Thread: Reloading military brass

Did a few recently just for the experience. Do not know how others do them but I started by sizing first with 308 dies with expander plug removed. Then put a reasonable chamfer on the neck and then into 7mm neck die. Effort required was quite low.

Originally Posted by zimmer

Did a few recently just for the experience. Do not know how others do them but I started by sizing first with 308 dies with expander plug removed. Then put a reasonable chamfer on the neck and then into 7mm neck die. Effort required was quite low.

That's what i did from 308 to 243 however i cheated and annealed before goin to the 243 die

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VC did you use a 243 neck or FLS die?

Full length everything

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Originally Posted by zimmer

Did a few recently just for the experience. Do not know how others do them but I started by sizing first with 308 dies with expander plug removed. Then put a reasonable chamfer on the neck and then into 7mm neck die. Effort required was quite low.

Well just whacking it through the 7mm die hasn't worked out for me

I'll try adjusting the die a bit and giving it another go tomorrow.

Go and vivid one of the ones you have done and try to chamber.
Post pic of result

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When I neck down brass, I anneal the cases first. I then body size with a body die. Then I full size, more steps, but easier to do and less likely to stuff your F/L die by getting a stuck case.

Originally Posted by RimfireNZ

Cheers Dogmatix. By the way this all appears to be Lake City 07 stuff. It's only got a single primer hole.

I had a try at necking down to 7mm... didn't go well. I'm gonna start a new thread shortly.

I'm just doing this as a learning exercise. I use Remington brass generally and am very picky about my reloads.

I just want to make a 7mm out of a 308 that is able to fire so I can feel like a clever bastard

Try sizing down and trimming 300 x .270 Win cases into .308 Win then!

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Full length everything

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VC - I know another thread has been started but I f'd up my original question to you in this thread .. I meant to ask do you go straight to the FLS die or do you do an intermediate step with a neck die. And I guess the answer will be go straight to FLS? No much is gained if anything by using the neck die first?

Originally Posted by zimmer

VC - I know another thread has been started but I f'd up my original question to you in this thread .. I meant to ask do you go straight to the FLS die or do you do an intermediate step with a neck die. And I guess the answer will be go straight to FLS? No much is gained if anything by using the neck die first?

Yea i went 308fl with expander removed,aneal ,243 fl
can do it without the aneal tho.
Don't have a 243 neck die .
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Hi all, I know that I'm late to chime in on this but I run a NEA-15 in 5.56 NATO and a Tikka T3 in 308 Win, I use mil brass to cut down costs. I find that brass is brass if done right.
5.56 NATO runs at a higher pressure than .223 Rem and the .308 Win has a higher pressure than the 7.62 NATO.
As with any new batch of brass you should start from new, you can use the last load in your log but only if the brass is the same brand (i.e. Remington with Remington, ADI with ADI).
I would NOT use the load data that I made for commercial brass in mil brass however I go back to the powder websites and do another work up (like you should when you change projectile weights).

These are my steps:
1) Check to make sure they use a boxer primer*
2) Deprime
3) Swage primer pocket (I use the RCBS Primer Pocket Swager)**
4) Deburr the flash hole**
5) Clean (I use a Simple Green with warm to hot water to get the range or suppressor crap off, then I tumble)
6) Full length or small based die resize
7) Trim (to the stated length in your reloading manual), Chamfer, Deburr***
8) Prime
9) Powder
10) Projectile
11) SHOOT!!!!! and have fun.

* Is for Mil brass (only needed to be done once in the case life)
** Is for both Mil and commercial brass (only needed to be done once in the case life)
*** Is for both Mil and commercial brass (Repeat only as necessary i.e. when the case length is to the max case length)

Originally Posted by P38

Military cases can also be Berdan primed (two flash holes inbuilt anvil) as opposed to Boxer Primed (one flash hole no built in anvil).
Centerfire ammunition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you miss even one "Berdan Primed Case" you will break your decapping pin.

That said I use military brass all the time for reloading and have never had any issues except for the above.

I dont reload any Berdan Primed cases but have done so in the past and know of people who still do.

Cheers
Pete

I've got quite a few berdan pimed 577/450 cases, I've managed to deprive them hydraulically not a good process! Split about 20% at the shoulders, but hey they were cheap. Now gonna turn out the primer pocket to fit shotgun primer, for me makes my cases more user friendly

Originally Posted by RimfireNZ

Hey guys,
So I've heard so many arguments about the differences between 223 and 5.56, and 7.62x51 and 308 (military vs non military stuff). Talking about case thickness, increased pressure etc etc and how there's a difference. Yet I've also heard many people say it's a load of crap and if you can get the military primers out of the brass initially, you can load it up as it's no different.

I was wondering what your take is on it? (if you know) in the context of reloading, is there any real difference (other than having a tough primer to get out) between say, Remington 308 brass and this military stuff.

I've just got a few hundred once fired, resized, deprimed and cleaned bits of military 308 brass. Ready to load. Is there anything I have to watch out for?

The usual, so load at the minimum, go up in 1gr loads of 5 (assuming 308w) to give a group per load. When going to the range dont take any max loads with you the first time, then you wont be tempted to be silly. Dont load any hotter than 45gr ADI 2208.

Military brass is usually heavier walled as well as crimped. If you have a pet load in civilian brass then go at least 1 grain lower if switching to say ADI brass and work back up (2 grain if near max load).

Remington is supposed to be pretty thin, I have none so I cannot comment directly. ADI military brass however often gives the same velocity as lapua competition brass but in the region of 0.5 grain less 2208 to do it.

Oh and as someone else said, full size it.

regards

I've been loading Berdan primed brass for years mainly in 303brit & am now doing 7.62x51 & 223 with no problems @ all.
I just pry the old primer out with a sharpened Stanley nail punch holding multiple cases upside down in a metal holder held in a vice, then take the crimp off using an old drill chuck with a slightly oversize steel bit that has the point taken off by placing it against the corner of a rotating bench grinder wheel to go over the cases anvil.
You can simply reprime with Berdan primers from "Gunworks" as they now have the right sized ones for the 7.62x51 & other Military brass. (I adapted an old Simplex press to do this but I'm told a Lee hand primer works just as good).
Reload as normal.
I've reloaded steel cased shells also in & 223 (these have normal boxer primers) & 7.62x39, all have worked fine with no issues so my next project is 7.62x54R.
I just love to experiment using obsolete or hard to prime cartridges etc just because people say it can't be done or it's not worth doing so once it's set up I can save heaps of dosh while enjoying my hunting & shooting & help others in a similar position.
Phil.

Just thought I'd add that If some calibre cartridges are hard to come buy then conversion from Berdan to boxer can be done with afew basic tools.
Phil.