7.62 mil-spec vs. 308 Win for reloading match. Accuracy difference?

[XavierRED]

Hello... I'm fairly new to reloading but have done my fair share of research. I have a question that I haven't been able to find online.

I have a bunch brass in .308- PPU, FC and Nosler... AND in 7.62- LC, WCC, CBC, Aguila and GGG.

I'm reloading IMR 4064, Win primers and Sierra Matchking 168gr bullets...

I'm shooting a DPMS G2 Hunter with a 20 inch barrel.

My question is...
Does the space difference effect accuracy, velocity and pressure load? Example: If I use a lighter grain load in the milspec to compensate for space, will I be getting the same velocity and pressure as 308 loads at a higher grain load?
Will this effect long range accuracy?
Can I truly get match grade performance from military brass out to 300 yards?

Thanks guys!
Wes in Colorado Springs

 

[Assault116]

Here's the short version.

Yes you can get great accuracy out of milspec brass if you do you due diligence in brass prep (read the stickies in this section on reloading for LR Precision)

As to adjusting charges for different case volumes, yes you can do that and get the velocities to relatively line up, but it's not as easy as x=y, ie it's trial and error for each different case, so you need to test them all over a chronograph to find out.

If you really want good ammo, pick one kind of brass and stick with it.

 

[XavierRED]

Thanks! I was thinking about selling all my brass and picking up Lapua but i do have 500 LC and 100 GGG... From what i have, what's the best in your opinion?
Wes

 

[elfster1234]

All i use is once fired lake city military type brass for my 7.62 semi auto reloads. Totally can get match grade performance and the brass can take one hell of a beating in comparison to .308

 

[918v]

I have a found a .06gr/1gr powder to case weight relationship with 4064 in the 308.

 

[Assault116]

Thanks! I was thinking about selling all my brass and picking up Lapua but i do have 500 LC and 100 GGG... From what i have, what's the best in your opinion?
Wes

LC is good brass, no problems there.

I personally wouldn't run Lapua brass in a gas gun simply because of the expense of the brass and the beating some gas guns put on brass. But that's just me. Bullets.com has Lapua 308 brass on sale right now for $61.95/100 pcs so that makes it not so bad.

I don't even shoot 308 and I'm thinking about picking some up and just necking it down to 260 for my bolt gun.

 

[samnev]

LC is good brass, no problems there.

I personally wouldn't run Lapua brass in a gas gun simply because of the expense of the brass and the beating some gas guns put on brass. But that's just me. Bullets.com has Lapua 308 brass on sale right now for $61.95/100 pcs so that makes it not so bad.

I don't even shoot 308 and I'm thinking about picking some up and just necking it down to 260 for my bolt gun.

Same here. I only use Lapua brass in my TRG 22 and AIAW 308's. I use segregated LC an LC Match in my gasser 308's.

 

[Emouse]

MIL brass

Same here. I only use Lapua brass in my TRG 22 and AIAW 308's. I use segregated LC an LC Match in my gasser 308's.

Experiment a little,..well prepped and sorted mil cases will outlast commercial cases along with taking higher pressures etc. In the AIAW mil brass sings along for multiple reloads when expensive Lapua brass gets trashed fast. Some mil brass also has a slightly greater capacity than Lapua especially in the 308.

 

[dauntedfuture]

Years ago when we all shot M1A/ M14 for high-power the use of MIL cases was more of the norm. M14's are quite hard on brass and the thicker webs helped to get a few reloads out of it. The ejection cycle on an M14 is violent as there is still lots of peak pressure and the brass will stretch quite a bit. many people avoided re-loading M852 brass, the stuff with that knurling, more then 2x as it was more likely to separate at the knurling juncture. At this same time you could also pick up enough brass one summer at Camp Perry for free to last for the year so it was cost effective. There is nothing special about LC match brass or M118 brass; the weight variations are on the high side and the necks are inconsistent. AR type semi autos on the other hand are gentle on brass like their AR-15 cousins and provided your brass is not getting mashed on the brass deflector, it will last a long-long time. I think that many "semi auto .308" shooters have carried over many of the M14 loading traditions to the AR family of rifles. If you want to save some money use LC brass, if you want better brass buy something new and it will be "better" than 1X lC brass will be. You can make LC brass better but there is lots of work required; even if you weight sort it there remains significant internal volume differences.

 

[samnev]

Experiment a little,..well prepped and sorted mil cases will outlast commercial cases along with taking higher pressures etc. In the AIAW mil brass sings along for multiple reloads when expensive Lapua brass gets trashed fast. Some mil brass also has a slightly greater capacity than Lapua especially in the 308.

I've tried LC, LC Match, Winchester and Lapua in both my AIAW and TRG 22 when I first got my TRG and then the AIAW and I got better groups 5 shot 100 yard groups with the Lapua brass. I am on my 5th loading of the Lapua brass and have yet to have 1 case fail. Perhaps that's because my loads are on the mild side. So i'll stick to the Lapua brass in the TRG and AIAW.

 

[XavierRED]

Can i get the same accuracy out of mil spec ammo?