Fireforming for AR's

[Tactical30]

Im new to reloading and heard it <span style="font-weight: bold">wasnt</span> possible to fireform brass if you are shooting an AR and was told <span style="font-weight: bold">always </span>FL your brass before you shoot it out of and AR-15. True? For a bolt gun its a different story I guess. I havnt reoaded for my bolt gun yet, im getting ready to send a bunch of parts out to Warner Tool to have it built. Cant Wait! They said it would take about 2 months to get the Bartlien MTU bbl (thats the only thing I dont have yet is the bbl) and then another 2 months for the build so im looking at about 4 months. I tried to time to have the build done in the winter anyway. Whats the steps when you have to start fireforming for your bolt gun? It will be a .300 Win. Mag. Anyone know anyone that had a gun built by Warner Tool? Pics? The only thing they said they couldnt do and would have to send out to have done is the Cerakoting.

 

[Sig685]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: longrange30</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im new to reloading and heard it <span style="font-weight: bold">wasnt</span> possible to fireform brass if you are shooting an AR and was told <span style="font-weight: bold">always </span>FL your brass before you shoot it out of and AR-15. True? (snip) </div></div>

You need to learn the concept of paragraphs.

What do you mean by "fireforming brass in an AR-15?" If it's in .223/5.56 just use the proper cases. What cases would you use to fire form .223/5.56 to begin with?

You do not need to resize virgin brass for use in your AR-15, but you must use a full length die to resize fired brass.

 

[Outsydlooknin75]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

The reason they say dont fireform for an AR is because if you shoot it in one rifle and form to that chamber you are stuck shooting that load in only that AR. Which isnt a bad thing but if you have multiple AR's you should FL size so you can use in ANY rifle and not just that one you formed in.

As far as a bolt gun, shoot, then just bump the shoulder and size the neck, not need to FL size if you are going to shoot it only in that gun since the brass is stretched to the chamber in that gun.

 

[Tactical30]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

Wow the guys on here were right. There are some assholes on this forum. I didnt know I had to be a English Teacher or a genius to post on this forum! (i.e. Sig685's smartass answer. He must be the guy that has all the $5,000 guns and brags about his sub-moa accuracy but never shoots them or posts pictures of other peoples guns and claims their his.)

 

[4Rail_Gunner]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: longrange30</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im new to reloading and heard it <span style="font-weight: bold">wasnt</span> possible to fireform brass if you are shooting an AR and was told <span style="font-weight: bold">always </span>FL your brass before you shoot it out of and AR-15. True?

For a bolt gun its a different story I guess. I havnt reoaded for my bolt gun yet, im getting ready to send a bunch of parts out to Warner Tool to have it built. Cant Wait! They said it would take about 2 months to get the Bartlien MTU bbl (thats the only thing I dont have yet is the bbl) and then another 2 months for the build so im looking at about 4 months. I tried to time to have the build done in the winter anyway.

Whats the steps when you have to start fireforming for your bolt gun? It will be a .300 Win. Mag.

Anyone know anyone that had a gun built by Warner Tool? Pics? The only thing they said they couldnt do and would have to send out to have done is the Cerakoting. </div></div>

That should help.

The brass is "fireformed" to that gun before the bullet ever leaves the barrel.

Outsydlooknin75 said it Right, you should fulllength size for your AR-15.

Bolt guns, bump the shoulder (.003-.005) and load and go. Unless you have multiple bolt guns (same cartridge) with different chamber sizes.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

So, you don't bump the shoulder back on an AR? Just FL size it as the die touches the shell holder at its highest point? I'm new to loading AR's too, always bumped shoulder back on my bolt guns.

 

[Hummer]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

yes you need to bump AR brass shoulders. I generally FL size for AR but for long range I might neck size since bullets are seated long. For general use FL size AR to fit in a L.w. Wilson case gage and you will never have a bit of trouble.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

sweet, that's what I did last night. Thanks hummer!

 

[Sig685]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: longrange30</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow the guys on here were right. There are some assholes on this forum. I didnt know I had to be a English Teacher or a genius to post on this forum! (i.e. Sig685's smartass answer. He must be the guy that has all the $5,000 guns and brags about his sub-moa accuracy but never shoots them or posts pictures of other peoples guns and claims their his.) </div></div>

Ah, funny guy. That's very cute. No, you don't have to be an English teacher (and there is no chance you will be considered a genius,) to post here but if you break up your monoparagraph postings it makes them easier to read.

Forget about fireforming brass in an AR-15 unless you are converting brass from one caliber to another. You need to full length resize the brass EVERY TIME. If you think you can get away with neck sizing, let me tell you that at some point, your extractor will jump the rim or rip it. BTDT.

The recommendation to use a cartridge case is excellent, I check each and every cartridge I handload for my ARs in a similar guage, just before I put it in the box.

 

[Mo_Zam_Beek]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

LR30 - I got the gist of your question just fine.

ARs - what chamber specs are you working with? NATO? If so, pull the spec from a manual and just squash it down .002 - .003 and call it good.

On the other hand if you have a tighter chamber - Wylde or other - take 10 brass factory rounds (or more - 10 is minimum) and fire them in that chamber. Collect the brass and use an RCBS Precision Mic to determine your die settings. Set your dies up and squash the cases down .002 - .003 off of the measurement that you took from the fired cases using the Precision Mic. Use the P Mic to confirm that you have set you dies correctly. Now you have a die setting that is optimum for this tighter chamber and still runs great (b/c it is slightly smaller) in a NATO chamber. Your seating depth is controlled by the box mag - so just seat them to mag length (read factory for the weight of the bullet that you are reloading).

On your .300 Win Mag - get a Precision Mic and do the same. Except now you do want to play with the seating depth. There are several ways to check seating depth so read up on it. FWIW I find the Precision Mic hard to use in that capacity.

Also since you are new to reloading, and only accurate rifles are interesting - may as well learn to do it right. Get yourself a basic reloading manual like a Speer or Hornady; but also get Precision Shooting Magazine's Reloading Guide (3rd up from the bottom)


There are a LOT of tips and pet loads in the reloading section - check 'em out and ask questions if you need help. There are some very knowledgeable folks around here (and I ain't one of them).


Good luck

 

[Downzero]

Re: Fireforming for AR's

I set my sizing die with a chamber gauge. If it fits in a chamber gauge, it'll fit in ANY rifle.