I just got a new rifle and in an effort to extend the barrel life (it's a 25-06), i was wondering if i could fireform my cases without actually firing a bullet through the barrel. I have about 100 cases to fireform and then i might experiment with necking down a few 30-06 cases. How could i go about forming these new cases without putting rounds down the barrel? What have you had the best results with?
Thanks,
Ruck

First Ruck, unless you are making brass from something else, you don't need to fireform. Just buy new or once fired brass, size it, chamfer the necks, ream the flash holes if you like & load it up & away you go. I have fireformed for AI versions. I have also fireformed one case to make another, .375RUM to .404jeffery, .375h&h to .458lott, etc. You can do this by using a small charge of slow pistol powder, fill the rest of the case w/ cream of wheat or corn meal, seal it w/ a wax plug & fire in a safe direction. You'll have to experiment w/ the powder charge to get the shoulder/neck filled out but it does work.

i forgot to mention that i am doing this so that i can turn the necks on the new brass that i got. It is factory remington brass. Thanks!
Ruck

use a mid range charge of a fast powder for the bullet weight you are going to use, seat the bullet say .005" into the lands, and fire the load. That will completely form the case to your chamber. If you want to try the cream of wheat trick, then do a search on that. Basicaly you take a very few grains of pistol podwer, then pack toilet paper on top of that. then fill the case with cream of wheat, then top it off with a tight wad of toilet paper, and fire that. It should form the cases half decent, but not as well as a pill into the lands will.

My opinion is the bullet does little damage, the heat and pressure is what harms your barrel. To properly fire form your cases you need enought pressure to completly expand the case to the chamber. You can do this with, or with out a bullet. I`d shoot a mid range load to do it if it was me and enjoy the rifle.
JMO..............

When fireforming for my 223 AI I loaded my 223 cases to factory specs. Another advantage to doing this is your also doing your load development at the same time seeing as how it's a 25-06. Why bother with the 30-06 cases when you can buy 25-06 for the same price and you don't have to do the work. 100 rds to put down the barrel is nothing in the life of the gun unless your really pushing the velocities.

25 caliber cast lead bullets are cheap to use in fireforming your brass. Load them long so they are firmly into the rifling. A mid load of any 4895 powder works fine.

I necked down 30-06 brass for use in my then new 25-06 in 1971. It's a real pain in the a$$. You must have much better things to do with your time. Just buy factory new brass and be done with it.

i'm going to experiment a little with the 30-06 brass. I'm going to trim them to near exact chamber specs. Thanks for all the help guys, gonna get a few loaded tonight
Ruck

You can fireform without a bullet with the use of a fast pistol powder, some toilet paper and either Cream O'Wheat or cornmeal. In an '06 size case you can use about 15g of Bullseye or Unique, a small wad of TP next, and fill to the neck with the cereal, another small wad to use as a bullet, then fire away. You won't have real sharp bends but you will headspace fine and be ready to load for accuracy. I do this with most belted magnums to try to minimize the initial stretch and to fully expand the body of new brass.

I've fireformed .30-06 brass using the pistol powder, cream of wheat, wax formula. It works. I also like to turn the necks of my cases to ensure a perfect fit. My .25-06 is used for long range coyote hunting and for antelope. The turned necks aren't necessary for basic big game hunting, but I'm an accuracy nut and like to see how tight a group the rifle is capable of.

Ruck,

I am doing some fireforming as I type this.

My 25-284 brass is more accurate after an initial firing, followed by neck reaming and case prep.

So, I loaded up about 50 rounds of inexpensive Sierra bullets just to shoot.

I am doing all the shooting off-hand, at 60 yards....just for hunting practice.

It's a nice way to fill an afternoon.

If you are looking to have the brass match your chamber, full length size the unfired (virgin) cases, and after the initial firing only neck size afterwards.

If you are trying to minimize barrel wear, use the starting load from the manual for your fireforming (for a particular bullet weight/type).

100 cases will last you a hunting lifetime assuming there isn't something out of the ordinary going on.

As to barrel wear, your rifle will actually shoot better after having 100 rounds shot through it. I clean a new barrel thouroughly after every 10 shots for the first 100 rounds.
(I used to clean it after every 3 shots for break-in, but didn't notice a difference when I switched to every 10).

Garrett

Many rifles shoot best with FL or new brass. The nations #1 shot defends his titles with FL brass. I FL almost everything. Use FL or new brass and forget about fireforming.

If you feel you must fireform then make up a reduced load with a light bullet for your caliber and half the charge of a full load by weight of IMR's SR 4759. This will produce 2600 to 2800 fps in most cartridges and hit low at 100 yds. Just use the lower plex on your duplex for the aiming point and sight it in by changing the scopes power. Higher powers will raise the point of impact.

If 60 grs of conventional slow burning powder is a full load then use 30 grs of 4759 with 87 gr bullets. These will be a nice mid range fireforming load and save your barrel as well.

yes, your just wasteing your time, shoot those bullet at something with the new brass and fireform at the same time..Your not harming a barrel by shooting it.