Used brass in new barrel

[redding]

Collecting my re-barreled .308 tomorrow and have a question about brass.

I have a quantity of once fired Hornady brass, do I full length size it now in readiness or wait until I get the rifle back here?

 

 

[Charlts]

Personally, I always  go with the mantra of new barrel, new brass.

[DaveT]

Resize it ....enjoy.

[Popsbengo]

40 minutes ago, redding said:

Collecting my re-barreled .308 tomorrow and have a question about brass.

I have a quantity of once fired Hornady brass, do I full length size it now in readiness or wait until I get the rifle back here?

 

 

What will you benefit from waiting?  It's probably a good idea to return to CIP/SAAMI spec.  to avoid unforeseen issues with possibly oversized cases.

Absolutely no need to discard the brass but if you want to I'll take it off your hands 😁

[redding]

Thanks for the replies

I wanted to get the correct headspacing

So I return the brass to SAAMI spec and adjust the die for correct headspace after its been fireformed in the new chamber yes?

 

[Popsbengo]

12 minutes ago, redding said:

Thanks for the replies

I wanted to get the correct headspacing

So I return the brass to SAAMI spec and adjust the die for correct headspace after its been fireformed in the new chamber yes?

 

yes, just as if you've bought new brass

[redding]

12 minutes ago, Popsbengo said:

yes, just as if you've bought new brass

Ok thanks, theres a guy on Youtube called "the real gunsmith" that said you cant do it because every chamber is different and the brass has a memory, it just didnt make sense to me because if I full length size back to SAAMI its surely the same dimensions as new brass.

[Popsbengo]

Just now, redding said:

Ok thanks, theres a guy on Youtube called "the real gunsmith" that said you cant do it because every chamber is different and the brass has a memory, it just didnt make sense to me because if I full length size back to SAAMI its surely the same dimensions as new brass.

Bunk, too many "Merican bull-shippers on the Youtube

[redding]

Just now, Popsbengo said:

Bunk, too many "Merican bull-shippers on the Youtube

😁

[gazzarM1]

Use a body die.... I use 308 in 4 different rifles and use a small base body die and on occasion a body die  on brass properly trimmed as needed ...no problems but all Lapua brass ..'

[One on top of two]

I just FL everything, every time . Everything fits where it’s ment all the time .

so just FL and crack on .

 

do people still Neck size only ? 

🤔😂

[redding]

Erm yes, I used to Collet Die then shoulder die

Decided to go back to FLS

[Popsbengo]

10 minutes ago, gazzarM1 said:

Use a body die.... I use 308 in 4 different rifles and use a small base body die and on occasion a body die  on brass properly trimmed as needed ...no problems but all Lapua brass ..'

Intrigued by the use of a small body die.  I thought they were for improved extraction in semi/full auto rifles ?

One on Top of Two - yes I still neck size only for .308.  I've experimented with the "bump back for accuracy" F/L argument and I find no benefit and the down side of working the brass more.  I use an improved Lee collet and find I get excellent concentricity and performance.

I do bump back .338 in a bushing die - for now

[gazzarM1]

Primarily yes but I own a number of black rifles and experienced primary extraction issues in both a FAL straight pull and its AR 223 brother .I was advised to use the small base body die and never had an issue since ...the FAL superseded by an AR 10 but the lack of issues continues...if all my 308 rounds are to be interchangeable  between rifles then so must the process for uniformity.

[Popsbengo]

4 minutes ago, gazzarM1 said:

Primarily yes but I own a number of black rifles and experienced primary extraction issues in both a FAL straight pull and its AR 223 brother .I was advised to use the small base body die and never had an issue since ...the FAL superseded by an AR 10 but the lack of issues continues...if all my 308 rounds are to be interchangeable  between rifles then so must the process for uniformity.

👍

[Bob57]

Don't do any resizing until you get your rifle back, then set up to full length size, knowing that your bolt will close when your die is properly set.

[Popsbengo]

14 minutes ago, Bob57 said:

Don't do any resizing until you get your rifle back, then set up to full length size, knowing that your bolt will close when your die is properly set.

Only if you are going to progressively bump back from the existing fire formed size to get a fit.  A F/L sized case to SAAMI spec will fit unless a specifically tight chamber was requested  - in which case I'd have expected the poster to have sent a dummy round to the gunsmith as a gauge.

[redding]

3 minutes ago, Popsbengo said:

Only if you are going to progressively bump back from the existing fire formed size to get a fit.  A F/L sized case to SAAMI spec will fit unless a specifically tight chamber was requested  - in which case I'd have expected the poster to have sent a dummy round to the gunsmith as a gauge.

No I did not specify any chamber, its a Lowther Walther barrel and is being made to fit a Tikka T3 in .308.

My thinking was that a FLS case would be the same dimensions as a case from an unfired factory round!

[dodgyrog]

I would size with a Small Base RCBS full length resizing die.

Personally, I have converted an RCBS 45ACP Carbide die to a push through die and anything with a 308 base is pushed through it to get the last bit of the case body by the case head reduced down to fit the chamber.

[Popsbengo]

31 minutes ago, redding said:

No I did not specify any chamber, its a Lowther Walther barrel and is being made to fit a Tikka T3 in .308.

My thinking was that a FLS case would be the same dimensions as a case from an unfired factory round!

correct

[ds1]

A few thoughts and experiences. Most of the time FL sizing older brass will work in a new chamber and if the cases are a “bit” tight a small base die may work. 

However if the chamber was cut with a min spec reamer and the previous barrel had chamber on the larger side then sometimes you can get issues - just been through this with a 338 Lapua barrel. Fired cases through my original AI barrel or my mates AI barrel would not chamber be they unsized or FL resized in my new barrel. Once the cases expand towards the case head they don’t spring back like the necks and shoulders due to being harder and of thicker material.....so you get hard extraction. I modified a die to make a small base die as regular small base dies are not available for 338 lm unless special order from Whidden or CH4d. You can then get the rounds to chamber fine but after firing extraction is still hard ( this is not due to pressure or head space issues). At this point you either polish, re-ream the chamber or buy new brass / ammunition.

Using new ammunition and 5 reloads after on 5 cases there has been no extraction issues at all. Still some merit in new barrel = new brass sometimes.

Out of interest I tried two different Redding body dies for FL resizing but found no difference between them. Neither would close the bolt on a resized case fired from my old barrel in the new barrel. Factory ammunition would close and extract without issue. For me FL sized cases are not the same as new ammunition. Other alternatives such as roll sizing may also exist 

https://www.rollsizer.com/product/electric-drive-brass-rollsizer/

but at that price point it is easier to re-do the chamber or buy new brass.

 

 

[redding]

Thanks ds1, if they dont chamber after FLS it will be new brass

[Popsbengo]

10 minutes ago, ds1 said:

A few thoughts and experiences. Most of the time FL sizing older brass will work in a new chamber and if the cases are a “bit” tight a small base die may work. 

However if the chamber was cut with a min spec reamer and the previous barrel had chamber on the larger side then sometimes you can get issues - just been through this with a 338 Lapua barrel. Fired cases through my original AI barrel or my mates AI barrel would not chamber be they unsized or FL resized in my new barrel. Once the cases expand towards the case head they don’t spring back like the necks and shoulders due to being harder and of thicker material.....so you get hard extraction. I modified a die to make a small base die as regular small base dies are not available for 338 lm unless special order from Whidden or CH4d. You can then get the rounds to chamber fine but after firing extraction is still hard ( this is not due to pressure or head space issues). At this point you either polish, re-ream the chamber or buy new brass / ammunition.

Using new ammunition and 5 reloads after on 5 cases there has been no extraction issues at all. Still some merit in new barrel = new brass sometimes.

Out of interest I tried two different Redding body dies for FL resizing but found no difference between them. Neither would close the bolt on a resized case fired from my old barrel in the new barrel. Factory ammunition would close and extract without issue. For me FL sized cases are not the same as new ammunition. Other alternatives such as roll sizing may also exist 

https://www.rollsizer.com/product/electric-drive-brass-rollsizer/

but at that price point it is easier to re-do the chamber or buy new brass.

 

 

Very interesting.  I had the self same issue with once fired .338 brass I purchased. Even after F/L sizing in a Redding S bushing die the cases would not chamber in my custom rifle.  The solution was F/L with a Hornady Comp. die,  the brass then chambered well.  The Redding die then worked for subsequent bump sizing.

[No i deer]

I've recently taken off a 1 on 9 twist 7mm saum barrel and screwed on a 1 in 8.25 7mm saum chambered barrel and didn't give it a thought about resetting my die for the new chamber,the 300 odd cartridges I've put through it have chambered fine and shot well, the 1 on 8.25 is coming back off shortly and the 1 in 9 going back on so too shoot the barrel out before the 1 on 8.25 goes back on again,the old brass needed the usual prep but some new brass I put through it stretched more as i noticed it trimmed more than the older brass did.

No point resetting my die until the older barrel is worn out and the 1 in 8.25 is on til it's worn out....

[lapua]

3 shot group in my creedmoor, using once fired brass from Tackb’s rifle. I guess he ran them in proper for me.