.308LiteHunter Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I purchased 500rds of once fired LC brass and while sorting through them I noticed that many of them have a shallow line right at the bottom of the shoulder where it meets the main part of the case. The "line" only goes half way at most around the case and some are worse than others. Anyone seen this before? Are these still good to use? Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I'd be curious to see the chamber condition of the rifle that stuff was shot out of. Too much headspace. Case head separation, looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Jensen Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Good chance the brass was fired through a machinegun. The head space is on the long side. Do you have a case measuring device? If the brass was fired in a M-14 or bolt gun it would measure around .005 in growth from when it was new. Machinegun brass is like .015, unless the seller knows for sure it was fired in NM M-14 or match rifle, most likely is from a machinegun. Not worth the trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survivalshop Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I use it & haven't noticed any problems . Was a bit leery at first , but I have two or three loadings with it , with some having a line in it . I don't use Max. loadings so, not sure how that would effect it . I thought it would come out with firing , but the marks or discoloration was still there on some . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Not worth the trouble. I'll respectfully disagree. I've reloaded thousands of 1x-fired 7.62 brass from machine guns in three different rifles. Never, repeat, never had a problem with it. Just carefully size it, trim it and you're good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 ^^^ Full-length size it, in the case of those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.308LiteHunter Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) I use it & haven't noticed any problems . Was a bit leery at first , but I have two or three loadings with it , with some having a line in it . I don't use Max. loadings so, not sure how that would effect it . I thought it would come out with firing , but the marks or discoloration was still there on some . Good to know. I checked the head stamp and all but 2 of the cases with lines were stamped LC 11 (I've found about 30). So far only one case that is definitely scrap. I've been getting great accuracy with 155 A max and 43grains of R-12, Win brass. Ill need to work up something new since R-12 is not made anymore. I was looking for some R-15 but ended up with some IMR 4895 and Varget if anyone has any load recommendations for 155s. I'm also going to try some 180 Sierra spitzer, and also a low recoil load with 125 Nosler ballistic tips. I was happy to see the other topic on reloading less powder in military brass or not, I had been wondering about that myself. Thanks again gentleman! Edited February 2, 2014 by .308LiteHunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I'll respectfully disagree. I've reloaded thousands of 1x-fired 7.62 brass from machine guns in three different rifles. Never, repeat, never had a problem with it. Just carefully size it, trim it and you're good to go. Me too! I got 1200+ rounds from a friend who works at White Sands Missile Range that was all fired from a machine gun and never had a problem. They all had a dent in the side from ejection too, but that went away after the first firing. My friend just gave me another 5 gal. bucket full of the same stuff, time to start processing brass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas30cal Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I too have loaded thousands shot from machine guns, they definitely swell a lot because they take lots of effort on the first sizing, I anneal the necks after three or four firings, but do not keep perfect record some may be more or less and have had no failures except for a few split necks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tripledeuce Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) Factory chambers are frequently reamed with two different reamers. The first one sets the body dia and taper, the second cuts the neck, throat, and sets the headspace. Looks to me like the second reamer, in this case, was slightly undersized. Probably less than half a thou. Thats why the "line" only goes half way around the brass. Reaming a chamber, correctly, is a subject that could take several THOUSAND words to describe, in detail!LOL!! Respectfully Terry Edited February 3, 2014 by Tripledeuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.308LiteHunter Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Factory chambers are frequently reamed with two different reamers. The first one sets the body dia and taper, the second cuts the neck, throat, and sets the headspace. Looks to me like the second reamer, in this case, was slightly undersized. Probably less than half a thou. Thats why the "line" only goes half way around the brass. Reaming a chamber, correctly, is a subject that could take several THOUSAND words to describe, in detail!LOL!! Respectfully Terry Thx, that sounds like a good explination. The lengths of the brass are all over the place, some don't need trimming, and some are 2.025 so im guessing some were definitely fired from a machine gun. On a side note I bent my decapping rod while sizing and de-priming a piece of LC brass. Should I be depriming first and then running them through my SB sizing die? It worked fine for several hundred but was definitely harder than brass without a crimped primer.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdbiker1 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 The oal of the brass doesn't mean anything. You're just measuring the initial stretch from firing. What you need to do is measure from the datum point to the case head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.308LiteHunter Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Good chance the brass was fired through a machinegun. The head space is on the long side. Do you have a case measuring device? If the brass was fired in a M-14 or bolt gun it would measure around .005 in growth from when it was new. Machinegun brass is like .015, unless the seller knows for sure it was fired in NM M-14 or match rifle, most likely is from a machinegun. Not worth the trouble. I was referring to this post from earlier when I mentioned the brass lengths being different. Hdbiker1, What are you suggesting that I measure, and for what purpose? Thanks for the input and help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) On a side note I bent my decapping rod while sizing and de-priming a piece of LC brass. Should I be depriming first and then running them through my SB sizing die? It worked fine for several hundred but was definitely harder than brass without a crimped primer.? They break, after awhile. That's why the pins come in 5-packs or 6-packs when you get replacements. Wasn't that piece of brass that did it - just overall use, man. Resizing/depriming at the same time is fine to do. Edited February 6, 2014 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.308LiteHunter Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Not the pin, the actual rod bent where the expander ball screws on... No worries RCBS is shipping me a new one, no questions asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) Not the pin, the actual rod bent where the expander ball screws on... No worries RCBS is shipping me a new one, no questions asked. I JUST had that happen on my .223 Rem set - blamed it on the step-son! <lmao> What I noticed on mine - the boy was going to town, working brass - ALOT of brass. every once in awhile, you have to take that die apart and make sure that expander ball doesnt loosen up - once it does, the decap pin gets a little sideways in a case, and that is what bends the threaded rod. Now, obviously, the boy wasn't checking for any of that... <laughs> That's the only thing I've ever seen that'll bend that rod, brother. Hit it once in awhile and make sure it's still on there tight. Edited February 6, 2014 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.308LiteHunter Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) Ha, I wish I had someone to blame it on... I bet that's what happened with mine. I took the rod out and wiped it off, probably loosened up the expander ball allowing the pin to get loose in there. Edited February 6, 2014 by .308LiteHunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdbiker1 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 I was referring to this post from earlier when I mentioned the brass lengths being different. Hdbiker1, What are you suggesting that I measure, and for what purpose? Thanks for the input and help. The measurements I refer to, basically show the headspace of the weapon the brass was fired from in a round about way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.308LiteHunter Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 The measurements I refer to, basically show the headspace of the weapon the brass was fired from in a round about way. Got it, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mineralman55 Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 ^^^ Full-length size it, in the case of those? Full length sizing is the only way to go for gas guns. Small base sizing dies optional. I never found the need for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.308LiteHunter Posted February 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Full length sizing is the only way to go for gas guns. Small base sizing dies optional. I never found the need for them. Good to know. I picked up a set of RCBS AR dies to reload for.my lr .308 and it uses a SB die. Out of curiosity, any one used the RCBS X dies, supposedly they eliminate the need for trimming brass even after several reloads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Good to know. I picked up a set of RCBS AR dies to reload for.my lr .308 and it uses a SB die. Out of curiosity, any one used the RCBS X dies, supposedly they eliminate the need for trimming brass even after several reloads. That stuff is kinda new to the lineup - the AR series dies. The ones that come in the black case. That's what the 300 BLK set is that I just picked up. <thumbsup> The bullet seater is also the crimp, and once set up right, you do both at the same time. I'll like this. Edited February 9, 2014 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
survivalshop Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Most Seating dies are set up with a crimping feature ,( my Forster 300BLK dies are an exception , they have no crimping feature , got them when the 300BLK first came out & not sure if they have changed ) I know it adds more time to crimp in a separate procedure , but I have found , in rifle cartridges , that I can control how much of a crimp you get by a separate operation or with a progressive press , the crimp die in separate station. Seating/crimping can be done well as long as all your brass are trimmed the same length. Your choice . <thumbsup> I believe the RCBS AR dies come with a taper crimp & a small base sizer die, which is what I use because all my ammo goes through multiple rifles , but not really needed unless you have problems. I have went back to Taper crimping my Rifle target loads . I have the Lee factory crimp dies for all of them , but with the little crimp I use on them , I have seen no improvement on the Chrono or groups , compared to the Taper crimp. You can put a crimp on them thats for sure, these are 168 gr. Hornady match bullets I pulled . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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