COW accuracy???

[std7mag]

So this strange thought occurred to me....

When using a "pistol" powder, and the Cream of Wheat method of fire forming brass, can you actually do some target shooting with these rounds???

Not saying work up target loads this way, just curious about getting some practice in at the same time.

 

[Slamfire]

Why use pistol powders and "cream of wheat" when you can use AA5744 in large blackpowder cases and not bother with "Cream of Wheat"?

 

[44 AMP]

Been quite a few years since I have done it, but back when I did, case forming loads were "hit close to the target somewhere" was all I was after. I was using cast bullets (actually the cheapest crap castings), as after all, I was looking to form cases, not really hit anything.

As I recall, most did hit the target, some even close to the center, but it was nothing you could count on. No doubt due to the bullets used and loading practice. The filler, in itself didn't seem to make a difference.

your experience might be different.

 

[HiBC]

I have used the Cream of Wheat method to form cases.
I did my 35 Whelens this way,and ,before Hornady .405Win brass,necked up 30-40 Krag brass to straight wall 40-70 Sharps,40-60 Maynard.

It worked very well,

BUT I USED NO BULLET WHATSOEVER!

I recommend against using a bullet,you may very well blow something up.

 

[steve4102]

When I fireform for my 6.5 Grendel and Ackleys, I use Red Dot COW and tissue paper, No bullet.

 

[Longshot4]

When I fire form from 22 Hornet To K Hornet from factory loads I just fire the rounds in the chamber. When I am able to find new Hornet brass I load for low pressure to form the cases. Although some times cases won't be fully formed. Then I load a second time to get full formed cases. That works for me. In my case that is all that is required. Why would you buffer at all? We have a lot more powder selection today compared to 40 Yrs ago.

 

[HiBC]

Longshot,in your case,you are not changing bore diameter.I agree with you,just shoot a fireform load with no buffer.I do that with Ackley Improved.Pressure does the forming.It does not work so well to neck up to a larger bore.

Forming dies to neck up are expensive.I have used conventional dies to neck up with the expander ball.My results were mediocre.All the stretch will occur at the weak side of the neck.Neck wall variation is bad,and the spindle is not rigid enough to maintain concentricity.

I use Bullseye and Cream of Wheat,no bullet.A ballpark estimate of charge is around 10 % of what a normal charge for cartridge is.Example,to blow 30-06 necks out to 35 Whelen,as approx. 50 gr of powder might be a typical 30-06 load,I'd start at 5 gr Bullseye.I would not exceed maybe 7 gr.

Before we had .405 Win Hornady brass,I made a steel chamber insert for a 12 ga single shot.I chambered it 40-70 Sharps.With that setup,I easily blew virgin 30-40 and .303 Brir brass out to straight wall cylindrical brass.
The application was 40-50 Sharps,40-60 Maynard,and ,albeit short,40-70 Sharps.

In all cases,I got excellent concentricity and uniform neck wall thickness.

The COW acts as a semi-fluid mass being blown through the shoulder/neck area and mechanically forms the brass to conform to the chamber.Sure,pressure is involved,also...but the COW is not just a buffer,it is the forming tool.