How do you load the current LC pulled 308 brass?

[fatelvis]

For those of you that have bought the 500 or 1000 packs of pulled, primed LC 308 cases that are currently being offered, I was just curious how you were going about loading them. Because of the tar sealant in the neck, and the pulled bullet, that leaves a stretched neck, it seems to pose small problems for the handloader. Your methods and opinions are greatly appreciated!

 

[jepp2]

My approach was to remove the tar sealant (Xylene was the only solvent I found would touch it) then I neck sized them with a bushing die. Mine were primed. If they weren't I would have used a LCD so the necks would have been straighter.

After the first firing I swaged the primer pockets.

 

[fatelvis]

Would it hurt to leave the tar sealant in place and just load with powder and seat a 168 SMK? It will be fired from a M1A.

 

[Doug Beach]

A friend bought some. We loaded some 175 SMK’s, and a moderate charge of IMR 4064, without removing the tar sealant. Absolutely abysmal accuracy. Unuseable for any purpose beyond making noise. Haven’t revisited them since, but the xylene information has me curious.

 

[fatelvis]

A friend bought some. We loaded some 175 SMK’s, and a moderate charge of IMR 4064, without removing the tar sealant. Absolutely abysmal accuracy. Unuseable for any purpose beyond making noise. Haven’t revisited them since, but the xylene information has me curious.

We’re you shooting them out of an accurate bolt rifle, a tuned M1A, or rack grade M1A, Etc? Specifically what kind of groups were you getting? I’m just trying to quantify your results of being “abysmal”. Thanks Doug. I’m not looking to make match ammo from them, but something I can hit a 8”x8” Steel plate at 200 yds with.

 

[Doug Beach]

We’re you shooting them out of an accurate bolt rifle, a tuned M1A, or rack grade M1A, Etc? Specifically what kind of groups were you getting? I’m just trying to quantify your results of being “abysmal”. Thanks Doug. I’m not looking to make match ammo from them, but something I can hit a 8”x8” Steel plate at 200 yds with.

Admittedly, we were shooting them at 880 yards, so perhaps they would work slightly better, closer. At 1/2 mile, they were holding about 4’ (yes, feet) of elevation. This was out of a Barnard/Brux/Eliseo Palma rifle, and and full race M1A. Out of the Palma rifle, I would expect any reasonable load with a SMK to be at least minute of angle, to considerably better than that. 5 minutes? Not so good.

 

[Buzz]

I haven’t touched my 308 pull down cases yet but have loaded pull down 5.56 for the better part of a decade. I dry tumble for a couple hours, neck size, and load as normal. I haven’t seen any noticeable difference in accuracy with the tar in the neck.