Sizing for M1A Brass

[JRiddle]

I recently bought a 'box lot' of ammo, brass, bullets, etc. at a firearms auction.  Among the items are two MTM cases labeled M1A ONLY, and one of them is also labeled 'sized 1.6400'.  What does that mean?  One of the boxes is full of loaded ammo labeled 'WIN748-44.5gr, WIN Standard Primer, Hornady 168grBTHP.  The other box is full of polished and primed brass, that I would like to reload with some 165 Interbonds that I have, but want to know about this '1.64 sizing' first.  Thanks for your help. JR

[gwindrider1]

Sounds like someone who owned both an M1A, and another .308 rifle was differentiating his loads between the two rifles.  Shoot 'em!  That's a safe load of 748.

[JRiddle]

Maybe I should have said more in my first post, I did try to shoot a few in my Rem700,as I know that's a safe load, but they wouldn't chamber, I don't have a M1A.  Just before I should be able to close the bolt.. it stops, I'm thinking something with the shoulder, but I don't know, as I've never even shot an M1A.  The case trim length and overall length are good by my specs.  And I dont have a way of accurately measuring the shoulder to base length, so that's the reason for my suspicion in that area.  And when I did try to close the bolt on those few rounds, it left no significant mark anywhere on the brass.  I was just curious if the M1A had an odd chamber that this guy had made 'special bullets' for, since the box was marked 'M1A only' , and if so is there any way to 'fix' them to make them work in my 700?  Again, thanks for any and all help. JR

[stimpylu32]

JR

If you have a black ( Sharpi ) marker , use it to color the area of the shoulder and then try to chamber a round in your 700 , chances are that the M1A hade a longer chamber and the guy that loaded those rounds had only neck sized them after fireforming the cases for that rifle .

The marker should rub off and tell you just were the shoulder is hitting , if that is the case you may be able to pull the de-capping pin from your sizing die and bump the shoulder back enough to fit your 700 , if not you will need to pull the bullets and resize the cases with a FL sizing die .

stimpy

[JRiddle]

Thanks stimpy, I'll try that tommorrow.  That's a good idea, goes without saying. JR

[JRiddle]

Just wanted to let you know the sharpie idea worked great, showed contact at the shoulder.  I was also able to remove my decapping pin and get the shoulder back to specs in my sizer.  I've been reloading brass for over 20 years, and that was the first 'work' I've ever done on a live round, they fit in my 700 great now.  Thanks stimpy for the good ideas, I was able to salvage 50 loaded pieces and 50 more of primed brass. JR

[stimpylu32]

JR

In the last 30+ years I've had to fix a few OOP's

One more thing , with the primed brass you may have to run them back into the sizing die with the expander ball set up to keep from punching the primers out , but still bring the neck back out to spec. or the bullets may not fit ( too tight ) .

I made that mistake once and crushed a case . 

stimpy