Federal brass

[Dean2]

Have used a lot of FC and no problems. The idea it's soft goes back about 20 years to a ONE time run that was. Not it's one of the hardest out there. Getting loose primers seems to me to be "heavy" handed powder oriented. I've heard the same thing about Rem. brass, and had people not want to buy if, so think there's a lot of bias in peoples minds, that may not be exactly true.

No it was NOT a one time issue that goes back 20 years. Guys are having the same problems with brass made last month. Experience that produces a common result is not bias.

 

[xsn10s]

Well I been loading Federal brass since the 80's so,,...……….

 

[Dean2]

Well I been loading Federal brass since the 80's so,,...……….

Lots of guys shoot it and it works for what they do with it but most of them aren't trying to get 15 loads out of a case. Not saying it isn't usable but it is clearly softer than many others, and tends to have larger primer pockets that get bigger sooner. For 2 or 3 firings of moderate loads it will work.

 

[xsn10s]

Lots of guys shoot it and it works for what they do with it but most of them aren't trying to get 15 loads out of a case. Not saying it isn't usable but it is clearly softer than many others, and tends to have larger primer pockets that get bigger sooner. For 2 or 3 firings of moderate loads it will work.

I used a stiff load of rl15 under 168gr and 175gr CC, SMK, and VLD's and have around 7 firings on them. Sure they're softer and primer pockets can open up faster than say Winchester. But they are way cheaper then Lapua's. Are they the best out there? Nope. And they crap? Nope. I understand where you're coming from Dean2. I just haven't found Federals as bad as other have.

 

[Joefrazell]

Well, I went ahead and bought 50 pieces of winchester brass. We will see. The rifle is a bergara b14 hunter. The load is 52.5 gr of imr 4350 with a 165 gr gmx on top

 

[ar10ar15man]

and just what FACTORY CHAMBER ARE YOU RUNNING THAT IN ?

brass life is very different in different chambers of the same cartridge,.
i am in the middle of the road.
i tend to not buy fed brass as a first choice,
BUT
i have new unfired pull down 300 win mag
and 1 x 308 win.
price was very good on both and both are for use where i am not expecting a lot of reloads..maybe none.
i just shot a 24" savage with a 6-24x vortex using 185 lapuas over n140 in 1x fed brass, .34" at 100. weight sorted brass only no other "match" prep.
brass used in load development is reloadable.
the load for the 300 in mag is STIFF and the brass may not survive, i don't care.
( mk248mod1)

I used a stiff load of rl15 under 168gr and 175gr CC, SMK, and VLD's and have around 7 firings on them. Sure they're softer and primer pockets can open up faster than say Winchester. But they are way cheaper then Lapua's. Are they the best out there? Nope. And they crap? Nope. I understand where you're coming from Dean2. I just haven't found Federals as bad as other have.

 

[xsn10s]

I shoot a Rem PSS 308 since 1991. 30-06 Win M70 FWT pushfeed and Belgium FN Browning Safari. 5.56 chambered Colt M4 and HBAR barrels on AR15's I built.

 

[JTB]

Federal brass will produce good results if you keep the pressures within a reasonably level. I use them exclusively to push 170 Berger's to 3060 and regularly get 6 firing from them. Push them to 3100 and the primer pockets last one firing. They have a very narrow window for pressure tolerance but will last if you know where the that sealing is. Being softer brass they are a pleasure to reload, provide very consistent neck tension and you never have to worry about annealing. Some give and take like everything else.

 

[ar10ar15man]

is there a CARTRIDGE/BBL LENGTH associated with that 170/3060??

Federal brass will produce good results if you keep the pressures within a reasonably level. I use them exclusively to push 170 Berger's to 3060 and regularly get 6 firing from them. Push them to 3100 and the primer pockets last one firing. They have a very narrow window for pressure tolerance but will last if you know where the that sealing is. Being softer brass they are a pleasure to reload, provide very consistent neck tension and you never have to worry about annealing. Some give and take like everything else.

 

[JTB]

is there a CARTRIDGE/BBL LENGTH associated with that 170/3060??

270 WSM 26" 1:8

 

[Gord0]

Federal brass sucks. I would buy some good stuff and chunk the Federal. Literally, anything on the market is better than Federal brass...Including Hornady.

Personal opinion from many personal experiences with it.

I've had the exact same experience with it. I would also like to add that the neck and shoulder seemed to be about as hard as the casehead!

 

[MudRunner2005]

I've had the exact same experience with it. I would also like to add that the neck and shoulder seemed to be about as hard as the casehead!

Yep, 3rd firing was having case/head separations. Since I started using Nosler brass, I haven't had any issues, and have over 6-7 loadings on the same set that are still being used.

 

[Gord0]

Yep, 3rd firing was having case/head separations. Since I started using Nosler brass, I haven't had any issues, and have over 6-7 loadings on the same set that are still being used.

This was years ago before I started annealing. I tried sizing some Federal 300wm brass. Lubed the same as normal with my rem or win brass. I got a little ways into sizing the first one and it didn't feel right so I backed the case out and proceeded to just about rip the rim, or casehead off when the expander ball came back through.

 

[Csafisher]

That the 6.5 CM is comparable to a .300 WinMag.

The biggest false claim of all that they put out there is that their cartridges are "NEW"...

It's called marketing...... if you haven't noticed everyone does it.