I am needing to fire form some 6.5-06AI cases. I am planning to start with .270 Win brass. I will add some powder to the case but no cream of wheat or other filler except a tad of TP to keep the powder from spilling out. I don't have any Bullseye and don't really want to buy any. I have Blue Dot, Hercules 2400, WW 296 and IMR SR4756. Which one would you use and how much?

Load a bullet in it with a good, stiff, load. Get in some target practice while forming your brass. Regards, Bill

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Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Load a bullet in it with a good, stiff, load. Get in some target practice while forming your brass. Regards, Bill

That's another good way especially if the chamber will take a case that's about .015 too long. I'm told fire forming will shorten the case by about .015 so I'm trying to avoid that. With the powder only method the case can be trimmed afterwards.

We have built many wildcats that require fire forming, including this one.

Our only method of fire forming is to load bulk bought bullets, seated out to engage the rifling with a normal load.

Cases do get shorter, but that really has no effect om performance.

X2

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Originally posted by Saeed:
We have built many wildcats that require fire forming, including this one.

Our only method of fire forming is to load bulk bought bullets, seated out to engage the rifling with a normal load.

Cases do get shorter, but that really has no effect om performance.

I've also done that in the past, but does a shorter case contribute to carbon rings or cause other problems? I don't have the gun in hand yet so I have time to come to a decision about which way to go.

Shorter cases or not, we have not noticed any lack of accuracy.

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Originally posted by Saeed:
Shorter cases or not, we have not noticed any lack of accuracy.

Accuracy isn't my first concern. Easier formation of carbon rings is one concern.

Got the rifle yesterday 05/08 and after fiddling around I am going to trim .270 Win to .06 case length and fire form as I have in the past.

I used 18gn blue dot and semolina topped off with candle wax.
I didn't want to waste bullets or reduce the life of the barrel.
So I built a hydraulic former it worked with some degree of success but needs a slight change in design.
Made the ackley former using an old barrel, there is a plunger that I hit with a hammer and hey presto formed case..
Sadly don't have the 6.5-06 now so surplus to requirements also have 200 new 6.5-06 cases.

Regards
Griff

You have, or should, make a false shoulder on the brass first, then shoot as normal.
Or, use the Jam the bullet into the rifling, technique;that works.
Griff has a good idea but too much work!

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od idea but to

there is not much to the hydraulic forming and is quick and no noise..
It was a project just to see if I could make one.
If I was to do it again I would use 30-06 cases, no trimming and neck down to create a false shoulder.

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Originally posted by dpcd:
You have, or should, make a false shoulder on the brass first, then shoot as normal.
Or, use the Jam the bullet into the rifling, technique;that works.
Griff has a good idea but too much work!

I just FL sized .270 cases in a Redding FL die. Here is a pic of the sized case. The case is a snug fit in the chamber as is so a false shoulder isn't necessary. Not sure if it shows a false shoulder or not. The cases were trimmed to .06 length.

Is it too difficult to neck down standard 30-06 brass to make 6.5-06 Ackley brass? Do the necks need turning? I used to neck down .300rum brass to make 6.5rum brass and that worked with a simple neck down.

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Originally posted by deadibob:
Is it too difficult to neck down standard 30-06 brass to make 6.5-06 Ackley brass? Do the necks need turning? I used to neck down .300rum brass to make 6.5rum brass and that worked with a simple neck down.

It's usually a 2 step process so depending upon your chamber neck clearance, you may need or want to turn your case necks. I would do it before I started and then again after they were formed. If you do it using the bulletless method it doesn't matter.

Many shooters believe that Lapua produces the best brass and since they produce .30-06 brass [but no .25-06 or .270 brass] feel that it's worth the effort.
Here is a pic of some I fire formed today. The 2 on the right were done years ago in another old rifle.

[/QUOTE]That's another good way especially if the chamber will take a case that's about .015 too long. I'm told fire forming will shorten the case by about .015 so I'm trying to avoid that. [QUOTE]

I have had cases shorten .045" from start to finish; that would include forming and fire forming. That does not mean much to most but if the chamber was not cleaned up with the improved reamer the case could form with a short neck. One example would be the 30 Gibbs. the 30 Gibbs neck is .217" long; again I want all the case neck I can get.

F. Guffey

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Originally posted by F. Guffey:

That's another good way especially if the chamber will take a case that's about .015 too long. I'm told fire forming will shorten the case by about .015 so I'm trying to avoid that.

quote:

I have had cases shorten .045" from start to finish; that would include forming and fire forming. That does not mean much to most but if the chamber was not cleaned up with the improved reamer the case could form with a short neck. One example would be the 30 Gibbs. the 30 Gibbs neck is .217" long; again I want all the case neck I can get.

F. Guffey

I didn't lose any neck length.

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I didn't lose any neck length.

If I do not loose neck length the shoulder of the case was against the shoulder of the chamber when fired.

That can be a bad thing unless the case has no clearance.

F. Guffey

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Originally posted by F. Guffey:

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I didn't lose any neck length.

If I do not loose neck length the shoulder of the case was against the shoulder of the chamber when fired.

That can be a bad thing unless the case has no clearance.

F. Guffey

I lost some overall case length [I don't think it was .015 tho] so I assume the difference between starting overall length of 2.494 and final fire formed overall length came from below the neck. The case was a snug fit in the chamber.

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I didn't lose any neck length.

Responses can get convoluted; you started out with forming Ackley Improved cases. When I form cases I have to know what action I am using, when I form Ackley Improved cases I have to know what Ackley chamber is being used. It helps to know if the chamber was cut from a 30/06 chamber. I understand it is possible that means nothing to other reloaders. It matters to me because I have to know how the case head spaces.

The Ackley reamer will not clean up a 30/06 chamber, this little problem allows the shooter to fire minimum length/full length sized cases.

Meaning the reloader forms the shoulder juncture and part of the neck when the case is chambered; and then, the rest of the shoulder is formed when fired. And then it gets to that part where I have no control. When the case fires it expands to form part of the neck and case body. When the case expands the neck is pulled back.

Again, I understand how the action works, I know it is a waste of time trying to convince a reloader it is possible to determine what happens the case before it is fired.

When I pull the trigger I want the case head against the bolt face.

F. Guffey

take the .270 cases put in the pistol-powder, and COW or whatever you use, shoot it,THEN trim it. the case will then be the right length.
It's counter-productive to trim a .270 to '06-length first.
Have fun,
Gene

I should say, for safety's sake....
NO BULLET!! in this case.
Gene

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It's counter-productive to trim a .270 to '06-length first.

The difference in length from the end of the neck to the case head is .041".

F. Guffey