6.8 Western brass made from 7 SAUM case performance?

[alpinewanderer]

This is an obscure topic I know, but I'm curious how your 7 SAUM-turned-6.8 Western cases have been performing over the long run. How do they compare to true 6.8 Western head-stamped brass when loading for accuracy? Is there a discernible difference in stats between your loads that use the "home brew 6.8 W-from-7 SAUM" cases vs. true 6.8 Western cases?

A couple of years ago some threads popped up on various forums about how to take 7 SAUM brass and run it through your 6.8 Western FL sizing die to create 6.8 Western cases (which continue to be hard to find). Having looked at the SAAMI specs for both cartridges, they are very close in dimensions. People commenting on the how-to threads seem to have had no issues but nobody really seems to have reported back on performance.

Have you tried it? How has it work out for you?

 

[can1010]

built a 30-6.8W right after the 6.8 prints became available and it has only shot Norma 7saum brass, on 12th reload and holding its own but getting tired. highly recommend using the false shoulder method of fire forming not the bullet jam method. never used any of the factory brass so have no side by side comparison.
i believe ADG is coming out with 6.8W brass soon, so might to check with them on production before committing to fire forming saum brass.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I think the only time it would be a discernable benefit is if you were limited to low quality brass for the chambering but could obtain and fireform higher quality brass. Otherwise, it probably isn't worth the work and components. As mentioned above, if ADG is coming out with 6.8W brass, I'd try to go that route.

 

[Leaf Litter]

Mine shoots extremely well with my fire forming loads. I'm fire forming with IMR 4831 and 145gr ELD-X after creating a false shoulder then FL sizing to 6.8 Western.

I'd easily be able to use my ff loads with 7 SAUM brass for an NRL Hunter match, they group as well or better than my final 145gr ELD-X load using Winchester 6.8 Western brass.

The lot of Winchester 6.8 reloading brass I bought in 2021 was actually pretty good. I got around 6 firings on them shooting stout loads. I've heard quality varies.

The Nickel-plated brass from fired factory ammo is largely garbage. I was getting case head expansion after 1 or 2 mid strength loads.

 

[alpinewanderer]

built a 30-6.8W right after the 6.8 prints became available and it has only shot Norma 7saum brass, on 12th reload and holding its own but getting tired. highly recommend using the false shoulder method of fire forming not the bullet jam method. never used any of the factory brass so have no side by side comparison.
i believe ADG is coming out with 6.8W brass soon, so might to check with them on production before committing to fire forming saum brass.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not familiar with the false shoulder method. Quick google search provided lots of hits but is there a video or resource you all would recommend studying over others? Is it straight forward enough to describe in this thread?

 

[can1010]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not familiar with the false shoulder method. Quick google search provided lots of hits but is there a video or resource you all would recommend studying over others? Is it straight forward enough to describe in this thread?

false shoulders are easy to form. just neck up to 30cal. then back off your 6.8 die a half turn or a little more and partial resize the neck leaving a false shoulder, keep lowering your die until the case fits snug when closing your bolt. this method will draw the brass from the neck and almost eliminate case stretch in the web which causes case head separation.

 

[Leaf Litter]

false shoulders are easy to form. just neck up to 30cal. then back off your 6.8 die a half turn or a little more and partial resize the neck leaving a false shoulder, keep lowering your die until the case fits snug when closing your bolt. this method will draw the brass from the neck and almost eliminate case stretch in the web which causes case head separation.

Spot on!

I had no issues using this exact method. Every case came out perfect before and after fire forming. Photo of case w/ false shoulder attached for visual aid.

 

[alpinewanderer]

Thanks for all of this feedback. I’m an inexperienced reloader. I’ve done lots of FL sizing of brass that I’ve fired from factory boxes but I have never done any wildcating. To neck up to 30 cal in the first step is there a specific die that I should use? Should this die be a neck sizing die or a FL sizing die for a certain 30 caliber? What powder charge and bullet are needed for the fire forming? Heavy bullet, light bullet? Fast burning or slow burning? The very powder and bullet combo I want to develop a load with in 6.8 Western? Thanks for answering these basic questions.

 

[Leaf Litter]

Thanks for all of this feedback. I’m an inexperienced reloader. I’ve done lots of FL sizing of brass that I’ve fired from factory boxes but I have never done any wildcating. To neck up to 30 cal in the first step is there a specific die that I should use? Should this die be a neck sizing die or a FL sizing die for a certain 30 caliber? What powder charge and bullet are needed for the fire forming? Heavy bullet, light bullet? Fast burning or slow burning? The very powder and bullet combo I want to develop a load with in 6.8 Western? Thanks for answering these basic questions.

I simply ran my expander way out of the 6.8 Western sizing die so the neck of the brass never entered the neck portion of the die. It took some finesse to avoid beating up the interior of the case head, but it wasn't hard.

I can look at my load data tonight for charge weight, but I went with a 145 ELD-X because I already had some on hand. Use whatever projectile you want, it doesn't matter.

I had 2lb of IMR 4831 from the 1970s sitting on my bench so I took a guess and loaded it up. Faster powder than standard is suggested for fire forming to help reach pressure sooner to seal th case inside the chamber and prevent blow by. Velocity is around 2650 fps, which is around 500 fps below my max load for the 145gr ELD-X. I'd suggest a little heavier charge than what i used, but certainly not max. Beings I generally run very slow burning powders in my 6.8, I stepped up burn speed to 4831 to try and speed up sealing.

Looking at it, this is a long reply, but hopefully it helps.

 

[can1010]

Spot on!

I had no issues using this exact method. Every case came out perfect before and after fire forming. Photo of case w/ false shoulder attached for visual aid.

i also use the same method on new belted mag brass that is normally real short, and it has really extended its case life