-06 Ackely formed brass...is this ok?

b2driver

b2driver

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Hey guys, I've been FF all my -06 AI brass, and was wondering if the mark at the base of the case are normal or ok?

It mics about .005 smaller than the unfired parent case.

The top case is fireformed, and the lower one is the new, never-fired parent case.

This is my first time with AI & fireforming. Hope everything is ok.


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Looks to me like you're stretching the case. If you're shooting factory 30/06 ammo your chamber is probably too long. When you fire the round the firing pin pushes the case all the way forward, then the primer fires and the case clings to the chamber wall. Pressure then pushes the case head back, tight against the bolt, stretching the case.
If you're fireforming empty cases with a blank charge you should first neck the case up, to say 8m/m or 338. Then back your 30/06 Imp. die out of the press. Adjust it so that it now necks down the case just enough to close the bolt. This keeps the case tight against the front of the chamber AND the boltface, eliminating stretching.
I've shot a few thousand rounds out of my 375 Whelen Improvedin 30 years and I've formed hundreds of cases this way. It works fine.
 
If you mean the fireformed case is about .005" LARGER than the parent case at that point, this would be normal.

Important thing when fireforming an AI case is the length, not so much the diameter of the chamber.

When you close the bolt on a new, unfired case, do you feel a slight resistance to the bolt closing?
If so, the chambering was done properly, and your fireforming should be straight forward.

Regards, Eagleye.
 
sahara said:
Looks to me like you're stretching the case. If you're shooting factory 30/06 ammo your chamber is probably too long. When you fire the round the firing pin pushes the case all the way forward, then the primer fires and the case clings to the chamber wall. Pressure then pushes the case head back, tight against the bolt, stretching the case.
If you're fireforming empty cases with a blank charge you should first neck the case up, to say 8m/m or 338. Then back your 30/06 Imp. die out of the press. Adjust it so that it now necks down the case just enough to close the bolt. This keeps the case tight against the front of the chamber AND the boltface, eliminating stretching.
I've shot a few thousand rounds out of my 375 Whelen Improvedin 30 years and I've formed hundreds of cases this way. It works fine.
Click to expand...

Disagree with the first 4 sentences in this post. That expansion ring is found when a round is fired in standard chambers as well.
If the chambering was done correctly, there is absolutely no need to neck up first.
The bolt should close with a measure of resisitance on a new, unfired 30-06 case.
Eagleye.
 
Eagleye said:
If the chambering was done correctly, there is absolutely no need to neck up first.
.
Click to expand...

100% correct. Why work the neck more than you have to?

If the AI chambering was done correctly standard case should fit with a slight amount of resistance , no false shoulder required.
 
Ackley's drawings and intent was for all his improved versions to headspace factory ammo correctly, thereby allowing all his improved versions to fire factory ammo for the first firing. Most also shoot factory quite well, just the velocity is going to be down a tad. If your case is stretching then I would take it back and demand the chamber be done properly to Ackley's drawings. AI chambers should just snugly close on a parent case headspace go-gauge.
The slight bell you see ahead of the web is normal on all new brass firing, as Dave said. It is not a product of an AI chamber. My question would be is the case longer after firing than when new, any more than .002" would indicate a long cut chamber.
 
That looks like the expansion just ahead of the solid base of the cartridge's base to me. Normal.

If you are concerned, section a couple cases and see what that gets you for information. My bet is that there is nothing wrong, and you will find that the solid base of the case is what is not expanding.

About all you can do about it is to put a new barrel on and have it chambered with a smaller diameter reamer, but that is an expensive fix, for a non-issue.

I think that looks as it should. Avoid resizing those bases more than you need to and the fire formed brass is going to last as long as any.

Cheers
Trev
 
Thanks for the replys, guys.

The fireformed cases are coming out about .020 shorter than when they went in, which is why that band at the base had me confused... Stretching or not?

Fireforming was done with 180 SST's (just had them laying around) with max load, jammed into the lands.

It didn't shoot too terrible...about 3-4 moa @ 300 yds., with velocities about 200 feet slower than max for the parent load.

Now I've got load development to do.

Has anyone done any 06 AI loads with 180 TSX? Been thinking about cooking up one. If not I'll stick with some published data....probably 180 accubonds.

Thanks all.
 
He said it was .005 SMALLER then the parent case. Last I heard SMALLER and EXPANSION were pretty much opposites. If in fact it is smaller (as he said it is) it would be from stretching.
 
sahara said:
He said it was .005 SMALLER then the parent case. Last I heard SMALLER and EXPANSION were pretty much opposites. If in fact it is smaller (as he said it is) it would be from stretching.
Click to expand...

True but unless he mic's the same case before and after forming it means nothing. 0.005" can just be a manufacturing variance.
 
OT but relevant.....

My once fired .270Winchester brass has that Tell tale sign.... Is this a Head space issue? to me it doesn't seem like it would be very good to reload for?
I can Add photos, although they look very similar to the Above picture an above case....

Your thoughts?

cheers
WL
 
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