I was wondering if anyone is having luck with once-fired 7.62x51/308 LC brass from the military? Can this brass be prepped to be precise for 200 yds or less? I noticed that it has less volume.
Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
- Thread starter turbohardtop
- Start date
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
The brass is thicker so case capacity is going to be less. If it's in good shape, try it. You'll soon find out if it will work for you. Just don't try to pack the same charge into it that you would with a thinner walled case.
The brass is thicker so case capacity is going to be less. If it's in good shape, try it. You'll soon find out if it will work for you. Just don't try to pack the same charge into it that you would with a thinner walled case.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I'm using it in an AR10. 118LR brass though. I have only shot it to 500 but it works for me and is tougher than any other brass I've tried.
I'm using it in an AR10. 118LR brass though. I have only shot it to 500 but it works for me and is tougher than any other brass I've tried.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I use mixed LC brass, I get decent accuracy out of it. You will probably have to load a grain or so lighter because like others have said it's heavier brass. Target from yesterday:
Someone thought it would be really funny to mess with my turrets while I was in the jon so I had to re-zero. 42.5 varget, not as accurate as 45 varget win brass but much easier on the rifle.
I use mixed LC brass, I get decent accuracy out of it. You will probably have to load a grain or so lighter because like others have said it's heavier brass. Target from yesterday:
Someone thought it would be really funny to mess with my turrets while I was in the jon so I had to re-zero. 42.5 varget, not as accurate as 45 varget win brass but much easier on the rifle.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I've been loading LC 94 Match cases for over a decade now with very good results. Like the others said it's very tough brass and the case walls are thicker, so case capacity is less. My load with 175 Match Kings and CCI BR2 primers is 42.2 grains of IMR 4064 which chronographs around 2670 fps in my 24" Rock Creek barrels.
I've been loading LC 94 Match cases for over a decade now with very good results. Like the others said it's very tough brass and the case walls are thicker, so case capacity is less. My load with 175 Match Kings and CCI BR2 primers is 42.2 grains of IMR 4064 which chronographs around 2670 fps in my 24" Rock Creek barrels.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I was loading 42.0 grain varget, 168 grain AMAX at 2.800 OAL and I can tell the bullet was sitting right on top of the powder. Any more charge I would be compressing it. I ended with 2.950 with some loads from 40.0-41.5 grains to be safe. I have not shot them to see how well it groups.
I was loading 42.0 grain varget, 168 grain AMAX at 2.800 OAL and I can tell the bullet was sitting right on top of the powder. Any more charge I would be compressing it. I ended with 2.950 with some loads from 40.0-41.5 grains to be safe. I have not shot them to see how well it groups.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I use it and love it with 42 grains of Varget and a sierra 175.I did have some prblems with my DPMS even with a smal base loading die I had to have the chamber reamed an RCH to handle it
I use it and love it with 42 grains of Varget and a sierra 175.I did have some prblems with my DPMS even with a smal base loading die I had to have the chamber reamed an RCH to handle it
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I run the LR Brass with a 175gr SMK RE15 load with excellent results.
Like anything else though, brass prep makes all the difference.
I run the LR Brass with a 175gr SMK RE15 load with excellent results.
Like anything else though, brass prep makes all the difference.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
It depends on what you consider precise. For me that means less than a MOA. I use LC89 Match and it shoots every bit as good as I need it to. I use 43.1 grain RE-15,CCI BR2 primers and COAL 2.8
It does everything I need it too. I would try to find LC Match or LC LR brass it requires less prep than standard Lake City becuase of the crimped primers and also you dont have to worry about if it has been fired out of a m240 or m60. Hope this helps
It depends on what you consider precise. For me that means less than a MOA. I use LC89 Match and it shoots every bit as good as I need it to. I use 43.1 grain RE-15,CCI BR2 primers and COAL 2.8
It does everything I need it too. I would try to find LC Match or LC LR brass it requires less prep than standard Lake City becuase of the crimped primers and also you dont have to worry about if it has been fired out of a m240 or m60. Hope this helps
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I pretty much only use LC in my m1a. Thicker brass as has been stated.
I still toss the cases after 5 firings regardless of what it looks like, i had a case head seperation once on CBC brass in the m1a. Luckily it was in battery when it seperated, but since then I have only used the LC once fired.
As for accuracy, The m1a I have is less accurate than the cases I put in it
1 moa on a good day.
Hope that helps,
madd0c
I pretty much only use LC in my m1a. Thicker brass as has been stated.
I still toss the cases after 5 firings regardless of what it looks like, i had a case head seperation once on CBC brass in the m1a. Luckily it was in battery when it seperated, but since then I have only used the LC once fired.
As for accuracy, The m1a I have is less accurate than the cases I put in it
Hope that helps,
madd0c
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
The only real issue with LC brass is that it doesnt like heavy loads so you will get bolt stick with it sooner than you will with say Lapua. If you dont mind running a grain or two below top end, no problems....but then, not a whole lot of reason to fun balls out anyhow unless you just gotta have the speed.
The only real issue with LC brass is that it doesnt like heavy loads so you will get bolt stick with it sooner than you will with say Lapua. If you dont mind running a grain or two below top end, no problems....but then, not a whole lot of reason to fun balls out anyhow unless you just gotta have the speed.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
LCLR07-08 I get great groups but I spent considerable time working up loads on 5 bullets. Here's a few out of my recipe book.
LCLR07-08 I get great groups but I spent considerable time working up loads on 5 bullets. Here's a few out of my recipe book.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
Wow...looks like the LC LR are decent brass. What about the LC NATO brass. That's all I have at the moment.
"shot in the dark" what is the COAL with the Nosler. I do have 1K of the 168 grain. Also have 1K of the 168grain AMAX to. Please share those if you have them. Thanks.
Wow...looks like the LC LR are decent brass. What about the LC NATO brass. That's all I have at the moment.
"shot in the dark" what is the COAL with the Nosler. I do have 1K of the 168 grain. Also have 1K of the 168grain AMAX to. Please share those if you have them. Thanks.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
DAFAR try passing the brass through a 30-06 small base die. The 30-06 will squeez the side wall down more then a 308 SB die. I've had several match M1A that I had to do this to the brass to get it to feed properly. The 30-06 step is after you do a normal pass in the 308 dies for the neck and shoulder.
Donald
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DAFAR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use it and love it with 42 grains of Varget and a sierra 175.I did have some prblems with my DPMS even with a smal base loading die I had to have the chamber reamed an RCH to handle it </div></div>
DAFAR try passing the brass through a 30-06 small base die. The 30-06 will squeez the side wall down more then a 308 SB die. I've had several match M1A that I had to do this to the brass to get it to feed properly. The 30-06 step is after you do a normal pass in the 308 dies for the neck and shoulder.
Donald
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DAFAR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use it and love it with 42 grains of Varget and a sierra 175.I did have some prblems with my DPMS even with a smal base loading die I had to have the chamber reamed an RCH to handle it </div></div>
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
i dont have to use small base dies for my armalite ar-10, i use my regular dies and have'nt have a problem
i dont have to use small base dies for my armalite ar-10, i use my regular dies and have'nt have a problem
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbohardtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow...looks like the LC LR are decent brass. What about the LC NATO brass. That's all I have at the moment.
"shot in the dark" what is the COAL with the Nosler. I do have 1K of the 168 grain. Also have 1K of the 168grain AMAX to. Please share those if you have them. Thanks. </div></div>
I'll get you numbers on that tonight, if I make it home!
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbohardtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wow...looks like the LC LR are decent brass. What about the LC NATO brass. That's all I have at the moment.
"shot in the dark" what is the COAL with the Nosler. I do have 1K of the 168 grain. Also have 1K of the 168grain AMAX to. Please share those if you have them. Thanks. </div></div>
I'll get you numbers on that tonight, if I make it home!
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tullius</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice groups. What's the deal with your oal, though? </div></div>
Appears to be COL and not COAL. That would be distance from the base of the case to the bullet ogive. You can measure it with a Hornady gauge...or a homemade modified case.
Josh
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tullius</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice groups. What's the deal with your oal, though? </div></div>
Appears to be COL and not COAL. That would be distance from the base of the case to the bullet ogive. You can measure it with a Hornady gauge...or a homemade modified case.
Josh
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
The LC and LR brass are great for the semi auto rifles. For the most part, plentiful and cheap, to be discarded after 3-5 reloads. This is the brass that I use for my M14 type rifles and AR-10T. The brass is strong and takes a beating and is capable of making ammo about as accurate as the semi auto rifle it is being shot from.
The LC and LR brass are great for the semi auto rifles. For the most part, plentiful and cheap, to be discarded after 3-5 reloads. This is the brass that I use for my M14 type rifles and AR-10T. The brass is strong and takes a beating and is capable of making ammo about as accurate as the semi auto rifle it is being shot from.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
I use LC77, LC75M, and Federal GMM cases. Accuracy in all three is the same, but I have "race prepped" all three lots of brass: trim to uniform length, deburr flash hole, uniform primer pockets.
Using the same load of Reloader 15, CCI-BR2 primers, Nosler 168 custom bullets, the velocity spread (at the most extreme reading) was only about 20fps different for the same load. All were right around 2580-2600.
Although the accuracy on paper was the same for all at 200 and 300 yards, the Federal brass had an extreme spread of only 3fps, so I would bet money that at longer ranges of 600 to 1000 that low spread will give greater consistency, and eliminate much of the vertical stringing.
Mostly, I was surprised that the velocity was nearly identical for all three. I had presumed that the thicker LC cases would have more velocity with the same powder charge, but that didn't prove true for me this time.
I'll bet if you weight sort the military cases, you will get the same consistency I got with the Federal brass.
I use LC77, LC75M, and Federal GMM cases. Accuracy in all three is the same, but I have "race prepped" all three lots of brass: trim to uniform length, deburr flash hole, uniform primer pockets.
Using the same load of Reloader 15, CCI-BR2 primers, Nosler 168 custom bullets, the velocity spread (at the most extreme reading) was only about 20fps different for the same load. All were right around 2580-2600.
Although the accuracy on paper was the same for all at 200 and 300 yards, the Federal brass had an extreme spread of only 3fps, so I would bet money that at longer ranges of 600 to 1000 that low spread will give greater consistency, and eliminate much of the vertical stringing.
Mostly, I was surprised that the velocity was nearly identical for all three. I had presumed that the thicker LC cases would have more velocity with the same powder charge, but that didn't prove true for me this time.
I'll bet if you weight sort the military cases, you will get the same consistency I got with the Federal brass.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
that is good information, Unknown. I do prep, trim, debur all my rifle cases. However, I would like to pick up some LR brass if I can find it.
that is good information, Unknown. I do prep, trim, debur all my rifle cases. However, I would like to pick up some LR brass if I can find it.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tullius</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice groups. What's the deal with your oal, though? </div></div>
When I started reloading many moons ago I didn't have any buddies who did it or any references so I just created my own reference points and assigned them my own acronyms. My term OAL is refering to the distance from brass base to the ogive of the bullet as measured by a Hornady comparator. So in the case of the nosler Custom comp above the real end to end length is a few thou. shy of 3"
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tullius</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice groups. What's the deal with your oal, though? </div></div>
When I started reloading many moons ago I didn't have any buddies who did it or any references so I just created my own reference points and assigned them my own acronyms. My term OAL is refering to the distance from brass base to the ogive of the bullet as measured by a Hornady comparator. So in the case of the nosler Custom comp above the real end to end length is a few thou. shy of 3"
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbohardtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
"shot in the dark" what is the COAL with the Nosler. I do have 1K of the 168 grain. Also have 1K of the 168grain AMAX to. Please share those if you have them. Thanks. </div></div>
Nosler 168 CC:
44.4gr Varget
2.385" or 2.405" (both group the same and the measurement is to the ogive with a Hornady comp)
F210
LC LR07/08 brass just neck sized
My 168 AMAX is the same but 44.8 gr Varget and 2.182" ogive (mag length)
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbohardtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
"shot in the dark" what is the COAL with the Nosler. I do have 1K of the 168 grain. Also have 1K of the 168grain AMAX to. Please share those if you have them. Thanks. </div></div>
Nosler 168 CC:
44.4gr Varget
2.385" or 2.405" (both group the same and the measurement is to the ogive with a Hornady comp)
F210
LC LR07/08 brass just neck sized
My 168 AMAX is the same but 44.8 gr Varget and 2.182" ogive (mag length)
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
Shot in the Dark" thank you sir. I do have a hornady OAL case to use. Last time out,I was having problems with extracting the bolt with 43-44 grains of varget. I will try 40-42 with .5 increments and see which load shoots well.
Shot in the Dark" thank you sir. I do have a hornady OAL case to use. Last time out,I was having problems with extracting the bolt with 43-44 grains of varget. I will try 40-42 with .5 increments and see which load shoots well.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbohardtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shot in the Dark" thank you sir. I do have a hornady OAL case to use. Last time out,I was having problems with extracting the bolt with 43-44 grains of varget. I will try 40-42 with .5 increments and see which load shoots well. </div></div>
Wow, we must have very different chambers. Send me a PM and let me know how it's going. I shoot 100% Varget in my .308.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbohardtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shot in the Dark" thank you sir. I do have a hornady OAL case to use. Last time out,I was having problems with extracting the bolt with 43-44 grains of varget. I will try 40-42 with .5 increments and see which load shoots well. </div></div>
Wow, we must have very different chambers. Send me a PM and let me know how it's going. I shoot 100% Varget in my .308.
Re: Anyone using military LC 308 brass?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thestew03</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you dont have to worry about if it has been fired out of a m240 or m60. Hope this helps</div></div>
Other than possibly shorter life from being fired in a loose MG chamber are there any drawbacks to MG fired brass?
I have a little over 2k LC 08 cases that are mg fired. I've prepped about 7-800 and the measurements I've taken from sized cases with my hornady case comparator vary a good bit. They are either at or under the measurement I need to fit in my chamber.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thestew03</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you dont have to worry about if it has been fired out of a m240 or m60. Hope this helps</div></div>
Other than possibly shorter life from being fired in a loose MG chamber are there any drawbacks to MG fired brass?
I have a little over 2k LC 08 cases that are mg fired. I've prepped about 7-800 and the measurements I've taken from sized cases with my hornady case comparator vary a good bit. They are either at or under the measurement I need to fit in my chamber.
