Reloading new .308 brass

[stevenorlando]

Hello All!

I have some new Lapua .308 brass that I plan to load for my Remington 700 factory .308.

Do I need to full-length size it? (I know with 6ppc, you need to full-length size the brass because it is not 6ppc, it is .220 russian). Is there anything else I need to do with it before I prime, charge and seat. I already measured lengths and weighed it. I read somewhere that even though the brass is new, you should uniform the primer pockets and flash hole.

I'm using standard redding dies.

Steve

 

[gerald]

Yes I would, and chamfer the necks.

 

[Cheechako]

A contrary opinion.

I see no reason whatsoever for the need to FL size new brass for a factory rifle/chamber. The most I would do is run the necks over your expander mandrel or expander ball to true them up, chamfer them, and load 'em up. Even that's more than the factories did when they loaded new cases.

In a factory rifle and Lapua brass, I would not uniform the flash holes or primer pocket either. You can do it if it makes you feel better but I doubt if those steps would result in better cases or make you groups smaller either.

And, I don't know anyone who has FL dies for the 220 Russian and sizes the brass before loading and fire-forming them into 6PPC. Expanding the neck and chamfering is the most that we do.

JMHO

Ray

 

[jackie schmidt]

If they will go in the Rifle, as I am sure they will, there is no purpose what so ever in full length sizing a brand new case. I doubt the die would even hit anything, unless you had it set too deep and it bumped the shoulder.

The only reason many of us run a 220 Russian into a die is some chambers are a tad short, and the things can be sort of "crunchy" going in. Keep in m ind, the only thing that touches is a small ring down by the neck shoulder junction.

I agree with Ray, Lapua 308 brass is very good right out of the box, you might even do more harm than good by "improving" the primer pockets and flash holes.........jackie

 

[Larry Elliott]

If you've got a neck sizing die just run the cases into that with the expander, and chamfer the case mouths. It's doubtful that the cases will be too long, and they will likely shorten a bit on firing. After the first firing trim them all to the same length then rechamfer inside and out. I haven't tried Lapua except for .220 Russian and 6 BR, but new domestic brass will go in and out of an FL die without lube if you don't have a neck sizing die, Lapua may not though.