Author Topic: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?  (Read 488 times)

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Offline john keyes

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do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« on: September 21, 2008, 02:20:23 PM »
I've seen a lot of once fired .308 stuff at the range, sometimes people ask me if I want it and they give it to me.  so I try to reload it and have one heck of a time getting it in and out of shell holders (autopriming, and then on the press).
I see so much of this stuff that has the neck collapsed, dirty as heck, and the rim all buggered up.

 >:(
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Offline R.W.Dale

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Re: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2008, 04:10:17 PM »
not always, just depends on the make, model, tuning and even the load itself

Offline MnMike

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Re: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2008, 06:42:46 PM »
Never had a problem reloading cases from my BAR 30-06.

mike
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Offline Tn Jim

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Re: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2008, 05:59:22 AM »
I have seen the CETME/HK91 clones tear new brass up really bad. My AR doesn't leave a mark on brass that I've ever seen. It mostly depends on the gun.
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Offline yooper77

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Re: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2008, 06:53:55 AM »
Dirty chambers make for hard extractions.

If they kept their rifle clean, the brass wouldn't take such a hard beating.

yooper77

Offline AtlLaw

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Re: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2008, 07:08:51 AM »
As I remember, the operating rod on the M1 and M14 is designed to do the actual kicking of the brass away from the shooter.  This usually dings the mouth area of the brass but has never caused a problem in reloading for me.  Of course, in my advanced stages of dementia I really don't know whether this is something I really remember, or just heard, or envisioned or fantasized about.   :(

I do know that my eldest son went to the range with me a few weeks ago and took one of my Garands.  He shot up a bunch of my LC ammo and they all had the dented case mouths.  I wouldn't really call them torn up.  I don't know about civilian auto-feeders since I don't own one, or care to ever own one... well, maybe a Belgium BAR as long as my friends didn't find out.  Semi-auto sportin guns are kinda like low rent girls.  They a heckofalota fun to play with but you don't want to be seen with them in public...   ;D
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Offline corbanzo

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Re: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2008, 07:24:57 AM »
That probably has nothing to do with the gun.  Most of the time when people give you brass like that, they are giving you range crap.  Whatever they picked up that they didn't want, because it had been stepped on and left out in the weather too long. 
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Offline EVOC ONE

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Re: do auto rifles, like military types tear up brass?
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2008, 01:02:37 PM »
I have noticed for years that some semi-auto rifles will cause "nicks" on the rim and dent the case mouths.  And, I have come to learn over the years (without scientific proof or reason, but by experience) some semi-autos seem to have larger chambers than bolt guns and cause the brass to expand enough to make sizing a bit tougher than usual.

Even though prices for brass is sky high compared to what it used to be a few short years ago, .223 and .308 brass are still on the inexpensive side of the scale.  With such popular calibers I stick to using once fired commercial brass that I have shot or purchase bulk bags.  I have picked up decent pieces of military brass to use as trim and OAL length gauges. 

 :)