308 brass... keep or replace?

[Jmccracken1214]

Picking up a ruger precision from a member here, and will be shooting 168gr with h4895 out to 500 yards in matches.

I have 300+ pieces of once fired federal.
300 pieces of new lake city.
Would this be ideal in a bolt gun; or should I replace it with something more consistent? I use star line in my 6.5 and have good luck with it. Just unsure how good federal/LC will be for consistency

 

[GBMaryland]

Lapua... heh.

as long as you sort the stuff you have, I really don’t see the problem it should be fine.

 

[spife7980]

I would use the new LC and skip the federal.

 

[straightshooter1]

Picking up a ruger precision from a member here, and will be shooting 168gr with h4895 out to 500 yards in matches.

I have 300+ pieces of once fired federal.
300 pieces of new lake city.
Would this be ideal in a bolt gun; or should I replace it with something more consistent? I use star line in my 6.5 and have good luck with it. Just unsure how good federal/LC will be for consistency

Either of those Federal or Lake City cases will work just fine. As mentioned, it a good idea to sort them and get rid of any outliers (or use the outliers for something else. . . like, testing your annealing set up before starting). You'll want to use one OR the other as developing a load for one, you find won't work for the other because there's a significant difference in case volume between Federal cases and LC cases. LC cases are stronger than Federals, which to some degree is understandable because of the thicker walls.

All Federal cases are the same as I called them to find out if they used a different quality of case for their premium cartridges over there other cartridges. I was told they don't differentiate and only have one line of production. So, they're all the same in terms of their quality control.

As far as consistency, they're not quite a consistent as you can find with the likes of Lapua or Peterson cases, but I found they're pretty consistent. Though I like to sort them to be sure to get the consistency I want from them.

I've used Federal cases that have performed pretty well for me using 41.0 grs of H4895 behind 168's in my RPR .308. And I've got 11 reloadings from them. You may get less depending out how hot you load them.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Either of those Federal or Lake City cases will work just fine. As mentioned, it a good idea to sort them and get rid of any outliers (or use the outliers for something else. . . like, testing your annealing set up before starting). You'll want to use one OR the other as developing a load for one, you find won't work for the other because there's a significant difference in case volume between Federal cases and LC cases. LC cases are stronger than Federals, which to some degree is understandable because of the thicker walls.

All Federal cases are the same as I called them to find out if they used a different quality of case for their premium cartridges over there other cartridges. I was told they don't differentiate and only have one line of production. So, they're all the same in terms of their quality control.

As far as consistency, they're not quite a consistent as you can find with the likes of Lapua or Peterson cases, but I found they're pretty consistent. Though I like to sort them to be sure to get the consistency I want from them.

I've used Federal cases that have performed pretty well for me using 41.0 grs of H4895 in my RPR .308. And I've got 11 reloadings from them. You may get less depending out how hot you load them.

I may just break down and buy some Peterson. Keep the FC and LC for a semi if I ever get one. Or use it for hunting loads.
Thanks for the info

 

[918v]

Why not just use both as they will work with the same load?

 

[Deleted member 113831]

If you use the Federal then only use Federal or CCI primers. Winchester primers are on the small side and Federal pockets on the large side. Gas leakage is inevitable if using the smaller primers.

41.6 grains of either "H" or "I" 4895 will do the trick with a 175.

43.7 Varget w/175.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Local place has 150 pieces of Peterson small primer for $35/50. Prob grab that. Since I usually run cci450 primers in everything else I’ll just keep using them for the 308

 

[ShtrRdy]

If the Federal are from Gold Metal Match ammo it's good stuff. The LC should be good stuff.

 

[BrienM]

My vote is run what you have... replace it with something better when its no good anymore . No reason you can’t learn a lot with what you got. My .02

 

[straightshooter1]

Local place has 150 pieces of Peterson small primer for $35/50. Prob grab that. Since I usually run cci450 primers in everything else I’ll just keep using them for the 308

Brownells has some small in stock too:

308 WINCHESTER LARGE PRIMER BRASS 500/BOX : PETERSON CARTRIDGE 308 WINCHESTER BRASS | Brownells

308 WINCHESTER LARGE PRIMER BRASS 500/BOX Using cutting-edge technology, the .308 Winchester Brass by Peterson Brass is manufactured on their new, state-of-the-art case ...

www.brownells.com

 

[diggler1833]

I don't think that the RPR is going to provide the benchrest accuracy needed to discern over Federal and LC brass.

FWIW, I handload for four rifles chambered in .308 (three FN SPRs and a DPMS LR308B). Two of those rifles shoot consistently around 1/2 MOA, and the other two 3/4 MOA. I use Federal brass for all of them as I picked up a ton of the once fired stuff years ago.

Haven't tried the H4895, but I know that it is proven. My powders are IMR-4064 and Varget. Three rifles use CCI BR2 primers, and the fourth just regular Federal large rifle. Even with the 1:12 twist of my FN rifles, they seem to prefer the 175gr SMK over the 168.

I also shoot LC LR brass with a 12 headstamp in my M24R, with the 175 SMK over Varget. That rifle will only shoot .9 MOA with factory FGMM in any flavor, but is another 1/2 MOA rifle with 42.8gr Varget.

Your brass isn't going to be a problem.

 

[Penguins]

I would use them if they're still good to go and save up some money if not i'm replacing them.

 

[boisepaw]

I imagine it depends on your use. I have Federal 308 brass I’ve loaded 4 times and haven’t seen any change in accuracy. But my goal isn’t 3 inch groups at 1000 yards and my budget isn’t unlimited.

Question: I thought I had heard Lake City brass and Federal brass were made by the same company.

Andcan anyone absolutely confirm that Federal’s Gold Medal Match brass is different from their regular brass? I thought it was just a different bullet and powder combo...not the brass.

 

[Kimber.204]

I have not had good luck with Federal brass in a couple different calibers.
In my .308 I started using LC brass with great results, sub MOA with multiple bullets and powders.
When Peterson came out with the small rifle primer brass I bought 250 pcs of that and it is fantastic. Now I have an accuracy load built up in the Peterson brass that is sub-half MOA and I still load the LC brass for practice and ringing steel at the local club. I've shot and won matches with the LC brass loads, so I wouldn't feel handicapped with those at all.

 

[straightshooter1]

If the Federal are from Gold Metal Match ammo it's good stuff. The LC should be good stuff.

As I mentioned before, when I called Federal, they told me that they only have one production line for the this brass and whether the brass is from their GMM cartridges or otherwise, it's essentially all the same. And I found this to be true . . . even when I compared the one's that were nickle plated.

I've been able to get my RPR .308 to perform to sub .5 MOA pretty consistently, where it was with the factory barrel or the Krieger barrel I have on it know. Though it does seam easier to do so with the Krieger barrel.

I've used Federal, Lapua and Peterson brass and because the volumes are all pretty close (the Peterson being slightly less, by about .4 gr), my loads perform the same in all three. Though I use Lapua and Peterson cases for the hotter loads and the Federal for the moderate loads.

 

[Doom]

As I mentioned before, when I called Federal, they told me that they only have one production line for the this brass and whether the brass is from their GMM cartridges or otherwise, it's essentially all the same. And I found this to be true . . . even when I compared the one's that were nickle plated.

The FGMM brass appears to be weight sorted. I pick up a fair amount of it from time to time from the Sheriff’s TAC response team and the weights are very consistent within lots.

 

[diggler1833]

It would make sense for all Federal brass to be the same. I would expect the cost of FGMM to be a lot higher to offset the cost of the production process if the brass was made separately.

 

[buffybuster]

Your "once" fired brass. What chamber were they fired from? Was the LC brass fired through a machine gun?

The quality of the brass will be entirely adequate for your needs. The question is whether the cases can be resized to properly fit the chamber of that rifle and primer pocket longevity (FC brass is on the soft side). Brass fired through a loose chamber can have excessive casehead expansion. If your chamber is tighter, the resizing die may not be able to size down far enough (may need a Small Base die). If this is the case, then better to get new brass. Resize a few cases and if they chamber without resistance, then check the amount of should bump. If you have to bump the shoulder back more than 0.005" to get the case to chamber freely, get new brass, as that brass won't last long.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

I picked up 200 pieces of Peterson.
Is this stuff able to be loaded as is, or do I need to run it through a sizer before doing ladder test

 

[spife7980]

I picked up 200 pieces of Peterson.
Is this stuff able to be loaded as is, or do I need to run it through a sizer before doing ladder test

Can you chamber one?