308 brass question

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electronrider

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Is 308 Federal Match Gold Metal brass good to use? I'm brand new to reloading, and am wanting to make sure this is good brass for starting out.

Thanks!
 
Federal brass will have a short case life, due to enlarged primer pockets.
Winchester(BHA Match too) and Lapua will give much better case life. Nosler is not shabby either. But, I ould stick with Winny, Lapau, and Nosler..
 
As long as I tap the case on the bench, and the primer doesnt move, they will be ok? I figured I would give them a shot, I got them at a decent price, would be a shame to only be able to do them once.
 
USSR has it right you can tell by the feel PLUS, if you are loading close to a full case of powder, the pressure of setting the bullet will often puch out the primer.
I've used quite a few Fed GMM cases and have yet to notice any issues with them.
 
Got that right when the primer goes into the pocket with no resistance you will know. If the primer falls out from tapping on the casing that is tool late too!
 
As long as I tap the case on the bench, and the primer doesnt move, they will be ok? I figured I would give them a shot, I got them at a decent price, would be a shame to only be able to do them once.
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As long as you have them, use them.

I was given about 200-300 cases of once fired 308 Federal NM. So I loaded them with 190's and used them as my Long Range ammo. They shot great. A few 500 yard perfect scores with 15X's, not nearly as good at 600 yards, but that was my fault, not the rifle or the cartridges.

But, the primer pockets opened up. I tossed them on the fifth reload.

Now I am using W/W brass. Its great stuff, but I am only on the second or third reload, so we will see.

The most durable 308 cases that I have purchased were LC. I ran one set of LC64 cases around 22 reloads through a M1a. Pockets were getting loose, had case neck splits and body splits, but it was the loose pockets that decided their service life.

Was going to leave them on the ground after shooting Rattle Battle at Camp Perry. Still have most of the survivors. Bad habits are hard to break and I scooped up most of them before the team advanced to the next yard line.
 
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