300wm military brass-What's up with this?

[DCAN]

If you are looking to get rid of it, I would be willing to pay shipping if you plan on canning it. I like to remelt my scrap brass into bars. (Odd hobby I know.)

Based on all the info provided, and my own observations, I'm thinking of canning it. Would be glad to send you what I have. Think it's about 100 pcs. If you're melting brass, I can go through my collection of "to be recycled" and see what's there. If you're interested let me know.

 

[Will83]

Sounds good. I'll pm you. Thank you so much.

 

[ATH]

We compete on a range where the SEAL snipers train. It is not uncommon to find their 300WM brass. I didn't record numbers but ~3 years ago I brought a few pieces home, took some measurements, and decided it wasn't worth picking up. There's a reason that load gets the numbers it does.

 

[redneckdan]

We compete on a range where the SEAL snipers train. It is not uncommon to find their 300WM brass. I didn't record numbers but ~3 years ago I brought a few pieces home, took some measurements, and decided it wasn't worth picking up. There's a reason that load gets the numbers it does.

Yup, pretty impressive numbers. Even more so if the crazy bastards let it cook in the sun for a bit.

Their objectives and our objectives are mutually exclusive.

 

[greenejc]

Purchased 100pcs of once fired military surplus brass a while back. When I attempted to size them, the base of the sizing die was shaving a brass ring off the cases. I tried multiple dies with the same result. When I tried a test fit of the once fired brass in my Rem. Sendaro, the brass wouldn't come close to dropping into the chamber.
Does anyone know if the military uses chamber specs which would account for this?
Even if I were able to get this stuff sized down to useable, I'm still tempted to question the condition of the brass after this much of a stretch.

The brass for the military(M248 Mod 0 with 190gr. Sierra and the M248 Mod 1 with the Sierra 220 grain bullet) is loaded way past SAAMI specs. Its loaded to push very heavy for caliber bullets(220 grains) to maximum velocities, and the Army, at least, could care less about reloading the brass. They consider it a one time use and its scrapped. The brass I got was all Federal, and about half of it was unuseable due to being badly stretched, especially above the belt. I reviewed the milspec requirements for the U.S. Army loads and their pressure requirements are as follows: MAP of 68,100psi, not to exceed 78,900psi. Velocity with 220 grain Sierra MK, 2850fps, plus or minus 50fps, using H1000, at 70 degrees from a 24" test barrel. The SAAMI MAP for this cartridge is 64,000psi. The army starts 4,000psi over maximum pressure, and allows a 10,900psi maximum over that. This information is from a DOD document detailing the cartridge requirements dated 17 March, 2009. I got a number of them to work by re-sizing them two or three times, but they were still a tight fit. At least the primer pockets weren't stretched. There was no case head separation with any of them, and if I only get two or three reloads, I got the brass for free, so I've been using it.

 

[greenejc]

Yup, pretty impressive numbers. Even more so if the crazy bastards let it cook in the sun for a bit.

Their objectives and our objectives are mutually exclusive.

The requirements for the load are: Temp stable from -20degrees F. to 165 degrees F. It can't vary more than 75fps within this temperature range. The loads use H1000 for that reason. And yes, I picked mine up from a range where the SF was training. Mine were made under contract by Federal and about half were un-useable.

 

[hunter0528]

Just for the record, anyone can sell what they claim to be military ammo, but the military doesn't use federal or Winchester per say in .300 win mag.

The commonly used ammo is the mk248 mod1. It's actually made by sig.The rifles that it's for use a specific cut chamber and allows it to be shot at higher velocity.

I beg to differ. I got 3 Boxes of 300 Win from a friend they are all Federal FC 07 and I got a couple 100 of the Military 300 Win. The once fired were perfect and reloaded fine (I ended up with 1/2 inch groups at 100yds0

 

[greenejc]

Yep, Sig has a contract, Federal has a contract, and I think that Lake City makes some of them. I know that Federal makes both the M248 Mod 0 and the M248 Mod 1, because I worked the ranges on Fort Carson when the SF boys were shooting steel out to 1500 meters with this ammunition and had a chance to examine both the rifles and ammo used. The Mod 1 brass is about 50% unusable.

 

[DCAN]

They would be referring to the Larry willis collet die, it sizes the body only ALL the way down to the belt by squeezing it back into shape, not plowing brass like a regular die body does.

Thank you for the info on the Larry Willis die. Now I'm going to have to get one!

 

[West Calamus]

so far in this thread I have seen FC stamped with 07, 11, 12 on 300 win mag cases. Question is are the numbers the year of manufacturer? Sorry if this was already explained.

 

[DCAN]

so far in this thread I have seen FC stamped with 07, 11, 12 on 300 win mag cases. Question is are the numbers the year of manufacturer? Sorry if this was already explained.

As far as I know, yes. At least that is what I've been told.

 

[greenejc]

They are always the year if they are under a military contract. That is because they are manufactured by lot number and year, and lots vary from year to year. If a shooter gets a different lot number, he has to confirm zero and accuracy for that lot and year in his rifle. He then stays with that lot/year until it is used up.

 

[redleg1013]

Yeah, that's legit milsurp brass from back in the day.

Military chambers tend to run a titch big, I imagine so that we can feed whatever, whenever and not have to worry (as much) about stoppages.
I've you've ever tried resizing milsurp 7.62x51 or 5.56x45 you've no doubt noticed the extra lube and persuasion needed.

I know Larry Willis makes a collet style die that is supposed to be the bee's knees for belted magnums.

 

[greenejc]

Yeah, that's legit milsurp brass from back in the day.

Military chambers tend to run a titch big, I imagine so that we can feed whatever, whenever and not have to worry (as much) about stoppages.
I've you've ever tried resizing milsurp 7.62x51 or 5.56x45 you've no doubt noticed the extra lube and persuasion needed.

I know Larry Willis makes a collet style die that is supposed to be the bee's knees for belted magnums.

Yes sir, and I use both 5.56 and 7.62X51 brass. Most of it shot from either the M249 or the M240. I have to size it two or three times and then chamber it in my .308 to make sure it will feed. It has to be trimmed, primer pocket reamed, and tested in the chamber before I can reload it, but I have a lot of free brass, so its worth it to me. And I may have to buy Larry's die for my .300 Win Mag. I just don't want to pay that much out until I have to. And to clarify why lot numbers are important, the manufacturers use cannister powders which don't generally get blended together, so one lot of H1000 and another lot of the same may have slightly different burn rates/pressures. You'll see the date and lot number on the ammunition cans for all small arms, too. If a sniper runs out of match grade 7.62, he is trained to select three or four lots of 7.62 ball and test to see which lot is most accurate in his rifle and use that until he can get the match ammunition delivered to his location, or get to a base where it can be acquired. He then knows that wherever he is, that lot number will work for him until he is resupplied.