Best brass for.....

deerslayer

deerslayer

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Whats the best brass for fireforming? I have been using rem brass for my ackley and about half the brass will not size correctly, problem with case necks being off centered , should I anneal the case necks after fire forming before the first
full sizing , is there better brass avalible , has anybody found nosler custom brass in Canada?
 
brass

deerslayer said:
Whats the best brass for fireforming? I have been using rem brass for my ackley and about half the brass will not size correctly, problem with case necks being off centered , should I anneal the case necks after fire forming before the first
full sizing , is there better brass avalible , has anybody found nosler custom brass in Canada?
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The best brass bar none for me is Lapua
 
Sounds like your fireform loads are too mild. Splits, off-center issues, incomplete shoulders are all symptoms of loads that are too light. Remington brass shouldn't be any harder to fireform than anything else. Most factory brass (remington included) is neck-annealed from the factory. You can't tell cause it's been polished after the annealing. So long as it's new never fired brass, you shouldn't have to take any extraordinary steps. Seat the bullet so that it jams into the rifling, and load hot enough to successfully form the brass.

I've never tried the cream-of-wheat method, but it seems to me that having a bullet jammed into the lands should keep things nice and centered and pressed against the bolt face for minimum headspace. With cream of wheat, I'd imagine that you'd need a fair amount of a very fast powder to form adequately. I know mysticplayer is a fan of COW forming, maybe PM him
 
I fireformed many Remington 35 Whelen brass into 35 Whelen Ackley Improved with no problems, though I used full power 35 Whelen loads to do it. I had quite a few loaded before the rechambering so they were just used as practice ammo before hunting season.
 
As long as it's new brass, there really shouldn't be a problem. As mentioned, it sounds like your not quite getting the technique right. The round needs to be held back against the bolt. either by a bullet jammed into the lands, or a false shoulder on the brass. Then you do need a pretty sharp expansion to fill out the brass, I would use a charge of a faster powder about in the middle of the range of the parent case. The COW method actually works well too, but it's damned messy (and loud) in the house. - dan
 
If its and Ackley and chambered right it should headspace on the factory case shoulder you should not have to seat the bullets out to hold the case against the bolt face.If you have to do that the chamber is cut to deep.I have had several rifles chamber for Ackley cartriges and all I ever had to do was load and fire.Ackley recomends a good stiff load for fire forming,if you loading for lets say a 7x57 A.I. start with a top load for 7x57 you will be safe.If the brass has been fired once you may have to anneal the necks first.
Ackley cases are one of the easist to form.
 
RR is correct, if the chamber is done right (0.004" shorter to the shoulder datum line then the standard cartridge) there is a 'crush fit" when you chamber the brass (assuming the brass hasn't been resized and the shoulder pushed back). I've run across a lot of "Ackley" rifles that just had the reamer run into the existing chamber over the years though. - dan
 
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