Brass for reloading?

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allaroundhunter

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THR,

Though I don't reload yet, I am intending to here within the next two years. I have a .308 that shoots Federal Gold Medal Match rounds lights out, and so far I have kept all of the brass. Is it worth me keeping this brass, I mean, will it be good brass to reload? The way my gun shoots FGMM, I intend to try to eventually work up a load that will actually shoot better, but time will tell when I find that perfect combination.

Also, what other types of brass do y'all like? Dislike? What should I stay away from like the plague?

Thanks a bunch!
-AAH
 
I would save all of your once fired brass. Look at the price of new unfired brass to see what it costs.

It's not going to get any cheaper and you know where it came from and what it's history is. (how many times it's been fired).

Another reason to keep it all is that once you have fired it, the brass is fire formed for your chamber giving you a head start when you do decide to reload. It will fit your gun better than anyone elses.

I don't know of any brass that you want to "avoid like the plague".

If the Fed Gold Match rounds shoot really well in your 308 (I think that's what you ment by the "lights out" part of your comment), and your happy with their performance, your all set.
 
The Federal Gold Medal match ammo is really good stuff made with fine brass. I shoot it in my AR 10 and my bolt gun. Absolutely save the stuff for future reloading. As tightgroup tiger points out, .308 brass isn't cheap and is not going to become any less costly with time.

You don't mention the rifle?

With my bolt gun I only neck size cartridges that have been fired in that particular rifle.

I always full length re-size for my AR 10 and M1A rifles.

This is a good read on the subject.

You have plenty of time to read up on reloading.

Ron
 
Any once-fired boxer primed brass is worth holding onto.

Your Federal Gold Medal match brass is nearly as good as it gets.

You can use Rem UMC just as well.

It's all good enough to reload and use for something.
Even if it is plinking or hunting loads you plan to lose in the weeds the first time you shoot it.

Or just for expendable lab rats for setting up your new reloading equipment.
So you don't waste the Federal Gold Medal Match brass.

rc
 
Very nice rifle. Once you really get into rolling your own you won't look back much. :)

Then too, there will be loading for that perfect accuracy and also loading for just plain shooting. The great brass for the great stuff and the not so great for the not so great loading. :)

Ron
 
I am fortunate enough to get 100 pieces each month of once fired Fed GM brass from a friend who is a LEO. I usually reload it twice (trimming down to min each time) for my bolt .308 and then it gets turned over to my AP4 for plinking loads. I usually get 4-5 more loads out of it before I either lose it or the necks split.
 
I even save some of the Berdan primed brass and size it without the decapping rod to use to make sample setup rounds or other assorted inert rounds I need. Yes you need to save ALL your once fired boxer brass the stuff is way too expensive to just scrap if you plan to reload for sure. It will not ever go bad if stored in good conditions (zip-Loc bags) even if not cleaned yet.
 
what about military crimp 308 LC? How does it rate to commercial say UMC? Is it higher pressure rated like 5.56 vs 223?
 
My understanding (and I may be off base) is the military crimp when used is to make sure the primers remain seated during the cycling of military rifles, this includes full automatic weapons. Additionally they ensure the cartridges will stand up to higher pressures. To paraphrase part of a song I know pretty well "We have fought in every clime and place where we could take a gun. In the snow of far off northern lands and in sunny tropic scenes". Military ammunition is designed to be reliable in a wide climate range. Hot ammunition baked in the sun will develop higher chamber pressures.

Military brass was not designed with reloading in mind. It is fired on a battle field and abandoned. So when reloading we decap removing the primer and ream the primer pockets to allow repriming.

That being my understanding and guess. :) If I have it wrong may someone help me.

Ron
 
My understanding (and I may be off base) is the military crimp when used is to make sure the primers remain......

......pockets to allow repriming.
Click to expand...

I knew all that. But you spelled it out ! I was trying to get a real world comparison of LC 308 mil brass to commercial 308 such as, UMC, PMC, PPU etc. And if it higher pressure rated and therefore less case capacity...just like 556 mil brass vs 223
 
7.62 NATO is thicker and has less capacity. You can count on it.

5.56 NATO isn't always, and very often isn't.

I have recent Remington .223 brass that is heavier then any of the LC GI brass I have.

rc
 
DoubleMag said:
I knew all that. But you spelled it out ! I was trying to get a real world comparison of LC 308 mil brass to commercial 308 such as, UMC, PMC, PPU etc. And if it higher pressure rated and therefore less case capacity...just like 556 mil brass vs 223
Click to expand...
Lake City brass has always been of very high quality and many reloaders seek it out. If you don't want to deal with the crimped primer pockets it's also available new instead of once fired.

From what I know it's not really "higher pressure rated".
 
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