Thread: Fireforming with porridge and soap

Given the shortage of most things reloading, I thought Id do fireforming with ground up porridge and soap.

Hopefully someone has done this and can point me on the right track.
What I have done is measured 70% of case capacity, and filled with trail boss to that point. I've then filled the remainder with ground up porridge and tamped it in so it's firm and full. I've then stabbed the end into some soap to seal it off, wiped down and ready to fire.

This is in 284 Winchester.

Before I do in fact pull the trigger, I'm hoping someone can validate the process!

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just tie it to a fence post and pull the trigger via a long string.

The only concern I would have is there is no way to determine the pressure potential you have created.

Will the amount of stuffing cause a ‘powder bridge’ and dismantle your rifle violently?

More than likely it’s a horribly weak brew that won’t leave crisp shoulders and a fully formed body taper and neck.

There is a reason most use projectiles and appropriate loads.


Not a dig at you, but please respect an explosive combination burning 6 inches from your face

Forgot to add, it's with trail boss

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All of the loading information about Trailboss says DO NOT COMPRESS IT!

I wouldn't suggest firing those loads. Most information I've read about fireforming uses smaller amounts of fast burning pistol/shotgun powders with some sort of filler to create resistance to provide the necessary pressure spike.

I may not have read it right but why do you need to fireform 284 brass? The brass is commercially available.
I thought it was more for stuff like ackley improved and such like where its not able to be purchased off the shelf.

Why are you fire forming your cases? It is a waste time primers and powder, Just load with the regular load
and go hunting the difference in performance is bugger all, If for target shooting just shoot them at club matches
the dame for load development, In an article put out by Sierra some years ago they said their most accurate loads
were from virgin brass, In the European 300 metre matches the top competitors shoot factory ammo, the brass is collected
and sent back to the factory to be reloaded for use as club ammo, It makes sense the brass is in it is best shape when new
is is perfectly annealed and stress free.

Edit: it is for necked up 6.5x284.

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Originally Posted by Gerardo

Edit: it is for necked up 6.5x284.

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As others have stated. Expand to 7mm, load up and go about your normal business.
When I first fired my necked up 6.5/284 brass in my 284 subsequent loadings of the formed brass showed virtually no change over the first firing.
If you're worried about some change after the first firing just do a quick zero check on the 2nd loading.

The premise seems sound. I used a simpler loading set up for fireforming annealed 303 cases to 7x57R: 18 grains of Green Dot powder (a medium speed shotgun powder I had spare), a random LRP, and filled the rest of the case with toilet paper. Cases came out nearly fully formed. I started off the process with 10 grains of Green Dot and worked upwards to 20 grains. 18 grains produced as much forming as 20 grains, so I used 18 grains. I have no experience of Trail Boss.

Originally Posted by rupert

The premise seems sound. I used a simpler loading set up for fireforming annealed 303 cases to 7x57R: 18 grains of Green Dot powder (a medium speed shotgun powder I had spare), a random LRP, and filled the rest of the case with toilet paper. Cases came out nearly fully formed. I started off the process with 10 grains of Green Dot and worked upwards to 20 grains. 18 grains produced as much forming as 20 grains, so I used 18 grains. I have no experience of Trail Boss.

And how would you apply this process to fire a 6.5/284 case necked up to 7mm ready to go into a 284W chamber?

If anyone is interested, I found this which sounds very similar.

https://youtu.be/jiF6OoPiuvM

I'm holding off for now to conduct more research.

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Fireformed to Ackley by means of starting with 5gr of fast burning powder and working up in 1gr increments. Loaded the powder and then packed down with toilet paper without any filler or bullet. Experimented a little with direction of fire. Got the best results and constancy with the rifle pointing upwards when firing. Watch out for double charge!!!!

I know some of the f-class guys run into the odd dounut challange with forming 6.5-284 to 284.

Originally Posted by Gerardo

Edit: it is for necked up 6.5x284.

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I have .285" diameter cast bullets that I sell to a couple of guys to fire form their cases if you are interested, Seems a waste to shoot them into the ground
when they are perfectly good for small game, Trail boss will be ok to blow the cases out it has a very quick pressure spike on ignition .

Originally Posted by shooternz

I have .285" diameter cast bullets that I sell to a couple of guys to fire form their cases if you are interested, Seems a waste to shoot them into the ground
when they are perfectly good for small game, Trail boss will be ok to blow the cases out it has a very quick pressure spike on ignition .

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