Is my brass useless

[Rodegod]

I found 1000 .308 casings at a garage/estate sale. They are already primed. Guy wanted $10 for them so i picked them up. I know it's a lottery ticket gamble, but I did it anyway. When I got them home, i discovered they are NOT resized. The necks all measure .30. some are even too long to load per my reloading manuals. Already having primers in them, I didn't think it wise to try to full length size them. Wondering if I can neck size them so they are useable....as well as trim and chamfer/deburr them.

Thanks for any responses in advance. 1000 casings was worth a $10 gamble. But I don't want to gamble with safety if they are not usable.

 

[280ai]

Pull your decaping pin spin your ball up so it is above the web lube size load shoot!

 

[jelenko]

I wouldn't be concerned about full length sizing them.
i just full length sized 300 223 cases. I used Hornady One Shot and was careful to not get spray on the bottom of the cases.
If some are too long, I'd just trim them all.

 

[joshb]

You don’t have a big problem. You can pull the pin from your resizing die and size them without pushing out the primer. You’ll have to clean them by hand tho. I wouldn’t tumble clean brass with primers. Then you can trim them.

 

[hpshooter]

Pull your decaping pin spin your ball up so it is above the web lube size load shoot!

Trim after sizing if they are in fact too long as you stated, then load and fire a few and see how they perform..

They aren't by chance brass from blanks are they?

 

[DocBII]

Rodegod,

Full length size them, removing the decapping rod or pin. If you need to trim them, trimmers such as the Forester won't require you to decap the cases. You may need to turn down the pilot to fit your sized brass. A cheap fix for about $60. Other trimmers will work as well, but will cost more.

HTH,
DocBII

 

[snert]

Yep, remove decap pin. Size and trim a few, test them.

 

[6MMsteve]

you can also resize loaded ammo with a body die or bushing type sizer don't for get that...just ask questions

 

[cheek9075]

Are you sure they all have the primers in them?

 

[Kermit in Va.]

Or, u could send'em to me and I'll give you $15...lol

 

[LHSmith]

So, now you have no idea how tight the primer pockets are and the number of times or how re-sized? I would decap at least a few and re-prime and run the bent paper clip test and clean the brass looking for incipient case head separation. Probably also can't tell if standard or magnum primers- I would proceed with caution.

 

[joshb]

Or, u could send'em to me and I'll give you $15...lol

Now…that’s not fair! With shipping costs, he’d be losing money. I’d offer $50.
A couple years ago, a guy brought me a box he got from his older neighbor. It held a bunch of stuff along with a bunch of nice cartridge boxes. In the boxes were 150 Lapua 6.5-55 cases and 200 Lapua 30-06 cases, all primed.
Oh…the questions!
I love a good mystery!

 

[jelenko]

Or, u could send'em to me and I'll give you $15...lol

Ah! An auction!
I bid $50.

 

[6.5 forever]

Pull your decaping pin spin your ball up so it is above the web lube size load shoot!

This for sure!

 

[coldboreshot]

I found 1000 .308 casings at a garage/estate sale. They are already primed. Guy wanted $10 for them so i picked them up. I know it's a lottery ticket gamble, but I did it anyway. When I got them home, i discovered they are NOT resized. The necks all measure .30. some are even too long to load per my reloading manuals. Already having primers in them, I didn't think it wise to try to full length size them. Wondering if I can neck size them so they are useable....as well as trim and chamfer/deburr them.

Thanks for any responses in advance. 1000 casings was worth a $10 gamble. But I don't want to gamble with safety if they are not usable.

What are they headstamped, (mfg etc...)? How long passed published (trim-to) are they actually? SAAMI spec chambers are usually long, have you ever mic'ed the chamber for case-length? I'll bet if you size them and set shoulder back at least 4-5 thou, and chamber the brass case, the bolt will close no problem. Work on cleaning and fixing them up after this firing.

 

[Rodegod]

Trim after sizing if they are in fact too long as you stated, then load and fire a few and see how they perform..

They aren't by chance brass from blanks are they?

no not from blanks. the necks are in good shape, round as they should be. Im 100% sure they were never bent over to be used as blanks

 

[Rodegod]

What are they headstamped, (mfg etc...)? How long passed published (trim-to) are they actually? SAAMI spec chambers are usually long, have you ever mic'ed the chamber for case-length? I'll bet if you size them and set shoulder back at least 4-5 thou, and chamber the brass case, the bolt will close no problem. Work on cleaning and fixing them up after this firing.

they are all between 2.005 and 2.15 in length. I've never checked my chamber for length, it's a Sig Saur AR10.
The headstamps are all of a military variety, some random name brand stamps.

 

[Rodegod]

Ah! An auction!
I bid $50.

Yea, not gonna get rid of them, after all the helpful replies. Should have a good addition to my plinking .308.

 

[Rodegod]

Are you sure they all have the primers in them?

yea, every one does.

 

[coldboreshot]

they are all between 2.005 and 2.15 in length. I've never checked my chamber for length, it's a Sig Saur AR10.
The headstamps are all of a military variety, some random name brand stamps.

Being that its a semi-auto, you need to set shoulders back generously anyway. There should be enough chamber length. If you want to double check before trimming 1000 pcs, Brownells sells a chamber length guage. Soft metal plug that goes in the neck and you chamber the brass case. Extract and measure. Just follow instructions and pop the primer out first unless you have other stripped brass. The chamber length of my Stiller Tac30 with Obermeyer barrel is 2.046". Cut with Saami spec reamer. The Sig barrel should be chambered to Saami spec as well.