- Thread starter Joeg26er
- Start date
I used them to Learn how to reload , did fine for me not sure how many times they can be reloaded but I’m up to 3
Can’t speak for 6.5cm but the S&B 308 brass I’ve looked at had flash holes way off center, don’t get along well with decapping pins...weight and neck thickness was all over the place too.
The primer pockets are out of spec, like they were cut for pistol primers. If you try to seat a rifle primer it will stick out and you will have to mash it in just so it’s flush.
The shoulders are dead soft and you get sticky bolt with medium loads. I’d sell it to a masochist who likes cutting primer pockets.
The shoulders are dead soft and you get sticky bolt with medium loads. I’d sell it to a masochist who likes cutting primer pockets.
I must have been lucky as the S&B brass I have loads fine but primer pockets are tight. I didn't have any problems getting primers deep enough.
Damn sure not match quality but good enough for banging steel.
Damn sure not match quality but good enough for banging steel.
Lapua and a couple others are definitely better quality, their primer pockets do last longer and they're way more consistent case to case, but as far as how they shoot is concerned: brass is brass.
I shot 2 sub-moa groups at 1250 yards earlier today while fire-forming some cheap-ass Prvi Partizan 22-250 brass to use as practice stuff in my 6CM. All I did was run a .241" mandrel through them and gave them a little extra chamfer/debur love (at first the case mouths were sharp enough to cut and felt serrated almost).
I bet the S&B is just fine. I would just load some up and see what you get...
I shot 2 sub-moa groups at 1250 yards earlier today while fire-forming some cheap-ass Prvi Partizan 22-250 brass to use as practice stuff in my 6CM. All I did was run a .241" mandrel through them and gave them a little extra chamfer/debur love (at first the case mouths were sharp enough to cut and felt serrated almost).
I bet the S&B is just fine. I would just load some up and see what you get...
I've used S&B CM brass. It's not bad, not lapua, but slightly better than the hornady I had. I never saw any off centre flash holes or other obvious deformities.
Just run it.
Just run it.
There is a half moon crimp around the primer pocket that will need a light removal.
You'll also need to uniform the depth of the primer pockets because they are shallow. That is, unless you possess a ton of S&B LR primers.
Otherwise, it's pretty hard brass and will stand up to at least a dozen loadings.
I found that even though it's heavier than Hornady brass, I was able to use the same loads as my Hornady brass.
Rock it until the primer pockets give out.
You'll also need to uniform the depth of the primer pockets because they are shallow. That is, unless you possess a ton of S&B LR primers.
Otherwise, it's pretty hard brass and will stand up to at least a dozen loadings.
I found that even though it's heavier than Hornady brass, I was able to use the same loads as my Hornady brass.
Rock it until the primer pockets give out.
I've reloaded and fired around 400 pieces of S&B brass 3 times. This is what I used when learning the cartridge. It was from 2 cases of the (formerly) cheap 140 gr FMJBT factory ammo that they used to sell when stores had ammo. I give it 3 out of 5 yelp stars. The brass is very thick, not particularly consistent and the case volume is comparable to Lapua. The alloy is very hard and needs to be annealed every firing to full length size with consistency. Mandrel was a necessity to avoid shaving bullets when seating. I've had to toss around 10 cases because of primer pocket failures, but the primer pockets are very tight until before they fail. On the 3rd firing I was getting SDs in the 10-12 range on 10 shot strings (compared to 6-7 with Hornady and 4-5 with Lapua for similar load). All in all I'd say it is OK brass. At this point, I am using it for practice ammo and I am not sad if I lose a few pieces. I probably wont reload it a 4th time.
Is it worth the effort? Maybe, but probably not.
Would I run it in a match? No.
Is it good for learning to reload? Absolutely.
Is it worth the effort? Maybe, but probably not.
Would I run it in a match? No.
Is it good for learning to reload? Absolutely.
I have 10 338 lm s&b cases that have like 17 reloads on them. Im just kinda curious at this point how many reloads they are good for, but i have no real issues with them.
Here are a couple loads I ran with the S&B brass in a 26" criterion:
Hornady 140gr ELD-M
41.6gr H4350
Fed 210
0.060" jump
Average MV: 2,775 FPS
Barnes 140gr Match Burners
41.8gr RL-16 - this load was close to being compressed, at 42.0gr there was audible crunch seating bullets
Winchester WLRP
0.050" jump
Average MV: 2,863 FPS
