Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

[Stratmeister]

Just got my first .300 Win Mag, a Remington XCR Tactical. 26" barrel. I have a few questions for you experienced guys.

What recipe you guys using to fireform your new brass?

I shoot the Sierra MK 175's in my .308 5R so I'm gonna start with those until I can get some heavier bullets. I used my Hornady Lock-n-load OAL gauge and when I touch the lands with this bullet it is basically out of the casing. Certainly not enough to hold the bullet in place. I measure 3.66" with the gauge to the lands. So how deep do I need to really seat the bullet (BT back end) to get a good grip on it? I won't get anywhere near the lands with this combo, maybe a OAL of 3.5" or so if I seat it 1 diameter deep.

And lastly, I see all kinds of starting loads on the 'net using I4350 and I7828 which I already have. Many don't specify the primer used. My new Lyman book says their recipes are for standard LR primers. As hard to get as primers are now, do I need magnum primers for any reason or can I get away with what I have (several thousand Win LR)?

Thanks.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

.300wm require magnum primers
fireform brass for your specific barrel
belted cartridges head space off the belt
seat the bullets to magazine length

reloader-22 is the shit with 190's

 

[Raven 6]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BOLTRIPPER</div><div class="ubbcode-body">.300wm require magnum primers
reloader-22 is the shit with 190's
</div></div>

That isn't true. I've used standard primers in my .300 for years, you might not get the same fps, but your accuracy might improve with standard primers. And some rifles prefer reloader-19.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

I fireform with precisiely the same load as I'll be loading thereafter. In essence, it means I don't fireform. Some BR shooters occasionally note that the fireforming cycle actually delivers the best accuracy that case and load can be expected to provide over its lifetime. This may be where certain brands of factory match ammos get some of their surprisingly good performance.

Greg

 

[Stratmeister]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I fireform with precisiely the same load as I'll be loading thereafter. In essence, it means I don't fireform. Some BR shooters occasionally note that the fireforming cycle actually delivers the best accuracy that case and load can be expected to provide over its lifetime. This may be where certain brands of factory match ammos get some of their surprisingly good performance.

Greg </div></div>

Interesting. That's what I do (not fireform) with all my other calibers, but I've read so many articles/threads talking about how short the brass life is of .300 WM that I figured it would make sense to use a reduced load of Bullseye or something first time around.

Greg, since you don't 'fireform' with a reduced load, do you full length resize everytime also? Those same reduced load fireforming proponents also recommend neck sizing only...

What type of brass life are you guys getting? I've got a bag of Winchester and another of Remington to work with.

 

[BLAWTON]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

You will fire form most of your other calibers by just shooting them. The WM of course doesnt need any help holding the case in place per the belt. Using bullseye is not going to help you brass life. What will is not loading it to the nuts and firing 30 rounds at a wack out of it. If you want to increase your brass life alot you will aneal the cases every 2-3 firings. I know of a few people that aneal every time and they get in upwards of 50-60 firings out of them. But you have to pay close attention not to get the brass to soft.

 

[308sako]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

Deleted in protest!

 

[JFComfort]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

I've used magnum primers and large rifle primers in my .300 WM and they worked just fine, couldn't tell a difference between the two.

Some manuels specify LR primer and some Magnum primer.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Greg Langelius *</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I fireform with precisiely the same load as I'll be loading thereafter. In essence, it means I don't fireform. Some BR shooters occasionally note that the fireforming cycle actually delivers the best accuracy that case and load can be expected to provide over its lifetime. This may be where certain brands of factory match ammos get some of their surprisingly good performance.

Greg </div></div>

+1...

If you have the regular large rifle primers try them. The one advantage is with SOME powders a mag primer will get you more uniform ignition of the powder collumn. I have tried both with RE-22. There is a measurable difference shooting over a dependable chronograph. I don't have that particular notebook at hand right now. But regular primers will probably work OK for you. As long as you are aware of the possible differences.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Newbie with fireforming and primer questions...

I have LR Magnum primers, but they tend to sit in their ammo can, being somewhere over a decade old by about now.

The applications I'm saving them for simply never materialized, but soon...

I just acquired a 7mm Rem Mag, but it has problems that must be addressed before we can get to the handloading/shooting stage. If anyone wants to find a new home for an old, but still functional, Remmy factory trigger; I'd appreciate them throwing it out in my direction. The one on the rifle I inherited is simply a rustwork extraordinaire..

Other than that, I'd consider these LR Magnum primers appropriate for hunting applications where ignition demands reliability, where cold weather may impair that reliability, and for igniting looong powder colums of lengths greater than what I'd be finding with a .30-'06-ish cartridge.

For lesser applications, I think they work, but are simply a form of overkill.

Greg