Dasher brass forming

[JoeMcNeill]

I know that Hornady makes Dasher brass forming hydraulic dies but I never see/read where anyone uses them. WHY? It would seem to me that it would be better to use water rather that bullets, powder, primers and barrel wear to form brass or am I missing something?
I guess that you can fire form brass during a match and get good results and I have not ordered a hydraulic die yet (at $175.00). Just wondering.
Regards,

JDM

 

[Terry]

A friend did 200 for me with the Hornady die. He uses alcohol. Worked great.

 

[johara1]

Terry, How long are the cases when formed?..... jim

 

[johnmyers]

Terry, How long are the cases when formed?..... jim

I did them for Terry, I will measure one and let you know the next time I do some. Forms to around 95% and takes about an hour to do 100. First firing shoots well but usually have to tweak the load a little on 2nd firing.

 

[johara1]

I'm using a fire form barrel and mine run 1.552-3 on fire forming...... jim

 

[codyki]

I will answer the question by when I use my hydro die they come out at 1.545 ish on length.

Accuracy is there -- buddies dasher shot a mid 6" 10 shot group at 1000 during competition with brass that had only been hydro formed. It beat me and a lot others...

If brass doesn't get shorter when formed -- where does it come from. Has anyone ACTUALLY figured this out verses opinonsby?

 

[johara1]

The reason mine don't get shorter i learned how to fire form the right way.Blow length is first step in making an accurate case. Once they are short they stay short. What length chamber do you use? ....jim

 

[SDDasher]

Jim
Care to share your fire forming technique for maximum blow length?

 

[LRPV]

I set up my hydro die so that I have to bump the shoulder to chamber them. Case length on new blue box was 1.535-1.537. I haven't shot but one case that I hydro formed so far but it got even shorter after firing I just can't remember off the top of my head what it measured. I hope to get out and shoot some soon.
Jason

 

[codyki]

The chamber length is PTG Go gauge plus 0 - 1 thousanths. I'm reading between the lines that your learned experience has you opting for a different chamber length to keep a longer neck dimension?

 

[johara1]

The gage has nothing to do with chamber length...... jim

 

[Terry]

Terry, How long are the cases when formed?..... jim

1.545-1.550

 

[Frankr]

I used the steped neck method with pistol powder and no bullet. i only fireformed 24 cases just to see how it went. I got a case formed 95%. so i was able to deprime and neck 1/4 of the neck on my 6BR redding comp/bushing die. I also seated the berger 105 VLD with my 6BR redding comp/seater die. I seated the bullet into the rifling .015 to shoot them. I loaded 33.0 grs of RL15 off a harrels powder measure. so i has from 32.9gr to 33.4gr variance. after getting it on target i shot 20 through the chrony. low was 2,958FPS high was 2,989FPS out of my 26" bartieln barrel. so i was happy with that. I only had a 18 power scope on it. so i used a UBR 200yrd target at 100yrds. in a very bad mirrage. my first 5 shot group was a .340 and the mirrage was so bad even on 18 power it looked like it was a .100 . i made a adjustment to the scope. shooting the right to left mirrage shot the .340 and the .308 shooting the left to right mirrage shot the big groups. but im very happy with them.
My cases look good but they do measure from 1.529- to 1.550 OAL. so i dont know just yet. and i have a .2704 neck and i can not get a bullet to slide into a fired case neck so i dont know what is going on there just yet either. i need to do some mic'n to find out. but new blue box brass unturned and untouched at this point.

5 shot groups at 100yrds.
first 24 rounds fired threw it. First time i have ever shot it.
Only had a 18 power hunting scope on it. I just havent been able to afford to buy a new scope yet. i could not take it anymore had to get out and shoot it.It maybe mid to late summer before i can get a scope for it
Shot these 03/09/13 1:30pm

 

[codyki]

chamber is 1.560. The reason you ask is?

 

[johara1]

How did you come up with 1.560? was that on the reamer? I and others have found that .015 less than chamber length is good for a trim length. Had some strange things happen at.010, but what ever works for you.......... jim

 

[codyki]

Reamer print of 1.560, yes. You're leading me somewhere but I must not have taken to many steps away from the short bus so I'm still a little slow... so your chamber length is 1.570 with your discussed fireform lengths?

 

[johara1]

No, my chamber length is marked 1.560 also but it's a feel good number. The real size is 1.566, close but no cigar. I know one forum member that his reamer is marked 1.555 and it is 1.570. I guess it's no big deal to some but when you strive for ultimate accuracy it is. ..... jim