Hydro-Form 6mm Dasher Brass — Save Money & Barrel Life
Can you form a wildcat cartridge such as the 6 Dasher without expending primer, powders, and bullets? Absolutely. Using the hydro-forming method you can form improved cases in your workshop with no firing whatsoever, so there is no wear on your precious barrel. Watch this video to see how it’s done:
6 Dasher Case Hydro-Forming Demonstration:
Forum member Wes J. (aka P1ZombieKiller) has produced a helpful video showing how to form Dasher cases use the Hornady Hydraulic forming die kit. This includes a two-part die (body and piston), and a special shell holder. To form the case, you insert a primer in your virgin brass, top the case off with with a fluid (water or alcohol), then run the case up into the Hydro-forming die. A few stout whacks with a hammer and your case is 95% formed.
This same procedure can be accomplished with a Whidden Gunworks 6mm Dasher hydraulic form die. We like the Whidden hydro-forming die for its production quality and consistent results. This Whidden system works great according to our Forum members.
Hydro-Forming Procedure Step-by-Step:
1. Insert spent primer in new 6mmBR brass case.
2. Fill with water or alcohol (Wes prefers alcohol).
3. Wipe excess fluid off case.
4. Place case in special Hornady shell-holder (no primer hole).
5. Run case up into Hydraulic forming die.
6. Smack top piston of forming die 3-4 times with rubber mallet or dead-blow hammer.
7. Inspect case, re-fill and repeat if necessary.
8. Drain alcohol (or water) into container.
9. Remove primer (and save for re-use).
10. Blow-dry formed case. Inspect and measure formed case.
Wes achieves very uniform cartridge OALs with this method. He measured ten (10) hydro-formed 6 Dasher cases and got these results: two @ 1.536″; 2 @ 1.537″; and 6 @ 1.538″.
Three or Four Whacks Produces a 95%-Formed Case
With a Whidden or Hornady hydro-forming die, hydraulic pressure does the job of blowing out the shoulders of your improved case. The process is relatively simple. Place a spent primer in the bottom of a new piece of brass. Fill the case with water, and then slip it into a special Hornady shell-holder with no hole in the middle. Then you run the case up into the forming die. Now comes the fun part. You gently insert a plunger (hydraulic ram) from the top, and give it three or four stiff whacks with a mallet (or better yet, a dead-blow hammer). Remove the plunger and you have a 95% formed case, ready to load.
Special Shell-Holder
Hornady supplies a shell holder made specifically for the hydro die; there’s no hole in the bottom of it. Just insert a spent primer into the primer pocket and you’re ready to go. The spent primer, combined with the solid shell holder, keeps the water from seeping out of the primer pocket. The primer pushes out a little bit during this process, but it’s impossible for it to come out because of the way the shell holder is designed. The shell holder has a grove which allows the case to slide out of the shell holder even when the primer protrudes a bit.
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Tags: 6BRA, 6mm Dasher, Dasher, DJs Brass, Hornady Hydro Die, Hydro-forming, Shell holder, Whidden Gunworks, Whidden Hydraulic Form die
Or you could simply buy Peterson – https://www.petersoncartridge.com/match-grade-brass/brass-rifle-casings/6mm-dasher/
I’m sorry but it does not save anything. Once hydro formed it still has to be fired to sharpen the shoulders. Very big misconception here.
EDITOR: The Hydro-forming saves the major step which is the most difficult one. Yes, the poster is correct that the shoulders will sharpen after first firing with powder. But generally speaking, the brass is quite usable after fire-forming. There is no reason NOT to shoot the hydro-formed cases in a match (unless perhaps you are at the Nationals). We’ve shot hydro-formed cases and achieved 3-shot accuracy in high ones, and won a local 600-yard match with the brass. Yes it looked better after the first live firing, but it was very accurate after hydro-forming alone.
Hydroformed cases take one firing out of the equation. If you ONLY fireform Dashers, you have to shoot them twice before they’re match ready. With hydroforming, you can use them for sighters the first firing and then they’re good to go for record fire after that. At least mine are that I do. Of course I’m only shooting 609/1000 yard IBS benchrest so I can’t speak for those disciplines require more precision.