Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Fire forming .223AI with Blue Dot

Anyone fire forming .223AI with Blue Dot loads? Got a gopher shoot coming up and was toying with the idea. Shot a few 50 Zmax with 13 to 14 grains and the shoulders are nice and sharp but the necks are longer on one side. Kind of curious why this would happen and if there is an easy fix.

To be clear, I'm referring to shooting bullets and forming, not cream of wheat.

I was under the impression that you were supposed to use full power loads when fireforming with bullets.

Why not load a bunch full power and go on your shoot?

I don't know about the necks, but I have had crooked webs on my cases. I was told it was from the ejector.

I'd guess trim them up...

could be just forming to your chamber, which would indicate the chamber is cut cattywumpus...

Chambers are good. I'll check against full house formed stuff.

Don't wanna trim.

I'll use h335 this trip but would like the blue dot option for future reference.

for what its worth....

with a 50 grain bullet, I'd bet 10 grains of Blue Dot would accomplish your intended desire...

but don't hold that as gospel... try it first...

as Ingwe sez... you can thank me later or curse me later..

Even with the extra room, isn't 13 to 14 a little on the high side for under 50 grainers?
I understand that fireforming for improved chamberings usually is best when you're at "book max" or really close (with a fastish powder) for the factory load, but I think that's kind of stiff. Blue Dot goes from mild to wild PDQ in my experience.
As for the forming, I would bet money you will find a heavy and light side on your cases. Get a level mirror and mark the low side, I'm pretty sure it will be the long side of the neck as well.

I've always recommended 14 grains of Blue Dot as Max for the 50 grain bullets...

I'm running 13.8 under 40s in the 223 and 14.4 under 40's in the BR. No overt signs, but new brass forms up really sharp.