New Federal Brass

[overbore]

I am well familiar with Lapua and other quality brass products but I have heard rumbles that new Federal brass is a one shot and throw it our product; any comments and experiences to share? many thanks,

Laus Deo

Overbore

 

[Rhys]

It is a bit softer than moist of the others, but unless your running it way up there, the guy you shoots everuthing at 2 or 3 grains over the manuals, it will still give 5-6 loads. Maybe more if your not working it too much.

 

[Asa Yam]

It is a bit softer than moist of the others, but unless your running it way up there, the guy you shoots everuthing at 2 or 3 grains over the manuals, it will still give 5-6 loads. Maybe more if your not working it too much.

BALONEY

The answer depends on the source of the brass.

• Old Federal brass (pre-1999) was soft.
• Some Federal brass today is harder than most commercial product. This is because the source of this brass is Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. That's right - the same facility that produces ammo for the US military. Designed to be fired out of machine guns at 1000 rounds/minute or more. Soft brass won't work in such applications.

Depending on alloy chemistry, heat treatment, and chamber dimensions, it's entirely possible to get 8-12 reloads out of LC/Federal 5.56 NATO brass. And that's an AR-15 (semiauto) we're talking about.

 

[Rhys]

I noticed primer pockets starting to loosen up after 5 using a midrange load in my 700 .223 using brass stamped FC 04. The brass from Winchester and Hornady have had between 8 and 10 loadings and I haven't noticed any difference in them. It's deffinately not throwaway brass, and considering the volumes I have been able to get it in I'll continue to use it.