Fireforming Brass Loss/Failure

[pintopete]

Any way to avoid this damage or loss? Fireforming in this instance is for a .257AI 40* RP brass IMR4831 45.0gr CCI200 Sierra 117gr SPBT. Thanks, Peter.

 

[Doug Beach]

Is the brass new?
If you have new brass, and the chamber is done correctly, you should have nearly zero failures. If the brass isn’t new, I’d either replace it, or anneal it.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Anneal your necks and shoulders and do not use a heavy bullet with a slow powder.
You want a mid range powder, like Varget if you’re using bullets to fireform and I would use a 100gr pill at max weight for this.

To be perfectly honest, I have never used a bullet to fireform any of my improved cases, even my 375 Weatherby or 338-416 Rigby Improved.
I use COW, a fast pistol/shotgun powder and a wad of TP.

Cheers.

 

[pintopete]

I’m fairly certain it was used RP brass that I fully prepped. If you guys are willing to share more details than you have already, I’d appreciate it.

Is there a brass that I can buy new that may work better? This is a hunting rifle.

Thanks, Peter.

 

[338 dude]

Any way to avoid this damage or loss? Fireforming in this instance is for a .257AI 40* RP brass IMR4831 45.0gr CCI200 Sierra 117gr SPBT. Thanks, Peter.View attachment 1241341

Anneal

 

[358WCF]

I’m fairly certain it was used RP brass that I fully prepped. If you guys are willing to share more details than you have already, I’d appreciate it.

Is there a brass that I can buy new that may work better? This is a hunting rifle.

Thanks, Peter.

I believe NEW is the magic word. I've been shooting Ackleys & fireforming brass for 40 years & never had such a failure, but have always used new brass. With the panic in full force, annealing may work with used cases. I have no experience with it. Just another variable without $$ equipment.

I also use a fairly stiff if not book max load of fast to med. burn rate powder for the parent cartridge. Your load is in the mid range of slower powder in the offspring cartridge.

 

[pintopete]

Understood on the new and/or anneal. Looks like it will be anneal because 257R brass is out of stock at most all retailers.

Never annealed brass before, but willing to learn.

Thanks, Peter.

 

[shortthroat]

ditto to fire forming with a light load. I use a cast lead bullet and 3 gr. Bullseye, and size and anneal before firing. You don't want to blow up the undersize brass, but just enough pressure to set it out to the chamber size. Casting a light bullet with lube of course is the cheapest way to fire form and Bullseye is just about the cheapest and fastest powder to do the job. Don't try to fire form if the brass is more than once fired. New brass properly annealed is likely to be your best bet.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Annealing isn’t difficult, but it has to be done correctly. Too little in the flame does nothing and, too long in the flame will ruin the brass.
I made my own rotating twin flame annealer, but you can do it by hand successfully.
I used a ‘lazy Susan’ so I could rotate a glass bowl with water in it 1/3 up the case.
I held the torch with a clamp at the correct angle and rotated the table.
I found that once the rainbow had just descended into the case body below the shoulder and the flame just glows orange, about 6-7 seconds, was enough annealing.
With my annealing machine, it takes 6 seconds to fully anneal most brands of brass.
YouTube is a great source to learn how to anneal your necks.
I anneal new brass prior to fire forming, it saves lost cases, as I have had NEW Remington 22-250 brass split necks while fire forming to the AI.

Cheers.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

New brass for any kind of reforming. You could get some hornady 6mm rem brass new. Its usually available, or find the holy grail- 7x57 rws brass. Once brass is fired it hardens up and cracks when forming.

 

[Willie]

If I had a 257 pilot or you would buy one, I'd anneal them for you at no charge, on my AMP Aztec.

 

[AckleymanII]

Remember to never fire form with a light load as another poster has mentioned. I usually fire form with bullseye and a case full of cream of wheat with a piece of paper towel in the case mouth. About 14g of Bullseye should do you well.

 

[jepp2]

Never annealed brass before, but willing to learn.

Another option would be to send your brass to someone like DJ's Brass Service
https://djsbrass.com/

The neck cracks that many show would indicate to me the brass has many firings on it. You also might consider obtaining some better quality (only once fired) brass to start with.

Since you said it is a hunting rifle, I'm guessing you don't need many hundreds of rounds. I've found excellent accuracy with fireforming loads. So once you get your brass annealed, you can do your load development (initial not final) while fireforming.

 

[D Coots]

Throw that brass away and place an ad here in the "wanted section. "

 

[pintopete]

Thanks for all the answers and suggestions. Definitely need to throw that brass in the scrap bin. Looks like annealing is the answer, and some of the other techniques as well. I’ll check to see if I have more, or run a WTB ad.
Thanks again, Peter.

 

[jepp2]

or run a WTB ad

PM sent

 

[ebb]

If you are going to put that much work into brass, use new brass and get the best there is.

 

[bozo699]

I don’t have a loading manual in front of me but 45 grains of 4831 would be about max for a ackley improved case your way over pressure I think I’ve loaded a lot of 115 noslers and I believe I use 45.5 grains of 4831 and it’s a hot load you need to use load data for the .257 not ackley
Wayne

 

[KMart]

I don’t have a loading manual in front of me but 45 grains of 4831 would be about max for a ackley improved case your way over pressure I think I’ve loaded a lot of 115 noslers and I believe I use 45.5 grains of 4831 and it’s a hot load you need to use load data for the .257 not ackley
Wayne

 

[bozo699]

Well there it is in the loading manual your way to hot back it off to maybe 40 grains of 4831 and flat base bullets are better when fire forming but your 117’s would work
Wayne