22 BR Rem 700 Action

Target over last few years with my 22 BR.

A lot of these are doing testing of loads and fire forming at the same time.  It was also when I had all of my back problems and pinched nerve in my neck.  I need to get out to the range and shoot some targets with my good health.

22 BR Rem 700 Action w/Hogue stock, Pac-Nor fluted barrel

This isn’t a exact science since I did fire forming at the same time and I used at three different kinds of brass, Lapua, R-P, and Norma.

The one thing about the 22 BR, NO ONE LOADS FACTORY AMMO OR MAKES BRASS FOR IT.  All rounds have to be formed from 6 BR.  It isn’t a real problem, you just have to follow a few steps to get good results.

I’ve formed both new and used brass using three different types of brass, Norma, R-P, and Lapua.  They’re all about the same, but different.  I say that because there is a little difference.  Yes, you can size a 6 BR in the 22 BR sizer and get good results, B U T I would rather get great results by doing a few steps to get all of my brass nearly the same.

1.  I anneal the very first thing, then sized my 6 BRs in a standard 6 BR full length die; which should give an OD (Outside Diameter) of .267 – .268  (your cases may be different from mine).  After sizing I tumble in SS media to get the lube off and get them clean for neck turning.

2.  I turned the neck to .261 – .262, I guessed at this number.  I knew I needed to be probably 4 – 5 thousands of neck turn to be able to size the brass down to 22 Cal and have sufficient neck tension when I size my brass to 22 BR.  So far most of the measurements are guesses.  I wanted to end up with two or three test pieces of brass to load to fire form, have a couple thousands of neck tension, and be able to just slide a new 22 Cal bullet into a fired case after fire forming.

3.  I then sized my brass to 22 BR using a full length die getting an OD of .244 – .245.  Test this very first case using a new 22 Cal bullet, it SHOULD NOT fit into the case mouth.  If it doesn’t, you’re good to go, if it does; back to STEP #2 and take less off of the neck. Also throw that $1.00 case into your bad brass bucket.

4.  I then trimmed my formed cases to 1.510.  You can look in 5 different reloading book that has 6mm BR and you’ll get 5 different length for max length for the parent case; 6mm BR. So when I picked a max length for my 22 BR, I picked 1.510.  There are ways to find an exact length of the chamber for max length.  They are called a chamber length gage.  I loaned mine to someone and didn’t have it at the time.  Check out the internet by typing: chamber length gage, you can even make one for each cartridge.

5.  If the new bullet doesn’t slide into the formed case, load the case with a middle load to fire form getting an OD of .246 – .247.

6.  Last; fire the round and form the case.  Now a new bullet should just slide into the fired case. If after they’re fire-formed a new bullet WILL NOT slide into the mouth of the case.   They will need inside neck reamed or you’ll have to go back to STEP #2 and neck turn the next cases another thousands.

Anytime you inside neck ream; it must be with a fired case, because the case has fired to the chamber and released the bullet down the barrel and cooled down a few thousands for extraction.