Fire Forming

[TeddyBear]

If you don’t have a fancy Hydro-Former, you’re going to have to fire form your brass. There have been many different ways tried, but the best way is to have a false shoulder.

Step one is to open the neck a size bigger (308 for 7mm, 7mm for 6.5, 6.5 for 6mm etc.)

Step two is to take your Moses die and back it off 1/4 to 1/3 twist. This will force the false shoulder to firmly push back against the bolt face minimizing the case bouncing back and forth in the chamber.

Step three and four are to prime and put powder in the case. When I choose how much powder, I look at book max for a similar cartridge. For instance, for the 7mm Moses, I put in the book max for the 7mm-08 with the same projectile and powder.

Step five is to seat your bullet. With a Moses cartridge, DO NOT seat the bullet to the lands. The design of the throat and cartridge does NOT allow pressure to build up in the case. The projectile will leave the end of the mouth of the case before meaningful pressure happens.

This will give you your fire formed case. Don’t be surprised if it takes two firings to form sharp shoulders.

[Blackfire]

Is there a bullet put in, or wax plug, or powder up, put into vertical gun and fire straight up?

[TeddyBear]

Thank you. I edited the post to add that information in

[Blackfire]

Thanks. I used to fire form 20-357 Max with a 1/8" paraffin wax plug, stuck in freezer for an hour before firing.