That’s impressive! Want to hear more! I finally have mine up and running and currently FF’g brass with an old barrel and blemished bullets. With hunting season starting next week for me, it’ll likely be late December before I begin load development.
7 FCP, a cartridge developed specifically for the F Class Scene...
- Thread starter Bryan Blake
- Start date
Terry
Gold $$ Contributor
Thank you!
Good loading! Your rifle apparently likes that combination!!
FireFoot
Gold $$ Contributor
Curious what length barrel you are using?
Thanks and nice job!
31" barrel - 4 groove
I know the feeling…. I wish I’d waited now. The necked down 300wsm sounds even more interesting.
I finally got mine put together but haven’t found the time to get brass fireformed, turned, etc…. Life is too busy
I was pondering the various ways to form the cases from Lapua 6.5PRC to 7FCP and finally decided to make myself a hydraulic forming die. After all, I have a chamber reamer so may as well put it to good use! Ok, you need a few more tools than a reamer but fortunately I happen to have a lathe, no surprise there, and a cylindrical grinder, for the ram, and a horizontal honing machine for the matching bore
I also ground a slightly oversized expander mandrel so there would be a good watertight seal between the fresh case and the walls of the die. A quick release, swing away, base was added to make things a little easier. No idea how much pressure I am achieving with a blow from my heavy, hide-faced, hammer but it seemed to do the trick.
Sweep
I also ground a slightly oversized expander mandrel so there would be a good watertight seal between the fresh case and the walls of the die. A quick release, swing away, base was added to make things a little easier. No idea how much pressure I am achieving with a blow from my heavy, hide-faced, hammer but it seemed to do the trick.
Sweep
Did a quick case volume check on the pressure-formed cases and they are all around the 71.5 grains of water and they sit nicely in the case gauge at the correct length. Final fire forming should take it up to Bryan’s expected of 72 grains.
Admittedly, I did have to make a new ram as, not being hardened, multiple hammer blows does take its toll on the straightness of the ram and I started to get binding.
Whilst I’m on, this thread doesn’t seem particularly active so just wondering has the smart money gone in a different direction, is 7SAUM brass now available making the 7FCP unnecessary or, like the video war (VHS vs Betamax, has another 6.5-7PRC variant claimed the laurels?
As I am the only person I know who uses an RPN calculator (look it up!), I don’t mind choosing the less popular or unusual option if it demonstrates an advantage which the 7FCP appears to do.
…Sweep
Admittedly, I did have to make a new ram as, not being hardened, multiple hammer blows does take its toll on the straightness of the ram and I started to get binding.
Whilst I’m on, this thread doesn’t seem particularly active so just wondering has the smart money gone in a different direction, is 7SAUM brass now available making the 7FCP unnecessary or, like the video war (VHS vs Betamax, has another 6.5-7PRC variant claimed the laurels?
As I am the only person I know who uses an RPN calculator (look it up!), I don’t mind choosing the less popular or unusual option if it demonstrates an advantage which the 7FCP appears to do.
…Sweep
Kind of looks like a Wetherby case with the round shoulders…. Just add a belt…
On the subject of “Has smart money moved on to a newer version of 7mm..?”
Even Bryan B is promoting the 7-300WSM as it provides a bit more neck length and a touch more case capacity.
7-6.5PRCW still remains the current favourite as it is just so easy to tune and get stellar results.
It did make me smile, Fire Dog, when I saw you mention the similarities to the Wetherby as it had crossed my mind too.
Choosing the 7FCP has been an interesting path to travel down as it is bringing together my hobbies of shooting and engineering. Tonight, for example, I will be making a case holder to suit my lathe’s collet holder so I can neck turn on the lathe, and at some point in the future, I know things are progressing at a glacial pace, I will be chambering my first barrel, under expert tutelage of course, which I’m really looking forward to doing.
…Sweep
Choosing the 7FCP has been an interesting path to travel down as it is bringing together my hobbies of shooting and engineering. Tonight, for example, I will be making a case holder to suit my lathe’s collet holder so I can neck turn on the lathe, and at some point in the future, I know things are progressing at a glacial pace, I will be chambering my first barrel, under expert tutelage of course, which I’m really looking forward to doing.
…Sweep
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As I am the only person I know who uses an RPN calculator
Negative. Been using one since 1986
As far as popularity, I think there are easier ways to get to the goal than the 7FCP. Fire forming cases that aren’t remotely close to the end result seems like a waste of components and barrel life. Personally I went with his other wildcat the BSM. No fireforming but there’s a lot of brass prep. Hope to know how it shoots in a week or so.
Negative. Been using one since 1986
As far as popularity, I think there are easier ways to get to the goal than the 7FCP. Fire forming cases that aren’t remotely close to the end result seems like a waste of components and barrel life. Personally I went with his other wildcat the BSM. No fireforming but there’s a lot of brass prep. Hope to know how it shoots in a week or so.
You’re probably referring to the BSM. Starts life as 300 WSM brass but it’s not 7-300 WSM. The shoulders are moved considerably and the COAL is 2.02. Virgin “sized” brass is a little over 74 grains of water.Kind of looks like a Wetherby case with the round shoulders…. Just add a belt…
On the subject of “Has smart money moved on to a newer version of 7mm..?”
Even Bryan B is promoting the 7-300WSM as it provides a bit more neck length and a touch more case capacity.
7-6.5PRCW still remains the current favourite as it is just so easy to tune and get stellar results.
There is at least one more RPN user
ChristianSilver
Gold $$ Contributor
Been using them since the mid 80’s.
Hell I can’t hardly use a regular calculator.
This is on my phone…
Hell I can’t hardly use a regular calculator.
This is on my phone…
ChristianSilver
Gold $$ Contributor
Yes sir, very strange using a regular calculator…
I use mine and still write programs for them that suit my needs at work..
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