Trying to save some brass

J

JimReed1948

New member
I have some brass that I'm trying to save. I was forming 20 VarTarg brass from 221 FB and made the brass a little short, therefore the headspacing was short.

Is it possible to fireform the brass using the COW method with bullseye power or would it be safer to just dump the brass.

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.
 
fire form with POWDER ONLY.
fast pistol powder,
WORK UP till you get a nice sharp shoulder.
take primed case to where ever,
and a scale
small wad really small or shoot straight up
 
understand that the shoulder cannot "blow forward" unless the headspace is so incredibly overboard that the extractor manages to hold and stop some of it...... that the length you finally achieve will be gained by stretching the brass where the web joins the casebody.

Search "incipient head separation" to gain an understanding of the mechanism.
 
When doing any operation like fireforming, smear a thin coat of sizing wax on the case body. This will help avoid the case walls gripping the chamber walls and help the case head push back against the bolt face.
 
My first question would be , how short is a "little short"? Are we talking .005, .010, .020 more?

Rick
 
JimReed1948 said:
Approximately .0250
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I may be in the minority, but if we are talking about a one time event, I'd seat the bullet long and tight and blow it forward. I've done this with many wildcat rounds including a 6 Grinch I just started on. The only time I ever have had case separation was when I stupidly didn't check the headspace on a 222 Rem Mag Cooper for a couple of reloadings and then started having misfires. Finally measured the cases after a couple separated and discovered the problem. I don't think once will be an issue, but I'm sure wiser folk than I will weigh in.

Rick
 
Greyfox said:
I may be in the minority, but if we are talking about a one time event, I'd seat the bullet long and tight and blow it forward. I've done this with many wildcat rounds including a 6 Grinch I just started on. The only time I ever have had case separation was when I stupidly didn't check the headspace on a 222 Rem Mag Cooper for a couple of reloadings and then started having misfires. Finally measured the cases after a couple separated and discovered the problem. I don't think once will be an issue, but I'm sure wiser folk than I will weigh in.

Rick
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Sounds like the OP is trying to save unnecessary wear and tear on his barrel by not using jacketed bullets.
 
Greyfox said:
I may be in the minority, but if we are talking about a one time event, I'd seat the bullet long and tight and blow it forward. I've done this with many wildcat rounds including a 6 Grinch I just started on. The only time I ever have had case separation was when I stupidly didn't check the headspace on a 222 Rem Mag Cooper for a couple of reloadings and then started having misfires. Finally measured the cases after a couple separated and discovered the problem. I don't think once will be an issue, but I'm sure wiser folk than I will weigh in.

Rick
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Neato idea but....... it doesn't "blow forward" it stretches at the back just like any other method.

The bullet doesn't hold it back.

test it.
 
alinwa said:
Neato idea but....... it doesn't "blow forward" it stretches at the back just like any other method.

The bullet doesn't hold it back.

test it.
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I won't disagree with the mechanics or where the stretched brass comes from. To me it's just semantics. I just think that to do it one time is a better idea than throwing the brass away. I know you wouldn't say it if you didn't know for sure,but it seems in my experience that seating the bullet long and sizing it tight tends to hold the case in place and the case grows to correct the head space issue.. I am more than willing to be re-educated.

Rick
 
Greyfox said:
I won't disagree with the mechanics or where the stretched brass comes from. To me it's just semantics. I just think that to do it one time is a better idea than throwing the brass away. I know you wouldn't say it if you didn't know for sure,but it seems in my experience that seating the bullet long and sizing it tight tends to hold the case in place and the case grows to correct the head space issue.. I am more than willing to be re-educated.

Rick
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seating the bullet long allows it to fire.

the case grows

we all agree, the case grows

most people are happy that the case grows

you seem happy that the case grows

as you said, to you it's just "semantics"

your cases grow

you are happy

others around you are ALSO happy

the whole CROWD is happy

don' worry

be happy

Hakuna Matata

c'est la vie

etc etc
 
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