Fire Forming 240 Banshee

Trace Hatfield
[subject]
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 11:41 (5 days ago)

I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on Fire-forming 22 hornet to 240 Banshee.

Sure easy as pie. I like to take a cue-tip

WB
[subject]
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 13:46 (5 days ago) @ Trace Hatfield

or maybe your spray lube does the trick, lightly lube the inside neck. If you overdo it stick powder can bridge. I simply FL size the case, the expander ball gently expands it to .241" or so. Load up and seat a .243" bullet of your choice. Upon firing it will blow out a nice full improved .240 Banshee case. When loading them only push back the shoulder of the case enough to reliably chamber. No need to overwork the brass. Chamfer the cases prior to seating the bullet, no need to mouth expand. It's a rifle round anyway. No need for a crimp at all.

Are you loading for a revolver or single shot? Do you have Mr. Taffin's book "Smallbores" where Gary and I recounted much of the process in depth?

I have it in a revolver

Trace Hatfield
[subject]
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 17:55 (5 days ago) @ WB

Ill have to keep my eye out for that book as well, i appreciate the input guys ill give it a try

Do you have a copy of my reloading manual. It

Gary Reeder
[subject]
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 19:36 (4 days ago) @ Trace Hatfield

covers all 64 of the cartridges that we have developed with loading data and info on each. If you don't have one let me know and I'll send you one, no charge.
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It’s a great book, his last work. Huge almost 600 pgs.

WB
[subject]
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 20:50 (4 days ago) @ Trace Hatfield

A deal at $60. Taffin allowed several guest authors. Through Gary he allowed me to do one on the Banshees; .240 and .255. Gary did one more expansive. Shoot me a PM and I’ll help some more. Make sure you get Gary’s loading manual, it’s a real value.

I have a 8-shot .255 Revolver. It’s fantastic. Just keep the cylinder handy setting up your sizer. Push the shoulder back far enough you get full seating in the chamber to the rim. This ensures smooth rotation.

Waterboyark at yahoo

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This may not work for you but it does for me.

Gary Reeder
[subject]
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 14:44 (5 days ago) @ Trace Hatfield

It works best for the K-Hornet but usually works with new brass too.
Take regular handgun powder, like unique or other flake type pistol powder. Fill the brass case up to where the shoulder starts and stop there. Pour the powder into your powder pan and see how much it takes to get it to the shoulder. Keep that in mind and if it works for you then you will know how much powder to put in the rest of your batch.Fill a couple of cases to the shoulder and take a half square of toilet tissue. Roll it into a ball and put it down in the case. Tamp it down tight against the powder. Make it tight but don't hit it as powder will fire. Then take each case by itself with the tissue as tight as you can against the powder in the case. Then take the cases outside, point it up and fire it. It normally will form the case on one try. It should have the Banshee sharp shoulder and short neck. I have had to do this twice from time to time but in most cases the shoulder forms real well the first try. This way you on't waste a bullet and only a small amount of powder.
Some people like the water pressure way of forming the shoulder. They fill the Hornet primed case up nearly to the mouth of the case with water. You take a decapping rod or any rod that is real close to the size of the neck of the case. Getting the rod as close to the diameter of the case neck works best. Then put the rod into the case and if the rod is real close to the size of the neck take a hammer and hit the rod a good whack. The pressure of the water in the case will usually form the shoulder. I have never used this way of forming the shoulder but have had several friends tell me that is the way they do the case forming without wasting the powder and a bullet.
Good luck
GNR.

Was there a certain bullet type

Trace Hatfield
[subject]
Sunday, April 19, 2026, 12:33 (4 days ago) @ Gary Reeder

You guys prefered in the revolver. I know it the lighter weight Bullets just curious if there was one that worked better than others?

I was surprised in the SS at the .240’s velocity

WB
[subject]
Sunday, April 19, 2026, 17:28 (4 days ago) @ Trace Hatfield

Of course you Lois quite a bit in the revolver. More the smaller caliber you go. To answer your question. You’d want the most lightly constructed “varmint” type projectiles you can find. The Barnes “Varmint Grenades” are good examples. Even then you must understand they are designed to hold together at near 4,000 fps fired from a .243 rifle etc. your velocity will likely run 1800-2000 fps. Kind of like shooting a 6mm Remington rifle with a 600 yd. handicap. But it works and is a hoot!

I chose .255 for my revolver as it was easier to find cast bullet molds for the .25-20 etc. however there is less of a jacketed bullet offering. That’s where the .240 has the advantage, lots of 55-70 gr. Varmint jacketed bullets. Too heavy a jacket and it will act like a FMJ. Fiddling around to find out is half the fun. A 5-gallon bucket of sand is a great target backer and you can dig through to see what they are doing.

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