New Reloader Looking for Help on Fire Forming New Brass for 7mm-08

I bought some Nosler 140gr ballistic tips for the reason that I have a few books and online resources/Vihtavouri app that I can come up with a good starting point. I'll post my proposed starting points later after I can look at everything.

I've been following along with a precision reloading series on YouTube where the guy goes into how to use it properly. Between that and some other resources, I feel pretty safe.

I plan to double check my work via Rokslide and a reloading group I'm a member of on Facebook before I do any actual loading just to be safe.

Like most beginning reloaders (myself included), you might be starting to overthink it. Viht has data for 140 NBT and N540. Pick a charge somewhere between min and max. Work up to pressure and then back off a bit. If you're happy with the results, load a bunch and go shoot. If not, tweak one thing at a time until you get something you like.

I went down the rabbit hole of following along with the "precision" reloaders, only to find the vast majority of it means nothing because sample sizes are too small. GRT is a good secondary tool but it is NOT a substitute for published data nor your own experience with your handloads.
 
I would be curious to know if there was any measurable difference in volume of fireformed vs virgin and how much if any.
With proper brass/chamber tolerances there usually is a measurable difference in volume, but depending on your loading strategy you may not be able to take advantage of it because the formed brass is now expanding less and changes the pressure curve. So in most cases a load that's just below pressure signs on new brass will be at pressure with formed brass FL sized with -.002" shoulder bump, IME.
 
Like most beginning reloaders (myself included), you might be starting to overthink it. Viht has data for 140 NBT and N540. Pick a charge somewhere between min and max. Work up to pressure and then back off a bit. If you're happy with the results, load a bunch and go shoot. If not, tweak one thing at a time until you get something you like.

I went down the rabbit hole of following along with the "precision" reloaders, only to find the vast majority of it means nothing because sample sizes are too small. GRT is a good secondary tool but it is NOT a substitute for published data nor your own experience with your handloads.

Oh I'm not going for 3 shot groups that are all touching, I'm just trying to safely fire form my brass and then get an idea if my rifle likes one bullet more than another before I go out and spend the money to develop a distance load. And if I can't find a combination that'll shoot in 50-100 bullets of those 2, I'll move on to something else.

I'll use the Starline for general 100-300 yard target shooting and a hunting load for around where I live but look at something different for consistency and performance to get out to 500 yards and be able hunt Pronghorn.

From what I've seen in the series, cheap brass just has occasional flyers and how much the brass plays into it is still questionable. The reason why I'd go with something like Peterson brass for my distance loads is just trying to minimize the flyers even more, and I'm not sure I'll be able to detect that switching to more expensive components.

But I can use my 243 loads that are a little further along and test that before I buy expensive brass for my 7mm-08.
 
Oh I'm not going for 3 shot groups that are all touching, I'm just trying to safely fire form my brass and then get an idea if my rifle likes one bullet more than another before I go out and spend the money to develop a distance load. And if I can't find a combination that'll shoot in 50-100 bullets of those 2, I'll move on to something else.

I'll use the Starline for general 100-300 yard target shooting and a hunting load for around where I live but look at something different for consistency and performance to get out to 500 yards and be able hunt Pronghorn.

From what I've seen in the series, cheap brass just has occasional flyers and how much the brass plays into it is still questionable. The reason why I'd go with something like Peterson brass for my distance loads is just trying to minimize the flyers even more, and I'm not sure I'll be able to detect that switching to more expensive components.

But I can use my 243 loads that are a little further along and test that before I buy expensive brass for my 7mm-08.

Fire forming or not, you will know within a few shots whether or not your rifle likes a given bullet/powder combo.

While brass can make a little difference, it is nothing compared to missing a wind call by 2-3mph. Time spent shooting a decent load will yield better results than worrying about what brass you’re shooting.

I’ve gone down the same path. I’ve learned that calling wind is “El Numero Uno” in actual field shooting. Everything else is so far behind in matter of importance, I don’t even think about it.


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When I say my rifle liking a bullet, I mean that I'm not getting keyholing.

After I get to higher pressure with the NBT, I'll measure water capacity and see about loading up some lower ladder tests followed by some higher powder tests for each of the bullets with the different powders and then start to look at is one grouping better than the other.
 
My reamers are made with minimum chamber dimensions. I never could see the difference, just wondering if someone else could..
Minimum chambers are sure nice to work with. I’ve never grasped why so many folks getting top barrels are ok with any old reamer. 🙂
 
I develop loads with virgin brass and have never had to adjust loads after firing a piece of brass several times.

Right, the new brass should perform as one with multiple firings. But as you get higher in pressure, it should stretch to match your chamber. GRT uses the water capacity in it's calculations and that's why I'm trying to get it, but you need to be on the higher end.

I'm just trying to make sure I don't hurt myself and I don't have anyone locally that I know here that reloads.

Belt and suspenders lol.
 
Right, the new brass should perform as one with multiple firings. But as you get higher in pressure, it should stretch to match your chamber. GRT uses the water capacity in it's calculations and that's why I'm trying to get it, but you need to be on the higher end.

I'm just trying to make sure I don't hurt myself and I don't have anyone locally that I know here that reloads.

Belt and suspenders lol.
Personally, I wouldn’t waste my time with doing that. I would base everything off of load data for your bullet and look for pressure signs on fired brass.

I think you’re overthinking it.
 
From what I've seen in the series, cheap brass just has occasional flyers and how much the brass plays into it is still questionable. The reason why I'd go with something like Peterson brass for my distance loads is just trying to minimize the flyers even more, and I'm not sure I'll be able to detect that switching to more expensive components.
This isn't really a thing, it stems from small sample testing like @steelheadmike mentioned. You might see more erratic velocity or something, but brass isn't causing "fliers" (those come from small samples too).

Long story short, put together a load, shoot a large sample, see what it does. If it's good, roll on. If it's not, swap a component and repeat. It's that simple. It either shoots, or it doesn't.
 
Minimum chambers are sure nice to work with. I’ve never grasped why so many folks getting top barrels are ok with any old reamer. 🙂
Minimum chambers suck, they're asking for a tolerance interference and malfunction. Brass expands to the chamber, it seems counterintuitive to go the opposite direction. I opt for the larger side of tolerances on reamers, hence the 6.5/7PRCW.
 
Minimum chambers suck, they're asking for a tolerance interference and malfunction. Brass expands to the chamber, it seems counterintuitive to go the opposite direction. I opt for the larger side of tolerances on reamers, hence the 6.5/7PRCW.
There aren’t problems if the person is well acquainted with how to use them.

I tried really hard to put that in a positive tone, even rewrote that sentence three times, but I can’t help saying if someone can’t figure it out they should use sloppy chambers.

I’ve burned up enough barrels with tight chambers without a single malfunction to not take people seriously that can’t figure it out. Heck, back in 1982 I can remember the article that was the turning point that warned hunting rifles are sure to jamb up if tight chambers or neck sized brass are used. It didn’t match my limited experiences and the half baked claims were a lot of bla bla bla, and 43 years later the same old arguments are used and broadcast as gospel.

It’s not an exaggeration that I’ve never had as much as a really heavy bolt lift. Clickers while developing loads prior to finding a reasonable max, but never a failure to chamber or extract, let alone carbon rings or such silliness from a lack of effort.

I’m not saying they are for everyone - obviously many folks struggle and get frustrated when peeing into the wind doesn’t work out. Today’s marketing power houses don’t help when the number of products, cartridges and ideas sold to shooters are more to separate folks from their money rather than contribute to reliability, and they have convinced people to blindly trust and not really understand what they are buying into.
 
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