Hi and Thanks in advance,

I am fairly new to reloading, and would appreciate some help. I have hand-loaded for factory made ammo, and would like to get into loading for improved chambers. Here is my question:

Lets say I have a 30-06 Ackley Improved chamber, can I buy Remington Ammo for a 30-06, take it to the range and punch paper while fire-forming the cases from the factory ammo? Or do I have to use new brass, and use the cornmeal method?

Thanks
Frank D

Frank,
Yes, that's the way it is supposed to happen anyway. The headspace dimension is supposed to be the same, though the shoulder angle rotates about the headspace datum line.

Just be on the lookout for indications of incorrect headspace when you fire the first several rounds of factory ammo.
Jerry/AK

Thanks for the reply:

Can we take this one more step? Lets say we have a wildcat to begin with. 6.5-06 Improved???? Can we load up a live round of 6.5-06 fire it, then use that case to reload into the improved round created by fire-forming that case?

In other words I would rather not fire cornmeal but actual live rounds and use them to practise with. I realize I will need another set of dies but is this a safe way to fire form?

My apologies for asking what might seem like a stupid question to some, I am new to wildcats.

Thanks

Frank D

frank - Yes, the 6.5-06 Imp SHOULD fireform IF the shoulder is in the proper place. Way too often, "Improved" chambers don't have the shoulder where it's supposed to be (usually it's too far forward).

The best bet for proper fireforming is to seat the bullet well into the rifling, and use a medium charge (I usually go 5-10% below MAX for that bullet in whatever the standard chambering of the cartridge would be) of something in the R15/4895/4064 range. That way the case head is held tight against the boltface, and the shoulder can go wherever the new one is in the chamber.

R-WEST