New Lapua Brass in .308 - fireform or load and shoot?

[GSoD]

Hey all,

So I just got my shipment of .308 Lapua Brass. Looking for info on what to do with it.

Up to this point, I've been FL resizing federal brass after every firing. Looking to increase accuracy for FClass and save a bit of wear on the brass for longevity purposes.

It makes sense to me that cases formed to your chamber might increase accuracy.

So I'm wondering if I should fireform the lot (200 cases), then neck size, then do my load development and then load up the batch.

Or if I should just skip to load development and then only neck size on subsequent firings.

My concern is building a load on a FL sized case and then having its accuracy deteriorate when I go to neck sizing it after the first batch if fired through.

My Internet research has shown a split in opinion as to the worthiness (in terms of accuracy) of fireforming the same calibre (not wildcatting) in a factory barrel / action.

If you vote for fireforming - what is the most effective way of doing this in terms of money, materials and time (I have varget and bullseye on hand).

 

[ron hilchey]

Others will disagree, but I inspected the cases for any apparent flaws, ( found none with Lapua) chamfered the neck and loaded with 45g of Varget.
Been neck sizing ever since.

 

[CyaN1de]

Why waste 200 rounds of Barrel life?

Chances are that your load will not change much, if at all, from new to fired brass.

You will get a slight increase in case capacity but the difference should be minimal.

if you want to know how much of a difference it will make, take a new case and seat a spent primer in it and weigh it.
Fill the case with H2O and weigh it again and note the difference.
Empty the case, remove the spent primer and dry the case for a day or 2.
Load the same case with your primer, powder and bullet and take it out and shoot it.
When you get home, again weigh the case with the spent primer in, fill again with H2O and note the difference.

Take your first H2O weight minus your second H2O weight and that will be the increase in case capacity.

 

[brotherjack]

I vote for loading them up and going shooting to start with, and then start neck sizing once you've got them all fire formed.

Neck sized brass does typically improve accuracy, but I see no point in spending the time/money/etc on loads exclusively for fire-forming with some kind of cheap-o load good for nothing more than expanding brass, when I could be getting in good trigger-time with quality loads that didn't cost me pirticularly much more in terms of money/time investment.

 

[delta1]

I have only loaded and shot my Lapua brass. I am now into reloading some for the 10th time. I do full length resize though and anneal the necks every 4th reload and retrim to length then also. My better rifles will do .3s and .4s I could do better with a little tweaking of the load but have a few rifles trhat shoot the same load well, hence no tweaking of loads.

 

[Silverado]

Neck size, load and shoot.

Neck size only after that.

[/thread]

 

[manitou210]

I just did 200 Lapua brass in 223 if you want the best accuracy uniform your primer pockets, and neckturn your brass!!! it makes a differance before firing, neck size and load

 

[CV32]

I have found Lapua brass to be very uniform, at least when compared to other factory brass (Winchester, Remington, etc). Shoot away, I say.

 

[chise]

I think what he's also asking is whether brass is fireformed simply by loading up some factory rounds and shooting, or whether it's better to fill with 10 grain of Bullseye and some tissue paper.

 

[peterdobson]

Fireforming is not necessary, as Lapua brass wil shot very well on first firing.