35 whelen ?

[AK_Maine_iac]

I have been reading about fire forming 35 whelen from 30.06 brass. They keep saying something about loading a light charge and cap it with cream of wheat??, then fire it in your 35whelen, with no bullet, to re-neck the case up to 35 cal. What amount of powder would i use. Do you need to use a cardboard wad of any kind? Anyone done this, and does it work?

 

[steveno]

I would just run the 30-06 cases into the Whelen full length sizing die to expand the neck and put a starting load in the case and shoot them.

 

[JerryM]

When I had a .35 Whelen, I also ran 30-06 through a sizing die with a .35 expander button. Works fine, and you don't have to go through a fire forming process.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[AK_Maine_iac]

Thanks: I was thinking the same thing. Someone had told me that fire forming to the rifle would cause less stress on the case neck. I feel like i am learning all over again, Have not done any reloading since 1966. Powders and bullets have come a long ways since than. One old dog learning new tricks.

 

[DM~]

I've fireformed thousands of rounds with a fireform load. I do it that way, because you end up with much better equil neck wall thickness, all the way around. Yes i have many tapered expanders, yes they do work, but the fireforming makes better brass.

I use just enough b-eye to do the trick, with cream, of wheat on top, and tamped down. No wad of any kind. Shoot them outside and they WILL be noisy. Keep the bbl pointed straight UP to keep the filler in place until you fire the round.

DM

 

[fguffey]

I form first then fire, there is no reason to use reduced loads, toilet paper or cereal, if the reloader knows where the shoulder is to be formed, 1.948, that happens to be the same for the 30/06 1.948 meaning all that is happens when going from 30/06 to 35 Whelen is necking up, no forming, same for the 338/06, just neck-um up then load. Same for the 8mm06.

I know it sounds good, "I fire formed my cases.... ." When I form a case and fire it I get once fired cases and that is when I adjust my die to the shell holder with the companion tool to the press, the feeler gage.

F. Guffey