"Fire Forming" Brass???

[Huntnjunkie]

I have heard many people talk about "Fire Forming" 30-06 brass in thier 8MM mausers. I am not sure what this means or how to do it. Could anybody help me with info. Do I just fire the smaller daimeter '06 out of the 8MM to let the pressure form the case???

I have a mauser and since the 8mm surplus is drying up I need to find a way to get some reloadable brass, I know there is commercial out there but it's $$$ and I have about 4K rounds for my '06. I have number punches to change the ID on the case head so it never gets confused when on the range.

[runfiverun]

to reform 06 to 8 mauser
you have to run it through your full length sizer, i like to take my primer punch outta the sizer first.
then you trim it to length.
then you run it through your sizer again with your punch.
if you are using older military 0-6 brass you may lose some in this process, unless you anneal it.
and you will want to use a lower powder amount if the brass is heavier.
and ream your primer pockets.
now for the fire-forming process, you need to make sure that your re-formed brass will chamber [ part of the second sizing process]
and you shoot it through the rifle, some do this different ways i just make sure i have a safe load, and fire it.
now that you have fired it in your rifle your brass has taken a "set" and is a good fit to your chamber, so for the next few firings you can just neck size the cases to hold your bullet.

[versifier]

Do I just fire the smaller daimeter '06 out of the 8MM to let the pressure form the case???

GOOD GOD NO!!!!

...and welcome to the forum!!!

r5r's explanation of the process is perfect. I like to use starting loads for fire forming and light bullets, but any safe charge with a bullet of the proper diameter will do the trick.

It is not a difficult operation to make 8x57 cases out of -06. After all, it is the parent case.

[Huntnjunkie]

Thanks all for the info and I look forward to much more time on this site. I wish I knew about long ago.

I will work on a couple cases and giv eit a whirl, let you know how the final product comes out.

[Bill Church]

I have never tried it with the round you asking about, but I do it a lot with a couple of other rounds. 223 converted to 7mm TCUu and 30-30s converted to 38-55s

We have found that the best way to do it is to pull the bullet out of the case you are starting with (if using live rounds) and only put back in a little bit of powder, about 4 or 5 grains Varget or 4895.
Load in a low cost bullet you don't mind wasting and fire it out the barrel you are wanting to fit. You want to start with a load thats a bit weak and move up a bit until find the load that best swells the casing out to fit with out splitting the end of the case. Using fully loaded cases willl ruin a lot of brass and make a lot very thin cased shells that could damage your gun.

[versifier]

Bill,
I really have to disagree with you and it is a safety issue.

The accepted method is to run the case into the new sizing die and expand the neck with the die's expander ball (if it has to be opened a lot, sometimes it is done in two or even three stages with progressively larger expanders) then it has to be loaded with a bullet of the correct diameter. It should ideally be annealed after fire forming.

Firing a bullet that is too small stresses the brass way beyond its physical tolerences, and depending on the action is a really good way to get a faceful of burning propellant gasses. You may have been getting away with it using low charges, but you have been lucky. It is a good way to destroy an older lever or bolt action. I have seen the results more than once over the years, and there was one serious injury. For the brass, neck, shoulder, or case body splits and head or body separations are the more common risks, even if the brass is carefully annealed.

Doing it the safe way is easy enough that it is not worth the risk.

[Bill Church]

Thats Funny, we have done several hundred of these and never had that problem. Its actual the only way I have found 7mmTCU cases

[versifier]

Try lubing inside the necks and running them through the 7TCU sizer, then a light fireforming load, and annealing after. The cases will last way longer and you won't have any splits or blowouts.

[runfiverun]

wow.
i just saw this... i always try to get a case as close as possible to the chamber size before firing anything in it.
just seeing a 22 bullet skidding down the bbl sideways in my head is enough.
and secondary explosion??
it ain't that hard to reform brass if you are careful.
i have never had to anneal a piece of brass ever.
yes, i know how ,and i do have the tools. but by not taking short-cuts you can do a good job
reforming brass in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

[Bill Church]

Well I stand corrected, I gues I better go pull apart a whole bunch of shells that I have made over the years and go buy some more toys.

What should I do with the four hundred rounds of 38-55 I already have setting here that I already made out of 3030's?. They shoot so good I hate to throw them away.

I do like the idea of buying more toys and trying it another way though.