300 BLK Brass suitable for full pressure

[lostdog99]

I have been looking at lots of reviews. Starline, Remington, re-manufactured military, Hornady . . .
All reviews note that while the cases re-load several times for Sub-Sonic, the case head stretches and primers become loose when using full pressure super-sonic loads.
I have experienced the same. I even tried converting mil brass myself, but the annealing went down too far and, again, the case head stretched.
If you load, and shoot, a decent volume of super-sonic loads with no problems with loose primers please let me know what you have found to work.
Thanks !
(My next step is to cash in my 401K and buy some Lapua brass)

[shooter444]

Years ago, I bought Armscor factory ammo as well as had hundreds of old Remington and Federal cases processed for me. Reloaded and shot hundreds, trying to develop a sub and super load. After hundreds , I gave up on supers, never met my expectations. After hundreds of subs, I quit, never met my expectations. So, I met myself halfway and developed a 220 grain FMJ load at around 1,400 FPS that was accurate enough and penetrated more than enough, for my needs.

All reloads were executed in accordance with normal, everyday procedures, that I have done for years, on almost a dozen different calibers.

During that entire 500 BLKOUT load development,... I never had one lose primer,... not one,... to this day! Maybe I should knock on wood, I am about to replenish my stock, shortly!

I don't understand how all those reviews you read, that complain about cases stretching after re-loading several times, producing primers that become loose, when most I used for development where old processed 223 brass,... also, I reloaded them many times before having them processed for 500 BLKOUT.

I never read about lose primers or been told about it,... and, I must admit I never tried to research it,... I guess ignorance is bliss.

Sorry to hear of your problem,... not much worse than case failures for a re-loader,... imo.

p.s.,... I forgot to mention,... I NEVER ANNEALED any of my brass. Not the new Armscor blkout brass, or the old processed Rem/Fed brass,... not ever! Any annealing was done before I bought them, or, when processed. In fact, in over a decade of reloading I have never annealed any brass, or had it done,... not one piece, of any of the calibers, I have re-loaded!

That may be something, you may wish to think about.

[Delfuego]

I don't think this is strictly a pressure issue. 223/223AI runs higher pressure than 300BLK. The case should hold up similarly. Case head separations most commonly occur from oversizing.

Annealing only effects neck tension. You can get split-shoulders if done improperly.

How many thousand are you bumping the shoulders? Are you using a standard or small base die? You might have too much head space on the barrel/bolt. Overgassed guns can also murder brass.

Be sure "full pressure" doesn't mean "over pressure". Look for ejector/extractor marks and leaking primers. That's a danger sign, not a pressure sign. Be safe and good luck!

[storage_man]

The best brass all around is Lake City. Can never be beat.

[shooter444]

The best brass all around is Lake City. Can never be beat.

------------------------------

Agreed,... Lake City is made by Federal,.... it has been very good to me for decades.

[muta4warrior]

Only time I ever had issues was working with 147gn FMJ's and H110 powder. During that time I had a high failure rate of primers falling out, even on factory crimped LC brass. That was short lived as I then switched out to some Remington 115gn OTM bullets that I found for a little bit more then the 147s I was using. I make all my brass from once fired LC brass and only load it once then sell it as it is easier and faster for me to convert 5.56 on the 1050 and load on the 550 then it is to resize (casefeeder hates the shorter Blackout cases) and load.

[lostdog99]

Thank you all for the great input. I am looking at Jageman and converted 1x mil brass. Most of what I have shot has been sub loads so far. I just don't want brass that has a short life. I kind of got spoiled with my ..308 and Lapua brass.

[shooter444]

lostdog99 ,... it just dawned on me,... how slow do you shoot your subs?

I had a problem once, with S&W ultra lite 45 acp revolver. The primers were backing out and preventing the cylinder from spinning. It was do to too light of a powder charge,... there wasn't enough pressure to seal the case mouth and cause enough back pressure to slam the base of the case against the frame,... which resulted in the primers backing out because there was enough pressure to do that, just not enough to slam the case which would prevent the primer from backing out. If you get very SOOTY fired cases, you may want to check out a little faster load.


Just a last minute thought,... all the best.

[Pale Rider]

I have been looking at lots of reviews. Starline, Remington, re-manufactured military, Hornady . . .
All reviews note that while the cases re-load several times for Sub-Sonic, the case head stretches and primers become loose when using full pressure super-sonic loads.
I have experienced the same. I even tried converting mil brass myself, but the annealing went down too far and, again, the case head stretched.
If you load, and shoot, a decent volume of super-sonic loads with no problems with loose primers please let me know what you have found to work.
Thanks !
(My next step is to cash in my 401K and buy some Lapua brass)

I have a feeling that you aren't annealing properly. if you aren't putting the case in water first, that's why the annealing goes down too far. I use an old pie tin and put enough water to go AT LEAST half way up the case before I apply the heat. Then when the neck and shoulder area are hot enough tip the the case over into the water and remove. You never want the case head to get annealed and softened (it could be dangerous). That's also why the primer pockets get enlarged faster.

[lostdog99]

(Banging head. . .) You are absolutely right. I did read that sometime before I I annealed the cases that "failed". And that is exactly what I failed to do.

Thank You Pale Rider !

[Elk34]

I have never annealed any 300 black out. I have made 100,000 and more 300 black out brass from LC 556 brass and never had a problem. I find it's all about how you set up your swaging rod and depth of it. If you open up the primer pocket to far it won't leave enough surface friction to keep the primer in. I will split a case before I loose a primer supersonic or sub.