FGMM 308win brass
- Thread starter liberty2701
- Start date
The brass quality is comparable, but the case capacity of the old cases (with smaller print on the case head) is 57.2 grains of water, and the case capacity of the new ones is 54.6 grains. The primer pockets on the old ones tend to get loose after only a few firings; can't say about the newer ones.
No, The newer Federal GMM brass with the blue primer sealant is much better brass. I've been reloading federal 308 brass for 40 years. The newer cases weigh in @ around 182-184 Gr. (this is with a spent primer in). I've gotten 10+ reloads out of this newer brass.
I have a few cases left from the 1970's that weigh in @ about 163-165 gr. Federal 308 brass became progressively heavier over the years.
All of the older cases prior to the newest cases (in the last 3-4years) suffer from soft case heads. Heavier loads will loosen the primer pockets in 1-3 firings. I will guess that your 1996 brass will weigh in near 180 grs. The brass is worth reloading, but the primer pockets will not last long. Gas guns are particularly rough on the older brass.
If you got the brass for free, no big deal, but I wouldn't purchase older, once fired federal you have. Money would be better spent on better brass unless the Federal was sold at a reduced price.
I have been lucky to have free supply of this once fired brass over many decades and have been reloading it for many years.
So I've been saving all my spent cases for the last couple years from shooting recently purchased (within the last couple years) FGMM with the intent to reload. Do you have any advice or lessons learned you would pass on about reloading FGMM brass?
Only that Federal brass is in the thicker / heavier brass category similar to Lapua and Lake City Military brass. Therefore, it uses a grain or two less powder than Winchester or Hornady brass, which have a little more internal volume. The newer Federal brass with the blue primer sealant is decent brass.
I just weighed mine. Measured about 175.5 grains un-fired. I purchased the case back in 1996. I will be loading them for a Rem 700 308 win 26" barrel that I purchased back in 1990. Hoping to push the Nosler 175 rdfs at 2725.
Dumb question, and honestly just curious, why would the cases be progressively manufactured heavier, or obviously be made with more material?
Your primer pockets will let you know when you get to that 2725 FPS goal.
So, is 175.5 gr. weight without a primer in the pocket?
Could it be because they have mil contracts and its easier to just run one spec on the line?
Well, that puts your brass in the 180 grain (thicker) category. L/R primers weigh about 5 grains. I usually weigh my cases with a spent primer in. That just gives me a base line for sorting if I'm weighing fired brass. If I'm comparing fired brass to prepped brass, I use a spent primer in my scale pan if I need to weight sort.
You'll probably find your older brass is pretty weight consistent.
An interesting thing is I have been using a lot of once fired Winchester and Hornady brass from the last 20 + years. Older Winchester and Hornady 308 brass weighed in @ 158-160 grains (W/spent primer in). In the past 6-7 years, both brands went up in weight to around 165 grains. Brass from both brands in the past 3 years have both moved up in weight to 170-172 grains. I have containers of this brass I have segregated to their three weight lots. 158-160 / 165 +- and 170-172. It's all good brass.
Along with the weights going up, neck thickness has gone up and I have had to adjust neck resizing using larger S bushings.
