Fire-forming 308 to 338 Federal... Long time reloader never fire-formed before. sooooo How? Just load minimum 308 loads and let 'er rip?

All assistance is appreciated in advance...

Collins

Uh....no, I believe you kneck-up to .338 then load and shoot. Just me though.

Ted,
I fireform without a bullet before necking up.
Butch

I would run the brass in my sizer load and fire.

No real forming needed

neck it up, make sure it chambers and fire as normal. them measure and trim if necessary.
spend some time making the reformed brass fit first. then make it better after fieforming.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
Ted,
I fireform without a bullet before necking up.
Butch

+1 --- Easy just fill 3/4 with Bullseye then top with some cotton ball to keep in the powder then pull the trigger while pointing straight up. Only can do about 5 to 6 before resting the tube because of heat. Done thousands upon thousands this way with never an issue.

If you fireform first you will have a straighter neck and no donut.
Butch

die form and shoot ... use some imperial sizing lube or kiwi clear polish on the expander.

i've shot 243 in 358, just to see .. it works, but aint smart

quote:

i've shot 243 in 358, just to see .. it works, but aint smart

Well said, Jeff.

Contrivences to expand necks by using the gas pressure of a powder charge are foolishness incarnate. To use .308 brass in your .338 Federal simply run a tapered expander button thorugh it, then load it with a nominal load to fireform it perfectly to your chamber.

Blowing cream of wheat or Dacron puffs all over your back yard with a questionable charge of fast-burning pistol powder is (1) asking for trouble (2) can't be good for your barrel, and (3) has got to be messy as hell.

I respect that a couple of guys here do it and swear by it, but some people also like bungee jumping and mud wrestling.

How do you figure that Stoney?
Butch

You can use the fast powder and cereal method but I perfer the resize load and fire with a bullet. You get the extra practice of shooting with that rifle. One thing that has not been mentioned however is the charge. I would suggest you do NOT want a minimum load when fireforming. I would suggest a medium burning powder (I like 4895) and a charge a couple or three grs from max. This will ensure the neck & shoulder are fully formed.

Several ways to whip a horse. I do not use any filler other than a pistol powder and a wax plug. If I can get by without running an expander through, I will. I do have an advantage as I chamber my own barrels. I have a bunch of old 22 barrels. To fireform a 30 cal for instance, I drill and ream the bore for about 5" to allow my 30cal reamer bushing to follow it and chamber the barrel. Nice brass off the bat. Run through your sizer and you are good to go. You can do this on your back porch if you stick the muzzle in a batt of insulation. I have done 1000s of rounds like this over the years. A great way to form wildcats.
Flame away.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

Contrivences to expand necks by using the gas pressure of a powder charge are foolishness incarnate. To use .308 brass in your .338 Federal simply run a tapered expander button thorugh it, then load it with a nominal load to fireform it perfectly to your chamber.

Blowing cream of wheat or Dacron puffs all over your back yard with a questionable charge of fast-burning pistol powder is (1) asking for trouble (2) can't be good for your barrel, and (3) has got to be messy as hell.

I respect that a couple of guys here do it and swear by it, but some people also like bungee jumping and mud wrestling.

Definately spoken by someone who HASN'T BTDT. 3 stikes against you on this one.

While I don't expand neck with the bulletless method, I will fireform using this method.

I'd rather use 15 gr of powder vs 60 and bullets cost good money. Cream of Wheat eroding steel - you've got to be kidding me!!

wait a second ..
i don't LIKE using cream of wheat .. it IS messy if you are going to do more than 2-3 cases... i've only done "hundreds" (perhaps 1500)of fireformings, from 375 rum to my 416, 458, and 470 AccRel cartridges .. and a a couple hundred 308 to 358, a couple hundred more rigby to 500 AccRel, and about a hundred 577/500 to 550 Flanged..i doubt i am over 2500 total fireformed rounds, including the odd AI project...

if i can, at all humanly possible, make a working case with dies, i STRONGLY prefer it..

but that's my PREFERNCE, not a requirement ..

when i do have to fireform
but its MESSY to make, it leaves residue in the barrel, is DOES dimple the case bodies, and its just annoying to mess with ... i STRONGLY prefer pistol powder, shotgun patches, and a LIGHT projectile to fireform with.. very light for caliber cast bullets work just fine.

then again, i've made my own "hydrolic" (meant to spell it that way, as in WATER) dries, that allow you to fill the cases with water, and drive a piston into the case, forming under internal pressure .. if you ever try this, you have to fill the hole in the shill holder, solder works fine.. and poke a used primer into the cases.

with light bullets, fireforming is far more fun than using cream of wheat or cornmeal, and FAR easier to load,,, and far easier to clean up. since i can't shoot off my back porch (and 95% of americans live within city limits) all my foreforming takes place at a range or disignate shooting area...

its about different strokes for different folks ... not every problem is solved by the same solution, not every solution is entirely right or wrong ... but they may all work.