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Does Federal .308 brass suck??

R

RH4540

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 1, 2008
289
1
Wisconsin
I won't even bother loading .223 with Federal brass anymore because I, and a lot of other shooters I know have had issues with loose primer pockets.

I THOUGHT I'd read that wasn't a problem with their .308 brass, but, I was priming some Federal .308 brass that I'm 99% sure was only once-fired, and when I set down one of the primed cases, the primer fell out.

 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

Send it all to me so I can conduct research. In the interests of sound scientific principles I should probably need several hundred of each to make sound conclusions.

I'll be happy to provide you a full report.








Try Federal primers, they're a snugger fit.

Or send them to me, whichever!
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

In a nut shell- Fed brass is soft, and does not last as long as others. I don't like it because the case stretches a ton after a FL size, and a trim is needed. which = more work.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

No, I don't think it sucks.

I have a couple of batches of FGMM 308 brass with 8 firings.
This is with 43.5 gr Varget/175 SMKs

Every once in a while I've had to throw out a case or two because the primer feels loose going in. It's true about FL sizing streching the cases too much. I neck size and only trim after 3 or 4 firings.

With subsonic loads, I have yet to trim after 6 firings.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I've had similar issues with Fed 30-06 brass and having to trim more often than I'm used to. If you don't want to ditch the brass you might try switching to a Wolf primer, they're tighter in the pocket from my experience.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I'm currently into my winter project of sizing and weight sorting (read: a whole lot more work than needed) Fed .308 brass that I picked up at the range. One positive thing I've noticed about it, is that 85-90% of the 100 or so cases that I've weighed have all been within +/- 2 grains of each other.

Have put primers into about 15 of them so far (load development) and haven't hit a loose primer pocket yet.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I get about 5-6 loads from a case but by then I have usually lost enough of them in matches or hunting that its time to start with another batch anyways.

I would cry if I was loosing Lapua brass at that rate.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

Plus it's so soft, it dulls the crap out of your trimmer blades........
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

As .308isgreat says, or intimates...if you load the FGMM to factory velocities (and pressures) you'll get 6 to 10 reloads. If you push them, no. What, pray tell me is wrong with FGMM factory loads and velocities...and accuracy? Why does every reloader out there think that they MUST get a quart out of a pint bottle? Just because you dribble powder into a brass bottle, why are you better and faster than a multi-ga-zillion experienced factory than Federal? Look, you all,(Southern here), If you want .300 maggie velocities, load a .300 Mag of some derivation. If you want good solid accurate .308 loads...load for that cartridge. 2560 to 2670 is about it depending on barrel. With the FGMM and reasonable loads. Push it and buy more brass. JMHO
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I have federal FGMM that is cracking the necks after 5 reloads. I shoot 43 grains of Varget. The can says you can load up to 46 grains, but I think 46 is way to hot for my rifle.

I also burnt the bolt face on an AR reloading federal .223 brass because of the lose primer pockets. It was with once fired brass.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I've only been able to get 2 or 3 loads out of the 223 brass before I'd see loose pockets (max varmint loads). However, the brass was free so I wasn't that concerned about it.
I've not used enough once fired 308 to know anything yet.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I've got a batch of 1k of .223 brass that seems to be fine for a second loading.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

My experience also, Loose primer pockets after a couple of reloads.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

Save the FC cases for subsonic loads. They don't grow, so you'll never have to trim them. They last forever since these are only running at around 25k psi.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

A few other factors that might be affecting your brass:

Full length sizing
Headspace issues
Of course running hot loads

If you full length size all the time, then case life decreases drastically.

If you full length size to min spec and have a large chamber, then case life as well as primer pocket life are decreased.

And hot loads do all of the above.

Hope this helps...........
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 308isgreat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No problems here with FedGM brass. Are you running hot loads? </div></div>

I haven't even loaded them--yet!

They are all supposed to be once-fired, and going by the measurements, I believe it.

I was going to use them in my DPMS, for 3-gun matches. I didn't figure I'd recover any of them which is why I chose the Federal brass. I REALLY didn't want to leave Lapua, Black Hills, or L.C. brass lay on the ground, and I don't know that I trust the "crap" brass that I have for shooting a match.

My "accuracy" load, for distant targets is 46 grains of Varget behind a 155 grain Lapua Scenar. I just picked up 2k of 147 grain bullets that I planned to use use for the "hoser" targets with as little H335, or Winchester 760 as I can get away with, and still have the gun cycle.
eek.gif
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

how about BHA brass?
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 300WSM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">how about BHA brass?</div></div>

That's Winchester brass, good stuff.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pat M</div><div class="ubbcode-body">? Just glue them in. </div></div>

LOL

Actually, they are already primed, and I've ben toying with the idea of staking them in with a little, scratch awl.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I won't buy Federal Brass, but I use whatever I can get my hands on. I prefer Winchester, but we use FGMM in our bolt guns at work and Federal TRU and American Eagle in the AR's.

I have some .223 thats on it's third firing, but I have enough of it that I have not gotten around to priming those.

I guess I really need to have a .223 loading week and stock some ammo for the gas guns.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I've had similar problems with expanding primer pockets with Federal .223 brass. I haven't had any problems with the .308 brass though. I run all my loads well within the range listed in the data books so makes me wonder..........
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I load a lot of Federal 308 brass with 45.5 gr Varget and a 155 Scenar. It is a full power load but guys are using hotter loadings. I have had some of the brass go in 3 reloads. It was once fired when I got it. I get it free though
smile.gif
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

Fed vs most other brands, yeah, it sucks. But, its still OK to use as long as you realize you are going to wear it out faster than other brass. Its soft, so that is just going to happen. Hornady is another brass that tends to be soft and it loses primer pockets faster than it should.

I will use Fed brass, sure, but I wont pay for it what I spend on Win or Rem, or other brands.

John
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

i have 5 lots of federal 308 with over 6 neck size reloads each and except for a few split necks i havent had any problems. i use 42.5 imr 4064 in these so its not a wimpy load
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

My FC 308's lasted longer than Win/BH brass, and is interchangable with my LC Match and Lapua. What's not to like?
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I have loaded my .223 federal cases 10 times already. Some of the cases do have loose primers but very few. About 7 out of the 100 in my sorted lot of FC 06. I neck size only though so my cases do last a lot longer.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I was wondering how does LC brass in .223 and .308 stack up against the other brands for getting multiple reloads off them
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I was resizing to minimum and shooting FC brass in a long chamber and had about 8% broken cases on the 2nd reload.

Without that casewall friction, those busted heads simulated some astronomical pressure signs with rather ordinary velocities, as expected at 1-2 grains below even Sierra's max loads.

.308, 155, 168 and 175-gr bullets, 4064, AA2520, Varget, H4895 and maybe one other powder in there, F210 and WLR primers.
 
Re: Does Federal .308 brass suck??

I have thousands of rounds of FGMM .308 brass and my Dad and i have used a bunch of it over the years . His M1A brass gets loaded 4 times and then into the recycle bin . I don't think it sucks but my preference is Winchester as it seems to need less attention in between loads .
 
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