Case life in 308 gas guns?

[My Toy]

Assuming you load to reasonable pressure and don't anneal case mouths: How many times do you reload 1. commercial unfired brass and 2. mil spec unfired brass in your M1A or AR-10 before you toss the cases or relegate them to some other use?
I've reloaded bolt gun and lever gun for years but am new to gas guns.

 

[M14 Shooter]

Depends on the condition of the brass you start with.But generally Lake City or Lapua should go a least 3-5 firings depending on how you rifle is head spaced and what type of loads you are using.I would not reload Federal Brass in a gas gun.(Not the Federal Brass marked FC-12 .That brass is made to the same spec as Lake City.)
Regards,Mike.

 

[FLIGHT762]

I'm able to get about 5 reloads with BHA (Winchester), Remington and Military (L.C., WCC) brass. Federal commercial brass, I get 2- maybe 3 reloads at the most. Commercial Federal brass is soft and gets beat badly. The Federal commercial primer pockets will stretch easily in a gas gun. That's what gives out first.

I've reload for a first generation SR-25 and a recent GAP 10 build. They both beat brass.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, I put in a Tubb's CWS (Carrier Weight System) in the SR-25 and switch it back and forth to the GAP 10. It has helped a bit on beating the brass a bit less. I use the heavy (Tungsten) insert.

http://www.davidtubb.com/ar-15-carrier-weight-system

 

[ksthomas]

My Toy,

The AR-10 will be a bit easier on them, but M1s and M14s (or their civilian kin) are absolutely brutal on cases. No way around that, and that's just the nature of the beast with these guns. Most sources suggest limiting them to three or four firings, and then scraping them. I'd probably go a bit more in the AR, but keep an eye on them and don't get sentimental (or cheap) with them. When they show some notable wear, toss 'em.

 

[bigedp51]

Depends on the condition of the brass you start with.But generally Lake City or Lapua should go a least 3-5 firings depending on how you rifle is head spaced and what type of loads you are using.I would not reload Federal Brass in a gas gun.(Not the Federal Brass marked FC-12 .That brass is made to the same spec as Lake City.)
Regards,Mike.

Do not be fooled, Federal brass marked FC and the date is not milspec brass and does not have the NATO symbol on its base meaning it meets milspec standards. All Federal cases are noted for soft brass and over sized primer pockets after firing, I just got primer pocket gauges because I was having a 50% failure rate on once fired factory loaded Federal brass and over sized primer pockets. Federal brass is nowhere near the quality of Lake City brass and unless it has the NATO symbol it does not meet milspec requirements.

Milspec brass is thicker or harder in the base web area to better withstand larger diameter and longer headspaced military firearms. I have a full five gallon bucket of Federal brass with over sized primer pockets and its only good for its scrap value.

 

[M14 Shooter]

Thanks for the feed back on the Federal Brass.When I compared the FC-12 to Lake City(308 Cases) they were almost the same weight within .4 grains.When I sectioned the case the web thickness was aprox the same within .002 .The annealing looked the same as Lake City..The only difference I saw was the lack of a Nato Cross on the head stamp.The primer pockets were tight.When I weighed the Federal Match Brass is was less weight the web was about 1 /3 thinner than the Lake City.I mostly shoot Lapua and Lake City L-R Brass.Most Federal 223 brass I have seen was junk compared to Lake City.

Regards,Mike

 

[bigedp51]

Thanks for the feed back on the Federal Brass.When I compared the FC-12 to Lake City(308 Cases) they were almost the same weight within .4 grains.When I sectioned the case the web thickness was aprox the same within .002 .The annealing looked the same as Lake City..The only difference I saw was the lack of a Nato Cross on the head stamp.The primer pockets were tight.When I weighed the Federal Match Brass is was less weight the web was about 1 /3 thinner than the Lake City.I mostly shoot Lapua and Lake City L-R Brass.Most Federal 223 brass I have seen was junk compared to Lake City.

Regards,Mike

The mailman delivered some pin gauges today to go along with my primer pocket gauge I got a few weeks ago. I have a five gallon bucket full of Federal .223/5.56 cases and the ones that were the worst were marked FC 05 with over sized stretched primer pockets after the first firing. I ordered pin gauge diameters of .175 and .1745 to go with my other gauge at .174, the 174 gauge will only enter half way into new tight primer pockets. With the new pin gauges I want to narrow down the remaining Federal cases to find out what diameter is the main reason for loose primers.

Just Google Federal soft brass and loose primer pockets and you will get an eye full. I swaged the primer pockets, uniformed the primer pockets and flash holes till I had sore fingers and after all that work the primer pockets were too loose. With the gauges I can check the primer pockets before doing any work and NOT find out the primer pockets are too loose when seating primers.

 

[BCP]

Federal brass I get about 2-3 loads in an M1A before the primer pockets go. I even came up with a bit lighter load for it in the hopes it might last a bit better.

If you are looking at brass for a gas gun I think your best bet is Lake City and then take the time to prep it well.