DaveK Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 I've come into possession of some .308 brass for reloading obviously. Now this brass has been fired in G3's and, as such, has some light ribbing down the length of the body and on the shoulder. I have full sized a couple and the empty cartridges cycle in the rifle BUT will the case expand fully enough when shot or will the ribbing allow gases to escape to the rear? Ergo, do I reload or do I bin them? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewsher500 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) its the neck that seals (obturates) stopping gas excape sol long as the neck is soft enough and not work hardened (once fired so not an issue from your description) then the case will fire form just fine one caveat though be aware of the volume decrease and how that will impact pressures on hot loads Edited August 11, 2014 by Bewsher500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) Dave I thought the G3 was 7.62, which, if it is, means that the shoulder will be slightly different and will need to be fire-formed for the first loading (as long as you can chamber it). After that it should be OK. G Edited August 11, 2014 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted August 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 Dave I thought the G3 was 7.62, which, if it is, means that the shoulder will be slightly different and will need to be fire-formed for the first loading (as long as you can chamber it). After that it should be OK. G Vous avez PM me auld Brummie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 can us numpties see one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewsher500 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) The ribbing you describe is from a fluted chamber, primarily designed for extraction purposes. heavy flutes light flutes chamber cut out extraction dents None of these external marks has damaged the structural integrity of the case. none of the distortion is impossible to work around but... thicker, harder brass can lead to sizing issues (requiring two passes or FL shoulder bump and a further body die to size base) neck can be thicker meaning loaded rounds won't chamber as the neck OD is now higher than your chamber may need neck turning and/or annealing to be totally confident of obturation likely to be berdan primed so more effort to de/re-prime all easy enough to resolve and many US reloaders use exactly this brass BECAUSE it is so tough I have fired cases in a few calibres with considerable dents in the body and shoulder and they will fire form just fine its all do-able and perfectly safe to use...but when fired commercial brass is available so cheap I would question the extra effort involved Edited August 12, 2014 by Bewsher500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 its all do-able and perfectly safe to use...but when fired commercial brass is available so cheap I would question the extra effort involved +1 on that Bewsh. If these were a really obscure calibre and brass was very hard to come by I might consider the effort worthwhile but good quality, once fired, boxer primed 308's must be just about the easiest/cheapest cases to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted August 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) You don't get much cheaper than free so I was hoping they'd be a nice source of once fired. They are actually Federal ,308 and Boxer primed. On saying that, reading the advice given they can go back in the weighing in bin. Thanks for the help fellas. Dave Edited August 13, 2014 by DaveK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewsher500 Posted August 13, 2014 Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 If it's federal and boxer then crack on mate That is not generic head stamped machine gun brass Trial chamber a full round to check neck thickness and see how you go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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