highs at St. Thomas, missing going perfect twice by 1 point at 400, the 30BR looks to be taking over the local Groundhog Shoots. While I didn’t get one, trying to leap-frog you people by following Rod’s lead into the 6.5x47 case, me and a lot of others like to use Tuesday shoots for blowing out our brass. Just whip up what should be a decent load and have fun. Because all your brass will then be formed with the same load it has the benefit of blowing it out all the same. Then your later load testing will be more indicative of what you will get on Saturdays.

Plus with the smaller crowd on a Tuesday, you should be able to get a bench that’d be easy for Lois to get around at. But then too on the minus side, that’d mean waiting for more than a month till you’d get to shot your new gun.

Bill

 

[rayjay]

I was told that my used 30 would be accurate with the fireforming loads so I shot 8 rounds through it. The first 3 went right across the sighter bull and the next 5 shot a 50-3 or 4x [ 100 yds ] so I decided to stop right there and wait for the next match.

On match day the first few shots looked like I was shooting some old rusty bore mil surplus and I knew I was screwed. $20 entry fee thrown away. 491-16x last place in the BR class.

So my advice is to just shoot up the fireforming loads and be done with it.

 

[yat3b35]

Ok Bill there ya go trying to get Lois behind my new 30BR, she took back her 6ppc so I'm going with the 30br. Got Sid Goodling doing the work since he's had lots of experience with them. I'm even trading him my new reamer for a sizing die.He said he was gonna order one with a zero free bore so The trade was made,since he's gonna do all my future work anyhow . After Lois' 6ppc is shot out I'll get her into the 30br too.
Back to the question,oh never mind. LOL With the 6ppc using 25 gr N133 and a 68 gr Hammond bullet seated hard in the lands I was able to take 2nd place at Shippensburg this past July match,then Lois took it away since I had bought it for her after I shot the barrel out of her .243. The 25gr load in the 6ppc is 4.5 gr less than what we shoot in it now.My first ISB shoot with it at 200 yds I shot a 250 - 8x and ended up 5th.and that was up against all the 30brs. I'm not worried about barrel wear in the 30,just wanted to shoot in match conditions for forming and hopefully not make a fool of myself,which I do often enough as it is :crazy:

gun,I did read Randy's article and talked to him on the phone lots of times but forgot to ask him for his ideas on forming during a match. I hate to bother him,cause I'm waiting for another 1000 bullets and don't want to slow him down by yacking at him on the phone. The .005" tention is only after turning and before shooting the first time, and I will try .001" or .002" tention once fire formed.

ray thanks for your input too.any advice is taken and welcomed. Not gonna say I'll use it all but LOL

 

[tripcrow]

ROFL

From talking with Henry a few weeks ago it sounds very likely that he’ll have a fresh 30BR barrel for this season. Ken has one being made up by Sid. And I believe Bob Sheriff, the only person I know of to get em all at 400, said he has one ready to go. Meanwhile back on the reservation, I hope to take the 6.5x47 out for its first firings this afternoon with some culled cases.

I got to shoot Tenring’s while he was fireforming late last season and that thing shot outstanding with Speer TNTs of all things.

 

[yat3b35]

Bill I remember Randy Robinett telling me that the Speer tnt was a good shooter if you got a good lot. Did I tell you I sold the 6.5/284? Had about $1000.00 in it and got $1500.00 for it. I hated the trigger on that Savage. Sid's blue printing a Remington 700 for me all the way to sleeveing the bolt.

Have fun shooting. John