Re Forming and Fire Forming Cases ... How?

5knives · 04-07-2006, 03:54 PM

A friend phoned me today asking for advice about reforming cartridge cases. I couldn't help him much, so I'm asking here, for both our benefit.

He shoots a 7-30 Waters, as do I, but he's out of ammo and is reluctant to reload his old cases "just one more time"

I'm still in good shape with Factory Ammo, empty brass, and maybe 60 good reloads, I really only use mine for hunting, and I don't do that as much as I used too.

Anyway, making 7-30 from 30-30 is supposed to be easy.

I looked it up some years ago and can't find my references.

I recall that you first run the cases through a 7-30 die, load with a light charge of slow burning powder and a heavy bullet and fire to form the shoulder, and at some point trim to length.

That's all I recall, and I'm not sure of that.

Can someone give me some pointers on the correct procedure?

Thanks,

Preacher · 04-07-2006, 04:57 PM

Cephus mentioned that you could do this somehow by using wax. But I don't remember all the details.

Maybe he'll chime in.

Cephus · 04-07-2006, 05:01 PM

Run it through the die and use a light load ,then put cornmeal on top of that seal it with some wax put it in the gun you're going to use it in and fire it this will make the case fit that gun perfectly then all ya want to do is neck size it !! You'll get about 6-8 more times the use out of them if ya only necksize them . Now ya xcan harden the case alittle by heating them in a tuna can full of water and when the neck turns a straw color tip them over in the water and they will be alittle harder and hold thier shape much longer !!!!

Hope this helps !!!!

5knives · 04-07-2006, 08:18 PM

Great!

Thank You Cephus,

I didn't know about the cornmeal. We both use Carbine TC Contender Carbines , which is why he called me, so neck sizing is all we ever do anyhow!

That cornmeal and wax method sounds good, safer than loading a live bullet (cheaper too!)

Thanks, Again,

Pogo · 04-07-2006, 09:11 PM

Yeah, I make my 25-06 cases out of 30-06 cases. That's an easy one to make.

Cephus · 04-07-2006, 09:16 PM

No problems and if your going to just ise them in the same gun they well work great just necksizing them !! And longer case life .

HorseSoldier176 · 04-08-2006, 08:30 PM

The heating process described above is called annealing. What it does is relieves the internal stress from the reforming, and reloading. I anneal any cartridge over ten years old, just on principle. On my competition cartridges, I don't even neck size. I use a universal decapping tool, and then reload. Since that cartridge is only fired from a certain weapon, it is always fireformed to the chamber.

This may help you with your project.

Horse

5knives · 04-08-2006, 09:35 PM

Thanks for mentioning that

176,

No one has really commented on that.

That was my practice years ago when I was shooting competition also.

Still is for my single shots, though the hunting loads get neck sized and crimped, mostly to keep any moisture out, They may be loaded a long time, in bad environments before I use them.

Used to buy new cases in lots of 1000. trim them to total uniformity, then weigh the water each would hold, as well as the empty cases. I'd end up with maybe 300 cases as near identical as I could. Those were the ones that got used on paper, the rest were practice or hunting fodder.

I think one reason for my being so anal about my target ammo was it helped convince me on some gut level that each shot REALLY mattered, so slow down and make it count.

Regards,

HorseSoldier176 · 04-09-2006, 02:52 PM

Right now, I only use an M-1D in .30-06, and a Rem 700 in 7.62 NATO that way. I have a complete set of dies, that I only use on those rifles. I have pulled the decapping die out, and moved it over to the respective die set for common use. I set the crimp/bullet seating die to give me a good, but light crimp. I get my seal (water/air) from the crimp, without sacraficing the neck forming. RCBS will sell just the crimp/bullet seating die if you want, but I load so much .30-06, and 7.62 NATO, and use mostly military cases, so I break the decapping stem often. For me having a back-up decapping die is just smart.

04-07-2006, 03:54 PM	#1
5knives KaBoom Kontrol Modulator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado, Western Slope Posts: 16,229	Re Forming and Fire Forming Cases ... How? A friend phoned me today asking for advice about reforming cartridge cases. I couldn't help him much, so I'm asking here, for both our benefit. He shoots a 7-30 Waters, as do I, but he's out of ammo and is reluctant to reload his old cases "just one more time" I'm still in good shape with Factory Ammo, empty brass, and maybe 60 good reloads, I really only use mine for hunting, and I don't do that as much as I used too. Anyway, making 7-30 from 30-30 is supposed to be easy. I looked it up some years ago and can't find my references. I recall that you first run the cases through a 7-30 die, load with a light charge of slow burning powder and a heavy bullet and fire to form the shoulder, and at some point trim to length. That's all I recall, and I'm not sure of that. Can someone give me some pointers on the correct procedure? Thanks,

04-07-2006, 04:57 PM	#2
Preacher Chaplain/Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 11,321	Cephus mentioned that you could do this somehow by using wax. But I don't remember all the details. Maybe he'll chime in. __________________ You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children's children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done. Ronald Reagan - 1964 ------------------------------------- Bunker Member #4.

04-07-2006, 05:01 PM	#3
Cephus The OLD COOT one and only Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Glovers Gap WV Posts: 10,277	Run it through the die and use a light load ,then put cornmeal on top of that seal it with some wax put it in the gun you're going to use it in and fire it this will make the case fit that gun perfectly then all ya want to do is neck size it !! You'll get about 6-8 more times the use out of them if ya only necksize them . Now ya xcan harden the case alittle by heating them in a tuna can full of water and when the neck turns a straw color tip them over in the water and they will be alittle harder and hold thier shape much longer !!!! Hope this helps !!!! __________________ FREEDOM ONLY ACCEPTS ONE PRICE AND THAT IS BLOOD

04-07-2006, 09:11 PM	#5
Pogo Mystic Knight of the Sea Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Great Swamp Posts: 81,997	Yeah, I make my 25-06 cases out of 30-06 cases. That's an easy one to make. __________________ .................................................. ....................................… *We have met the enemy, and he is us!*

04-07-2006, 08:18 PM	#4
5knives KaBoom Kontrol Modulator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado, Western Slope Posts: 16,229	Great! Thank You Cephus, I didn't know about the cornmeal. We both use Carbine TC Contender Carbines , which is why he called me, so neck sizing is all we ever do anyhow! That cornmeal and wax method sounds good, safer than loading a live bullet (cheaper too!) Thanks, Again,

04-07-2006, 09:16 PM	#6
Cephus The OLD COOT one and only Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Glovers Gap WV Posts: 10,277	No problems and if your going to just ise them in the same gun they well work great just necksizing them !! And longer case life .

04-08-2006, 08:30 PM	#7
HorseSoldier176 Retired Soldier Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: South Central PA Posts: 14,148	The heating process described above is called annealing. What it does is relieves the internal stress from the reforming, and reloading. I anneal any cartridge over ten years old, just on principle. On my competition cartridges, I don't even neck size. I use a universal decapping tool, and then reload. Since that cartridge is only fired from a certain weapon, it is always fireformed to the chamber. This may help you with your project. Horse

04-08-2006, 09:35 PM	#8
5knives KaBoom Kontrol Modulator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado, Western Slope Posts: 16,229	Thanks for mentioning that 176, No one has really commented on that. That was my practice years ago when I was shooting competition also. Still is for my single shots, though the hunting loads get neck sized and crimped, mostly to keep any moisture out, They may be loaded a long time, in bad environments before I use them. Used to buy new cases in lots of 1000. trim them to total uniformity, then weigh the water each would hold, as well as the empty cases. I'd end up with maybe 300 cases as near identical as I could. Those were the ones that got used on paper, the rest were practice or hunting fodder. I think one reason for my being so anal about my target ammo was it helped convince me on some gut level that each shot REALLY mattered, so slow down and make it count. Regards,

04-09-2006, 02:52 PM	#9
HorseSoldier176 Retired Soldier Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: South Central PA Posts: 14,148	Right now, I only use an M-1D in .30-06, and a Rem 700 in 7.62 NATO that way. I have a complete set of dies, that I only use on those rifles. I have pulled the decapping die out, and moved it over to the respective die set for common use. I set the crimp/bullet seating die to give me a good, but light crimp. I get my seal (water/air) from the crimp, without sacraficing the neck forming. RCBS will sell just the crimp/bullet seating die if you want, but I load so much .30-06, and 7.62 NATO, and use mostly military cases, so I break the decapping stem often. For me having a back-up decapping die is just smart.