Out of interest has anyone ever come across the technique of fire forming cases in the FL reloading die screwed into the receiver ring of an old Lee Enfield action in place of a barrel?

Standard reloading dies are threaded 7/8" (.875" x 14tpi) while the LE receiver ring/barrel tenon are .997" x 14tpi.

I haven't got a LE action to hand to check but I'm assuming from an article on this technique that despite the .025" difference in diameter a die will screw into an LE receiver ring locking in place with the die lock nut to work with light fireforming loads.
Headspace on bottle necked cases can be set to suit chambers by adjustment of the FL die.

Interesting technique I must say.

Great idea; unfortunately, the die will not engage the receiver threads. Too small. Sorry.

While a very interesting idea, the reloading die is very hard where as the barrel is not and will expand under pressure to prevent breaking under chamber pressure.
I'm not sure the die could take chamber pressure and I have cracked dies over the decades while just case forming.
I'd hate to see a die go Ka-Boom and hurt someone.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Great idea; unfortunately, the die will not engage the receiver threads. Too small. Sorry.

Somehow it can be done, here's link to some info on it, scroll down to see. Top gunsmithing firm in NZ.

https://www.gunworks.co.nz/testimonials.html

What I am struggling with is why one would even want to?

Unless the die was custom made for the rifle, there's no guarantee it's the same shape as the chamber, and surely very few people need to do that much fire-forming that this becomes a factor in barrel life?

You Kiwi lots are upside down!

Cannot think straight!

I screwed 4 dies into an Enfield receiver and they will not stay in. Minor diameter of Enfield threads are the same as major OD of the die. I again, tried 4 dies in 3 more receivers; no. Your guy must be using special dies. I do like his 577 automatic rifle.
Pressure? You aren't going to shoot 50K psi loads in it, just a squib load with a piece of tissue in it, so pressure is not the problem.
And yes, the idea is marginal; but not bad. Of course, the die has to be compatible with your chamber. Also, it won't have neck clearance so you will have to press it in first.

I fireform by using full power loads.

And no way in hell in a die!

I have built a chamber insert to allow the fireforming of brass, using blank loads, in a 12 gauge single shot shotgun. It worked; sort of. A person could make an adapter to thread a die into a Remington or a Mauser, I suppose. I'm struggling to feel the need though. Regards, Bill

Going forward, the only way I want to fire form anything is with a sacrificial barrel reamed with the same reamer as my good barrel....but that's just me.

I recently did that, with my brother, and formed 800+ 22-250AI rounds. 400+ each (of course we didn't need that many but we had all this beautiful once fired brass so we did them all)

Perfection!

It took us 4-5 Saturdays and we had a blast position shooting while forming.

I would never use a die for anything but sizing, but again, that's just me.

Zeke

quote:

Originally posted by Peter Connan:
What I am struggling with is why one would even want to?

I think fire forming with disposable components was more typical back when components were less expensive. These days it seems pretty wasteful to burn up expensive and hard-to-find consumables just to form brass.

To use a die for expanding brass, look into the hydro-die approach. I've played with it some and it works pretty well.

Fire forming with ammo in a gun, shooting at actual targets, makes sense too. You get to shoot and form brass.

It's just a different method that may or may not work; for those too stuck in their ways and unable to consider new things. stop reading. We have a lot of guys here on AR who can't or won't, try to understand something new. as evidenced in another recent thread. I even got hate mail on that one. In a brainstorming session, there are no bad ideas. Of course, not all will be adopted; maybe none.
But different ideas are always good to have for reference.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
It's just a different method that may or may not work; for those too stuck in their ways and unable to consider new things. stop reading. We have a lot of guys here on AR who can't or won't, try to understand something new. as evidenced in another recent thread. I even got hate mail on that one. In a brainstorming session, there are no bad ideas. Of course, not all will be adopted; maybe none.
But different ideas are always good to have for reference.

We grew up in a society where basically one has to make what one needs.

I have never even attempted to fireform brass with anything but full loads.

Used to buy bulk Remington and Winchester bullets that came 500 in a plastic bag in a cardboard box.

Very cheap.

Worked very well.

Even if it works it is still not fire formed to your rifles chamber. Seems like an answer without a question to me. But whatever gives you grins and giggles.

I've seen this done with a barrel stub - I wouldn't use a normal reloading die.. they are very hard and may be brittle

barrel stub should be 16.1" barrel length to avoid making an SBR

I'd have to take up hydro forming.
maybe a bit messier, but jeez.

Ive hunted deer with my fireforming loads, but to begin with I use pistol powder cornmeal kleenex or whatever and a wax plug for a full reform..saves bullets and powder waste..

Formal request: Call me and allow me to take up an insurance policy on you guys.

A little late to this but Donnelly in "The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions" suggests and uses a trim die to fire form cases.

Haven't tried this but is recommended in a number conversions recommended in his data sheets.

Bill

A gunsmith in the UK cut the barrel of a .303 LE back until the muzzle was about .1" from the end of the cartridge.
I don't know if it fire formed the cases, but it certainly 'fireformed' the bullets.
They were the 215 round nose type, and the base was expanded to around 0.7"

So if anyone is having a job to get large calibre bullets, by small.

I knew a guy that used a Mauser 98 and has a set of cheap barrels cut to 12 "s and chambered out to various wildcat calibers..he put the barrels in a vice and fireformed a thousand or so ronds with Herc and bullseye, cornmeal,and kleenex..It worked of course..He only fireforme 06 brass 06, 35 W 338 /o6 etc//