35 Whelen fire-forming?

A

Astocks2622

New member
So I'm about to buy a 35 Whelen, and I have hundreds of once fired 30-06 brass. I researched the process of necking it up, but have seen that some people fire-form the cases after necking them up, SVD some don't mention that step. I've also heard of people just firing a 30-06 load thru the Whelen to get brass. I won't be trying that...
Is fire-forming necessary after opening up 30-06 to 35 Whelen? Is the shoulder not quite right even running 30-06 brass through 35 Whelen dies? I annealed 60 cases and then necked them up with RCBS 35 Whelen dies. Do I need to fire-form them before really starting load development, or am I good to go?

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Neck it up and load it.
Unless you're using one of the wildcat variants with different shoulder geometry or a blown out body, there's not much point in wasting time and brass life by fire-forming.


Some people just like using fire-formed brass, no matter the cartridge or situation.
Many of them are the same kind of people that use a fire-forming load for factory brass in standard cartridges, before using the brass for 'real' loads.
 
Some people just like using fire-formed brass, no matter the cartridge or situation.
Many of them are the same kind of people that use a fire-forming load for factory brass in standard cartridges, before using the brass for 'real' loads.
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And then there are a few like me; I form first then fire. And then there are case formers. They are the ones that determine the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face. Those are the ones that go to the firing range and purchases cases that have been fired in trashy old chambers. There is nothing like sizing a case by shortening the length of the case from the shoulder to the cases head when determining the length of the chamber.

F. Guffey
 
If it was me I would start with a 280 Remington case, the 280 Remington cases is longer than the 35 Whelen case from the shoulder to the case head by .051" then the 35 Whelen. I could ask; "How could a reloader miss?".

F. Guffey
 
I also have couple 30-06's and I did neck up Win case and OAL was 2.450" and that was new case.
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Old Roper, I measure before and again after. I have necked up 1,000s of 30/06 cases to 35 Whelen, when necking up the 30/06 case I have found the cases shorten .035", I know there is a belief case necks get thicker and or thinner when necking up and of down. When I neck cases up the4 necks get shorter and when I neck them down they get longer.

Shortens? That would be from mouth of the case to the case head. I am the fan of off setting the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face with the length of the case from the shoulder of the case to the case head.

F. Guffey
 
F. Guffey, I measure new case and I never did fire it in 35 Whelen I had at that time. As I mentioned I use 35 Whelen brass for the 35 WhelenAI

When I post to OP " might want to read this" Your 2nd post on that about forming brass along with FrankMauser for the 35 Whelen.
 
When I post to OP " might want to read this" Your 2nd post on that about forming brass along with FrankMauser for the 35 Whelen.
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Thank you, and then there are the improved chambers; I have no clue how reloaders managed the length of the case from the end of the neck to the case head and from the shoulder to the case head. I do not managed the length, I keep up with it; when forming cases for improved chambers the length of the case from the shoulder/case body juncture get longer and the length of the case from the end of the neck to the case head get shorter.

When forming 30 Gibbs the case shortens .045"; again, that is the reason the 280 Remington case is my favorite when forming. The 280 Remington case is .041" longer from the end of the neck to the case head than the 30/06 case and the 280 Remington length from the shoulder to the case head is .051" longer than the 30/06. I could ask; "with that much case how could a reloader miss?", because I never get an answer I can only guess they are confused.

F. Guffey
 
I resize that the neck will be a bit short, necking up from 30-06 brass. However, as it headspaces on the shoulder, and not the neck, about all you're worried about with neck length is that it's sufficient to maintain tension and bullet concentricity. After several firings they'll be the right length. I'll use those for range trips, and true 35 Whelen brass for hunting. Mostly I just wanted to verify there was no real good reason to fireform after necking it up, and before working up "real loads".

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RCBS supplied a "step up" expander die for my .338-06. Haven't ever worried about fire forming and Whelen also has same dimensions.
 
If I had a 35 Whelen and a mess of 30-06 brass I would load the 30-06 with junk bullets and fire them in the Whelen chamber. You get a perfectly compression formed case that fits your chamber. Then you size and reload. I see no need to make it more complicated than it is.
 
OP,

Never fire 30-06 in a 35 Whelen to "fire form" your casings!!!

You should be good by necking up the 30-06 casings to 35 caliber (I would go slightly larger) then running through a 35 Whelen full length sizing die.

If it's a bolt action rifle you are buying then after you fire your rounds the first time, you can get away with only neck sizing them.

If your using a pump, lever, or Semi-auto then full length size.
 
Yeah, it will be built on a Mauser action. Can I back the RCBS FL die I have out to neck size, or do I need a different die? I knew both are made, just wondering if I can get away without purchasing more dies.


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