FC BRASS?

[mark4567]

Ok my local gun store used to have once fired "winchester" headstamp 308 brass. I just picked up 500 and these are marked "FC" headstamp which is.. federal? They are not mil brass because the primer isn't crimped.
Any ideas on how many reloads I will get out of these? Or did I just buy 500 paperweights...

 

[Suasponte]

Re: FC BRASS?

Depends on what your loads are?? If you are shooting max charges maybe 2-4 loads assuming they are 1x fired! IF, you anneal then you may do better. FC is known to be soft brass!

Also, if you have a real loose chamber that will count againist you too! If it moves you loose is what I have been told. The less you brass moves the longer it will last.

Terry

 

[mark4567]

Re: FC BRASS?

44gr varget 46 is max

 

[fcordrey]

Re: FC BRASS?

I've got some that have 5 reloads so far...........

Rem. 5R

 

[natesguns]

Re: FC BRASS?

I've had trouble with the primer pocket on federal brass being oversized after the 2nd reload. Haven't had much luck with the stuff. Winchester brass has always been good.
Hope yours dosen't give you any trouble though.

 

[okiefired]

Re: FC BRASS?

I get Fed GMM brass from a friend for free. Use it in my AR10T with 178 Amax's with 44.6gr Varget and in my LTR (both factory) with same bullet and 45gr Varget. After 4 loadings, NO problems. When I did trim a few I was removing very little if any brass. Its been very consistant and weighs out well. No primer pocket probs at all. I've heard it get trashed on this forum ever since I've been a member but in my experience, its good brass and I will definately continue to use it. Especially as long as its free

.

okie

 

[Suasponte]

Re: FC BRASS?

I have been stuffing my brass with Winchester, and CCI's. When they pockets start to get loose I flip over to Wolf's. They are slighty bigger and will buy you a few more loads.

Terry

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: FC BRASS?

Fed brass is softer than Win brass. But on the whole I think it is more consistant. If you aren't loading hot FC brass will last you pretty good. I'm on my fifth reload of some 30-06 brass that I was getting 2880 out of with 175 118's/SMK's in FC brass. Primer pockets are still looking good but I had to toss a couple due to thin/split necks.

On the other hand I sorted out and will only use Win brass for my 7x57. I load it hot and there is a lot of bolt thrust due to the taper of that case. The harder win will take it. The softer FC won't.

FYI, there is a reason many will tell you to get Lapua. They do it right, no doubt. Spendy, but right. That'll save you in the long run if you have to buy brass. I don't have to buy for many cartridges. I get most of my brass at our range. It takes a fair amount of time to sort but can be done and effective when done.

-hope that helps.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: FC BRASS?

Fed brass is softer than Win brass. But on the whole I think it is more consistant. If you aren't loading hot FC brass will last you pretty good. I'm on my fifth reload of some 30-06 brass that I was getting 2880 out of with FC brass. Primer pockets are still looking good but I had to toss a couple due to thin/split necks.

On the other hand I sorted out and will only use Win brass for my 7x57. I load it hot and there is a lot of bolt thrust due to the taper of that case. The harder win will take it. The softer FC won't.

FYI, there is a reason many will tell you to get Lapua. They do it right, no doubt. Spendy, but right. That'll save you in the long run if you have to buy brass. I don't have to buy for many cartridges. I get most of my brass at our range. It takes a fair amount of time to sort but can be done and effective when done.

-hope that helps.

 

[Jason280]

Re: FC BRASS?

Not to hijack, but is there any difference between NATO stamped FC and the commercial stuff?

 

[mark4567]

Re: FC BRASS?

Thanks for the info. I like many have heard its crap,soft,primers fall out etc. I appreciate all the "user" input not just "I heard"

 

[mtrmn]

Re: FC BRASS?

I have had several FC .223 cases with large primer pockets. I've never measured any side by side, but it's my understanding that Federal primers are a tad larger in diameter than other brands. This makes me tend to think I could buy some Federal primers and not have any problems with this. I have not tried it though-I have several thousand CCI's and didn't want to hunt Federals just for a few cases I was having trouble with. I saw a chart somewhere of the different brands of primers and their dimensions that clearly showed the Federals to be larger.

I blew a couple primers out of FC cases in my Colt AR and the primers got into the trigger group and locked it up. Not the most desirable condition to say the least. When priming on my press, sometimes I have had to check to see if I even had a primer on the priming arm. No resistance whatsoever. Those cases got thrown away. I pretty much cull the FC stuff now for plinking ammo, if I use it at all. Again, this was .223 and may have been an isolated incident.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: FC BRASS?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jason280</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not to hijack, but is there any difference between NATO stamped FC and the commercial stuff?</div></div>

A little heavier constructed (like 5 gr.) and the primer pockets are crimped. When I get a bunch of it I just take and run the whole batch through the primer pocket resizer/swager dies I have. Then I'm not scrunching primers past that crimp and deforming them.

 

[Jason280]

Re: FC BRASS?

I guess I should have phrased my question a little differently, but does the NATO FC brass still suffer from the same issues with primer pockets?

 

[btm_54]

Re: FC BRASS?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BULLET SPONGE</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok my local gun store used to have once fired "winchester" headstamp 308 brass. I just picked up 500 and these are marked "FC" headstamp which is.. federal? They are not mil brass because the primer isn't crimped.
Any ideas on how many reloads I will get out of these? Or did I just buy 500 paperweights... </div></div>
What are you going to use the brass in a bolt gun or a semi?
I have got 5 reloads so far on FC 308 "once shot" brass.
I use 44.5 gr Varget, 168 SMK, CCIBR2 primers in a bolt gun.
I FLSed with a RCBS comp die when I got them,then neck sized with a Redding die the next 3 times. I just FLSed and trimmed the cases for the 5th reload.
Some of the necks were getting loose and I have not got the next size neck bush.
I think I have to neck anneal after the 5th shot.
The FC brass needed a lot of case prep time before the !st time I shot them.
I'm surprised how accurate the loads are.
Out of the 100 cases none of the cases has failed yet.

 

[brassbullets1]

Re: FC BRASS?

I JUST SEEN THIS TODAY, ON A COMAPNYS WEB SITE THAT THEY WERE SELLING FEDERAL BRASS, MADE BY WINCHESTER

 

[mark4567]

Re: FC BRASS?

They are being shot in a bolt gun.
44gr Varget, CCI br-2 and 168 A-Max.
They say they are once fired, I FL sized+ deprime(rcbs), trimmed to length (giraud) 4 hours in walnut. Clean wash and dry.Weigh cases+sort into lots.CC cases and resort. Then load...Before anyone starts,I'm a old 50bmg bench rest guy so old habits die hard!

 

[okiefired]

Re: FC BRASS?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 175gmi</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I JUST SEEN THIS TODAY, ON A COMAPNYS WEB SITE THAT THEY WERE SELLING FEDERAL BRASS, MADE BY WINCHESTER </div></div>


Ahhh............Link???? Or...... any kind of info? I mean damn, dont leave us hangin. Fed's hireing Win. to build thier brass now??? That's big news.

okie

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: FC BRASS?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jason280</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I guess I should have phrased my question a little differently, but does the NATO FC brass still suffer from the same issues with primer pockets?</div></div>

No, It's Milspec, not SAAMI. Under SAAMI .223 brass has to be strong enough to hold 58k psi. Milspec has to be able to hold 62k at standard temp without deforming at up to 140 deg. The military doesn't care what the brass looks like when done. Only that it feeds, fires, extracts. Deformation makes the latter difficult in an AR platform. Same with Win though. When you see WCC, that is Winchester military brass. And it is different from W-W and Winchester headstamped brass. If you ever buy a box off the shelf of Winchester, you won't see WCC. Unless it is de-milled white box FMJ stuff. Just like the Fed XM193 that comes in the 'generic' brown box.


Edit:

As far as .308/7.62 the FC is again milspec. The 168 Fed Match meets a milspec criteria. Not the same as M80 does but it still makes it harder in the head/web areas. It is known as premium brass to reload with.