Fireforming lots of cases...bbl damage?

[esheato]

I feel kinda dumb asking this, but the sheer volume has got me thinking.

In preparation for an upcoming varmint hunt, I ordered 2,000 .223 Rem cases. Over the next month or two I am doing all the brass prep and loading for the fireforming procedure (creating .223 Ackley). These are loaded with 11 grains of Unique, pistol primers and some cornmeal to fill out the shoulder with a tissue paper plug to hold it all in place.

I've experimented enough to realize that the bbl gets hot quick doing this procedure, so I'll pace myself on the trigger. My question is this: Say I shoot 500 rounds in a day, would I have to worry about any barrel damage? I would assume not since the bbl is steel and everything else is much softer. I usually push a patch or two down the bore after fireforming to ensure the removal of the leftovers.

Anything I'm missing?

Ed

 

[Dave P]

I would worry about wear, not damage. I would guess that the throat is going to get worn out by fireforming, almost as much as by actual firing. They say the wear is a function of the hot gasses, not the bullet.

So to me it sounds like you will wear out your accurate varmint bbl with all the fireforming, or at least shorten its life significantly. Suggest you use an old bbl to do this task, not your best one. Benchresters are known to do this trick.

 

[BigG]

The 223 Ackley chamber is so radical that you can't fire a factory 223 in it? That would be my approach, if it could be done.

 

[RecoilRob]

From what I have read on the .223 Ackley, you CAN fire standard factory ammo in it and, supposedly, most rifles will be pretty accurate with it too.

I would wonder if it is actually worth the time, expense and bother to seperately fire form the cases? You will only gain a couple hundred fps with the 'improved' cases. You could do all your shooting this time out with standard .223 loads and use the fireformed brass next trip.

However you decide to go....I envy your situation! Good shooting!

 

[esheato]

You can fire the parent cartridge in the gun. It actually shoots quite well too.

If I'm driving all the way to Montana/Idaho, I'll be shooting the cool stuff.

Small calibers at high velocity do wicked things to prairie dogs. I'll talk to my gunsmith and some other knowledgeable friends. .

Thanks for the assistance.

Ed

 

[Smokey Joe]

P. O. Ackley's idea

If it's a true Ackley Improved round, then it MUST fire the parent cartridge. That was Mr. Ackley's original idea.

I'd try a few @ the range, loaded as regular .223's, but I'd expect them to work just fine. If so, as previously stated, you can load up the cases as regular .223's, shoot 'em for real, not for fire-forming, and load 'em using .223 AI dies next time around.