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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Do you fireform all your brass before load development? Or, can you successfully begin without doing so? Thus far I have had some rifles that do & some that don't, depends on the gun.
What do you say?
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
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Reloader, a lot of it has to do with your chamber dimensions and how you size your brass. However, I have seen better accuracy (even if by a small margin) with brass fired 1x,2x, 3x (as opposed to new brass) and so on. With that being said, I've also worked up loads with new brass. But be warned, you may have to go back and fine tune that load just a hair. I'm actually going to be shooting some new brass later on today......
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,961 |
I start load development with new brass. Select the bullet, choose three powders that will get me the best velocities according the the manuals, pick the top end of the range of charges for each powder, and load up 5 rounds in 1 to 1 1/2 grain increments with each powder, plus five more to round out the box of 50. Seat the bullets either at the COAL for the magazine, or 10 thousandths short of the lands. Shoot groups at 100 and see which powders/charge weights do best.
I can usually find a load that shoots really well with the first box of 50, and then load up some more and shoot for distance and consistency.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,341 |
I use once fired brass. It may be my imagination but it seems that fired brass gives slightly higher velocity.
Originally Posted By: P_Weed
I never met a gun I didn't like.
SEdge,
I have an AMT Hardballer I can fix you up with.
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Joined: Dec 2014
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I don't fire form new brass just for the sake of doing it but I do keep brass specific to the rifle it was used in. I won't use brass that was shot in my pre64 M70 7MM in my other rifles in that chambering.
Here's a twist. Several years ago I sold a Weatherby MKV 257 Wby to a friend after Ibought a Weatherby Ultra Light in the same caliber. I had 60 rounds of brass and when I loaded it it wouldn't chamber in the Ultra Light. I had to buy new brass for the new rifle.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,225
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
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I start load development with new brass. Select the bullet, choose three powders that will get me the best velocities according the the manuals, pick the top end of the range of charges for each powder, and load up 5 rounds in 1 to 1 1/2 grain increments with each powder, plus five more to round out the box of 50. Seat the bullets either at the COAL for the magazine, or 10 thousandths short of the lands. Shoot groups at 100 and see which powders/charge weights do best.
I can usually find a load that shoots really well with the first box of 50, and then load up some more and shoot for distance and consistency. I follow the exact same procedure, FWIW
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
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Here's a twist. Several years ago I sold a Weatherby MKV 257 Wby to a friend after Ibought a Weatherby Ultra Light in the same caliber. I had 60 rounds of brass and when I loaded it it wouldn't chamber in the Ultra Light. I had to buy new brass for the new rifle.
Same happened to me recently. I took delivery on a custom 300 WSM by Borden. The brass from my Sako 85 300 WSM WILL NOT chamber in the Borden rifle. But, both sets of brass will resize in the same Redding die at the same setting & then fit their respective chambers.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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......pick the top end of the range of charges for each powder.... That's where the trouble started. Seems this rifle is going to give me premature pressure problems. That is why I posed this question. I already had all my Norma brass fire formed & prepared for load testing when the powders I chose: H4350, VV 550 & 4064, showed terrible flow problems. I spoke with Mr. Borden & he suggested different brass. I have virgin Remington brass to test with. But, I just thought I might forgo the fire forming if I could get by with it. The only powder that acted anywhere near normal was Superformance. I am working specifically with the 155 Scenar & prefer to stick with it.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,961
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,961 |
That's where the trouble started. Seems this rifle is going to give me premature pressure problems. Sometimes I have to pull the top-end loads, a chronograph helps in knowing where you're at pressure-wise. I still start at the top end though, I'd rather pull a few bullets every now and then than dink around in the low end.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2007
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The Win WSM reamers do not have a throat. It is best to start at the low end and work up. I used your method on a Win 70 Classic 270 WSM, 1 grain under max (150 NPT) at book COAL and the primer vaporized. I could not even find it. I went home and pulled a lot of bullets. I could never get the claimed velocities for it with out pressure signs until I had a gunsmith throat it. Maybe it hs to do with a tight chamber, I really don't know. I also have a 300WSM and did not have the same problems.
Ed
A person who asks a question is a fool for 5 minutes the person who never asks is a fool forever.
The worst slaves are those that put the chains on themselves.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I could never get the claimed velocities for it with out pressure signs until I had a gunsmith throat it. Maybe it hs to do with a tight chamber. Never thought about throating it. Since it is a custom it has a very tight chamber. Thanks for the insight.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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The throat may be the cause of your pressure issues. Brass will have different thickness between manufactures. Norma brass is excellent and I use it in several different rifles but I NEVER mix cases, meaning I won't load using Winchester, Remington, Norma brass for the same rifle in the same batch. Hornady also has excellent brass if you want to try another brand.
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