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condorsc
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Fireforming
Oct 6th, 2026 at 10:53pm
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Seriously need learned and experienced comments on fireforming 348 Win. unprimed new cases to .43 Spanish. Will feed a Model 1879 Mexican contract Rolling Block. These are '80s production Winchester cases. Please help Bubba. Is there a better method than corn meal and pistol powder?
  
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gnoahhh
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Re: Fireforming
Reply #1 - Oct 6th, 2026 at 11:09pm
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Have you gotten as close as possible with (repeated) annealing and incremental expander plugs in a die? The less you have to rely on fireforming with such things as Cream-of-Wheat and the like the better off you are. At least in my experience, I've had decidedly mixed results with blanks made from pistol powder and meal.

Another approach, but it's pretty messy, is to make up or buy a hydraulic case expander die. I used one from Hornady to form .22 K-Hornet brass without fireforming.
  
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condorsc
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Re: Fireforming
Reply #2 - Oct 6th, 2026 at 11:52pm
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I indeed favor the incremental approach. Whose dies do you favor, and which sizes would you recommend? Is it possible to assemble a set consisting of expander plugs and a single die?
  
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ssdave
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Re: Fireforming
Reply #3 - yesterday at 2:55am
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I've reformed 348 cases when i've had to, but it's a not exact process, and you have some losses from cases that don't form correctly.  And 348 is fairly expensive to start with.

Why don't you just start with correct 43 Spanish?  It's as easy to get as 348 is.

When I fireform, I anneal the portion to be formed, and use a small charge of medium fast powder covered over with grits or cream of wheat or similar coarse milled grain.
  
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gnoahhh
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Re: Fireforming
Reply #4 - yesterday at 8:45am
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condorsc wrote on Oct 6th, 2026 at 11:52pm:
I indeed favor the incremental approach. Whose dies do you favor, and which sizes would you recommend? Is it possible to assemble a set consisting of expander plugs and a single die?


I favor the RCBS system of neck expansion. You get one die body that's universal, and then add expander plugs to suit your needs. Pretty simple and the plugs are cheap - and also easy to make if you have access to a lathe.

I also like the RCBS over the Lyman M-Die for such things as radical case mouth expansion because it doesn't present a sharp-ish step in the plug like the M-Die does. It's a smooth transition for belling case mouths.
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Fireforming
Reply #5 - yesterday at 10:52am
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I use the Lyman M dies, but I put the plugs into my drill press chuck and simply turn the step off with a file while spinning the plugs. I also buy .38 and .45 caliber plugs as spares to turn down to the exact size I need to expand the necks. I bought my M dies in Short and Long used at our OAC gun show and some clever machinist milled the sides open 180 degrees apart so you can watch the plug enter the case mouth and expand. A genius alteration that both Lyman and RCBS should do at the factory!

I'm not sure the .348 rims are thick enough to make .43 Spanish? I believe BACO .348 brass has the rims swaged to offset the edge and create a thicker rim for proper headspace.
  

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oneatatime
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Re: Fireforming
Reply #6 - yesterday at 10:59am
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I'm with Dave. It isn't worth the trouble (and you are going to have more I think from distant memory) to mess with 348 when he has very good Jamison brass for $3.
  
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condorsc
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Re: Fireforming
Reply #7 - Today at 3:10am
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He's got it, alright. Got some coming. Thanks.
  
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