7 FCP. Before I pull the trigger on this......literally

[JezL]

Hydroforming has been the best way to get consistant firing, and FF cases, in the 6 Dasher from 6BR lapua brass. And only requiring one shot to get it formed nicely. ( I found false shoulder / jam method, still required multiple firings to get a sharp shoulder)
My only advice is to try ensure the Hydroformed brass comes out with longer headspace, so you push it back with your sizing die to get a good fit in the chamber.

[antunkov]

An update for those that asked.

A head up. This cartridge, despite what FCP will tell you is not for you if you don't have a lot of patience. Matt P was right, you need a lot of Kool Aid to accept all the hype this cartridge has gotten.
Whether usng the false shoulder method or jamming the bullet hard I'm still having trouble with fireforming. Misfires for about 10% of shots and sometimes big pressure, but mostly normal. I've tried all sorts of different combinations of primers, bullets and powder but still the problem persists. Pulling the trigger has become a lottery. It's giving me the total shits.

I was all ready to give it away, but Ive had a change of mind and I am going to persist.
I even bought all the SAUM gear to replace this cartridge but I now intend to keep going ahead with both.
I'm sticking with the 7FCP because the muzzle velocity ES is something I've not come across before. no matter what I did to my 284s, the high teens was as good as it got with ES and not all that often.
With the 7FCP the worst I've had (20 shots) was an ES of 13fps, but it is often in the low single digits. Im not talking 5 shot strings here which is total rubbish.

What got me going again was I found that Armaments by Design are making a hydroform die for a 7mmAzzo, which is based on the 6.5 PRC. see here >> https://armamentsbydesign.com.au/store/ ... o-7mmazzo/
The 7mm Azzo looks very similar with a slightly longer neck
Anyway John Perrott has offered to make me one for the 7FCP, so I can do all the fireforming at home without wasting diesel, powder bullets and primers and TIME.

Yes, I realize that hydroforming will present another range of issues, but that's the nature of the rabbit hole
Pete

Hello Pete,
From the last year till now I have fireformed 700pcs Lapua cases, not even once I had problem with misfires.
600pcs were done with false shoulder method and bullet was jumping 10thou.
For primers I have used Federal, CCI, and Ginex.

IMG_1865.jpg

[PeteFox]

OK, so the hydroform dies from Armaments by Design have arrived, along with some cases I supplied that have been formed in the die I bought. I also supplied the reamer that also cut the chambers in the rifle.
John Perrott has kept me informed every step of the way and was super quick with the manufacture. It took a month from posting away to receipt, Tassie to Cairns to Tassie.

The die has a punch and expander mandrel combined that enlarges the case neck and then seals the neck to enable the hydro forming. I can't detect any radial play in the fit of the punch in the die. The die is mounted in a bench vise and struck with a dead blow hammer. The clearances between punch and die were made to suit Lapua cases, so other brands may not work if the necks are thinner or thicker.

die1.jpg

die and punch

die2.jpg

die screwed into the base which clamps in a vise.

The photo below shows some cases for comparison. The hydroformed case has rounded shoulders which will square-up on firing.

cases.jpg

The 7mm AZZO is shown for comparison. It is another variation of a necked up and improved 6.5PRC. The neck is longer and the shoulder is steeper, for approximately the same powder capacity. The case diameter at the shoulder is the same as the 7FCP, at least in the hydroformed state.
Heading off on a non shooting trip on Friday, so this will have to wait, but I know what I'm doing over the long winter.
Pete

[John T]

Hello Pete.
There is a Q&A section in Volume 1 of "Handbook For Shooters & Reloaders" (P. O. Ackley 1962). On pages 547 and 557 are questions about fire forming the .219 Zipper Improved, said to be very difficult. Both querists said they shot "blanks", powder only, NO BULLET! Page 557, "...measure 10 grains of 2400(?) into each case with no bullet, chamber the case, point the muzzle up, shake the powder down good and fire - perfect case!" Load data for a 45 grain bullet in the .219 Zipper (page 275), 23 grains of 3031(?).
10/23 is about 43%
And this is.. well it's not fire forming, is it? Let's call it "Powder Blast Forming", PBF.
ADI Load Data for a 143 grain bullet in the 6.5 PRC is a starting load of 51.1 of 2217.
If you apply the old and trusted handloading principle of comparing apples to turnips, you have 43% of 51.1 equal to about 22 grains of your 2209 as your PBF charge.
The exercise:-
- Prime 200 virgin 6.5 PRC cases, NO EXPANDING needed
- "Swannie"
- Bottle of your 2209 blend
- Basic powder thrower, pan and funnel
- Basic scales
- Primers, deprimer and primer
Off to the range (or big back yard with warning to neighbours)
- PBF charge testing, starting with 20 grains, increments of 2 grains until bolt lift increases, back off 1 grain (10 mins?)
- Shoot ALL 200 cases with the PBF Charge, after de- and re-priming the test cases (50 mins?)
Pack up, go home, reward self with 2 glasses of your best blend.
Kind Regards,
John Tracey.
6 June 2025.

[PeteFox]

John
I think I'd need to drink the best blend first before I did any of that, that's if there's any left as you seem to have got to it first.
But I'll have one anyway and remember the old days at UQRC
Pete

[John T]

Hello Pete.
My suggestion was intended as a cheap and easy option that might stop you digging a deeper hole. Going without expanding to a false shoulder is probably a step too easy.
"...your best blend" is entirely a personal preference. It could be tea or wine or coffee or whisky or mint julep or.... My favorite is Darjeeling and Russian Caravan; 1 large ice cube to keep the chill, splash of soda for spritzig, no lemon; refreshing, lite yet uplifting.
Kind Regards,
John.