Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

[HellsCanyonArmory]

I'm going to be fireforming 250 pieces of unfired .280 R-P stamped brass in the coming weeks for my .280 AI. Instead of purchasing the expensive berger 168's or 180's, I'm looking for suggestions of any cheaper bullets out there that will still perform accurately at a decent price. I'm shooting a Rock Creek M24 contour barrel finished at 24" with 1:8.7" twist.

I've read on searches about the Cream O' Wheat method of fireforming with a fast burning powder, but have also read about good accuracy with fireforming loads, especially in the .280AI caliber. I would like to get in as much trigger time as possible, either method would work fine for me so if you believe I'd be better off with the projectile-less method please say so. Just started my final year of college and am on a budget as well. Thank you.

Mike

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

Buy the Nosler 280 AI brass:
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/11697

 

[HellsCanyonArmory]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

Nobody has it in stock that I've found, and I've already placed an order for my regular 280 brass at a helluva deal from a member on here. So if you have a suggestion for my actual question I would dearly appreciate it.

Mike

 

[bohem]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

You have a PM regarding bullets. I have a bunch that would work dandy for you.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

If you want cheap, then fire form it with pistol powder topped off with cream of wheat, with a cotton or wax tip to hold it all in. You'll have to experiment with how much powder you will need to fully expand the case out. Just research different meathods on bullet-less case forming.

If you want to shoot bullets, then get the bullet of your choice to fire form. You can get any 120 to 140 grain flat base SP bullets for low cost, and save the premium bullets for full power loads and load dev.
By the time you factor in these 2 options, the Nosler brass, IMO, would be a much better deal for time and expense. Their brass is great. It's in stock Here, and a few others I found.

 

[HellsCanyonArmory]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

Josh,

PM returned.
ChadTRG,

I am not sure on what method I would prefer to use. I've read of multiple cases where guys have shot awesome groups while fireforming. May not have the speed of the fully formed cases, but it seems like more trigger time would benefit me with this rifle. I like the Amax's on midway, I think they are reasonably priced and I read a lot about them here. I'll be using the 180 VLD bergers for hunting and long range so will eventually start loading those for my 2nd round of firing.

Mike

 

[bohem]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

A piece of advice on the Bergers and Amax's.

To qualify it first, I shoot both.

Save your money on the 180's unless you're running a bench rest match or pushing out past 1200+yd. The 0.6 BC on that Amax pushed from the 280AI will get you supersonic and doing just dandy well past 1200yd, nearing 1500yd.

The Amax's do well on game and targets alike. They like to be 0.010" off the lands.

The Berger 180 VLD's are very depth sensitive, the 180 Hybrids have less sensitivity and appear to like 0.015" jump in my 7mm's.

I've pushed the 180 Hybrids to a mile with handy success but they haven't proven to me yet that they go through transsonic as well as the Amax is known to do.

Good luck finding the Amax's at this point. I have about 330 of them still but they're not for sale as I don't know when we'll see them again.

 

[HellsCanyonArmory]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

Check ur PM's Bohem.

Looks like Midway has them in stock. Can't beat the .625 BC value and they seemed to have performed well on game via reviews and searching here. Looks like I'll be pulling the trigger on 4 orders or so (400 bullets, should easily get me through the fall). Thanks for the help/suggestions.

Mike

 

[bohem]

Re: Reasonable Bullet suggestions for fireforming?

Thanks for the tip on the bullets, I'm going to pick up a few more now.