Separating 308 Bolt Brass from 308 Semi-Auto

[JSTARSZ]

I have numerous 308 rifles in both semi-auto and bolt action. I am relatively new to reloading as in I have done it for years but the military kept moving me so much I would get out of practice when I came back to it. I am retired now and starting to get back into it. I have been reading a lot lately and also observing my brass more closely then I did in the past. One observation that I have noticed is the 308 brass shot out of my bolt guns pretty much fit back into my case gauge while the semi-auto brass will not. After reading I found out that I could probably get away with shoulder re-sizing my bolt guns while having to full size my semi brass. I am sure that full-sizing will cut down on how many times I can reuse the brass.

I use a Redding Full Die - Small Base 308 Die

so here are my questions: Should I separate my semi auto brass from my bolt brass? Is it worth doing that or just full size them all?

Also, should I separate my brass by how may times they have been fired?

thanks in advance.

 

[CanPopper]

Re: Separating 308 Bolt Brass from 308 Semi-Auto

Yes, keep them separate. I would use different brands of brass for each. Like Lapua for the bolt gun and Winchester/Remington for the semi to make separation easy.

The life between the two will be different as well since FL size will shorten brass life while neck sizing for bolt will lengthen it.

If you are looking for great accuracy, also keep the brass of the same batch together.

How many times fired will depend on each brass. The FL sized ones should have cracked necks or head separation signs earlier than the bolt gun brass. I tend to play that part by ear (technically eye).

 

[cwshooter]

Re: Separating 308 Bolt Brass from 308 Semi-Auto

I separate the brass for between my semi-autos as well. I've got a 24" rifle that I load for accuracy, and I use a single lot of commercial brass that I segregate furthur by times fired.
For my carbine and "truck" bolt gun, I use surplus brass. I sort it by times fired also.
You will find that your bolt gun brass outlasts your gas gun brass, as it's not taking quite the beating on extraction and loading.
CW

 

[JSTARSZ]

Re: Separating 308 Bolt Brass from 308 Semi-Auto

great ideas - I will use different head stamps for the semi versus the bolt guns and I will have to come up with a good way to keep them separated by number of times fired. In other words I need to get myself organized.

thanks for the inputs.

 

[cwshooter]

Re: Separating 308 Bolt Brass from 308 Semi-Auto

Times fired:
Keep one lot of brass that's been fired X times. Load it. After you shoot, put the emptys in another bin (fired X+1 times).
When you've loaded all of your first batch, and your out of brass, you can tumble and load the second lot. It's less confusting than it sounds, and you dont end up with some brass with 2 firings, and some with 6, etc.

 

[gnfiter3]

Re: Separating 308 Bolt Brass from 308 Semi-Auto

This is a tassal worth the hazzle scenario. I admire the lengths that members here, go to for "consistency."

Many of the guys here shoot out there a far piece. So consistency is the name of the game. I shoot a 100 yrd range, all the time. My bolt and AR don't care about brass type or number of times reloaded, at least, not yet. I FL size all of it, check case length, trim as required, throw away the cracked, worn stuff. The bolt likes a 1/2 grain more of the same fuel as the AR at that range.

When I start to make the trek to a range that makes little things, mean a lot, I'll follow the advice given above; starting with new brass. Kudos to the guys that do the discipline, but I can't measure the difference, at this point. Both shoot ragged 5 shot holes, with mixed brass. It's true in .223 and .308. Charge weight consistency is the issue for me. I can tell the difference between my progressive loaded ammo, and my trikle to the exact grain ammo. The 5 shot hole is tighter, but it's 5 shot hole still.

Comes down to the standard you set, for the result you want. If you have the time, and the need, go for the extra record keeping, and effort.