Question for the Reloading Gods

[blboyd]

I have been reloading over 17 years and have collected over 30 sets of dies, 4 presses, casting equipment and enough supplies to overthrow a small country. I've reloaded for both rifle and pistols but now I have a rifle that has me stumped.

I use to have an Ackley Improved .223 Remington so I understand the reloading of improved cartridges. You can fire factory ammo in them to fireform the brass. Then you need to resize and trim cases after firing. Then you're good to go until you wear out the brass.

I've also read about tight-neck chambers but never actually owned one until now. You can't fire factory ammo because the neck is too tight. The neck thickness must be turned down to fit the chamber.

Now hear lies my problem... I have a rifle with an improved and tight-neck chamber.

I have thought about 2 ways to form the brass but I want to get someone else to weigh in on my thoughts.

Method 1
1) Using factory ammo remove the bullet and powder
2) Turn case necks to desired thickness
3) Load fast pistol powder with filler and fire
4) Resize and decap
5) Trim to length

Method 2
1) Using factory ammo remove the bullet and powder
2) Turn case necks to desired thickness
3) Load with normal starting powder load and bullet and fire
4) Resize and decap
5) Trim to length

In my mind the case neck must be turned for thickness before any fireforming happens? Is that true?

Thanks for any help!
Brandon

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

Why not just buy a batch of cases and prep them for the tight neck and load them with a known light load, and go from there?

That is, don't start with factory ammo start with cases.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

" You can't fire factory ammo .. The neck thickness must be turned down to fit the chamber. ... In my mind the case neck must be turned for thickness before any fireforming happens? "

Well, as you have explained it, seems that to chamber they must first be turned. ???

Not sure I understand what 'fireforming' with a "light load" is supposed to accomplish.

 

[Wade]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

Definitely not a reloading expert here, but I'd buy new brass and fireform without bullets or hydroform.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

I'd use method 2, or go with new cases, turn the necks and fireform with the pistol powder,cream of wheat filler, and a paper wad.

 

[Longshot38]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

Simple plan. Go buy a bulk of brass and set of dies. Then:

1) FL resize the cases and prime
2) Trim the cases to length
3) Turn the necks
4) Load ammunition and begin load development

It would seem to me that this would be the easiest thing to do. Buy factory ammunition seems to be an expensive way to get your brass.

 

[blboyd]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

Sorry about the confusion... I only mentioned factory ammo because I had some.

The rifle only came with a box of ammo. I'd like to buy a couple hundred pieces of brass and start from there.

This is just unchartered territory for me.

The rifle is a Ruger M77 in 7x57mm Mauser Graves Improved Tight-Neck. Certainly an oddball cartridge.

Thanks for the help guys!
Brandon

 

[spot69221]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

I was thinking, if I had the free time to take apart factory and turn them no big deal but wait...

...I have a rifle I spent money on for a tight neck to shoot as accurate as possible, why would I want to feed it with anything but premium hand loads?

Short of custom brass (ie Lapua etc...), I think it would be wasting more than just components.

Now, with that being said - I could see doing the same thing to 'play' with my loading technique. I would be learning at a cheaper price and finding what bushing, brass dimensions, how much to bump the shoulder, case capacity of a fired round (for this brass) would be. It could get me in the ballpark for my premium components.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

Buy brass, turn necks, load with bullets, shoot.
Don't put cream of wheat or any other filler through your custom barrel. It can erode your throat and rifling.

 

[trigger time]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

Sounds like a good reason to run a new reamer in it.

 

[supratt96]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: armorpl8chikn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Buy brass, turn necks, load with bullets, shoot.
Don't put cream of wheat or any other filler through your custom barrel. It can erode your throat and rifling.</div></div>

+1

I have a 6mm AR Turbo 40 Improved and my fire forming loads are extremely accurate and achieve very respectable velocities. They work just fine for hunting, casual target shooting and even match shooting to 300 yards. For anything longer, I go with fire formed loads.

 

[MALLARD]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

im not sure the cream of wheat method produceds enough pressure to fully form a case in a chamber

 

[Voracious]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

L/A or S/A?

 

[turbo54]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MALLARD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">im not sure the cream of wheat method produceds enough pressure to fully form a case in a chamber </div></div>

This^^

Fireform with max loads if you can. The cream of wheat method doesnt work grwat because the brass just doesnt take on the true shape of the chamber. Light loads are better, but max loads are best. You want to get the brass to flow, and that takes pressure!

 

[fncannon]

Re: Question for the Reloading Gods

I always prepped new cases, ream/neck turn, and shoot full power loads for wildcats. YMMV, but that's this lazy man's way to avoid extra steps whenever possible.