LC Long Range Match 308 Brass - What to do with it?

[00Scot]

I have a 5 gallon bucket full of this stuff. I was told that it was shot in competition matches as new Lake City Long Range M118 ammo then saved. NO prep or work has ever been done to any of this batch. It is all once fired then never touched again. I have had this brass for over ten years just sitting in my garage waiting for me to figure out what I am going to do with it.

So here is my question, I have a bunch of decent brass which seems to be very thick (thicker then what I usually load which is Lapua) and I am looking for something interesting to do with it. I wouldn't want to test a new caliber with the Lapua and chance destroying it but I would love to use this stuff for something new.

Yes I can just load it for my 308. But because the brass is pretty thick I would like to use it for something different. Preferably a different caliber. But I can't seem to find any interesting calibers that I would like to shoot that uses the 308 as the parent case. So I am looking for suggestions.

What other caliber can I use this brass for? I know that it can be used for 243 cases. But I want something interesting.

Because I have so much of it I would have plenty to practice and test with. I could try a few different ideas/loads and still have plenty to work with even if I loose a bunch of cases. I have a T/C Encore and I can get a barrel in damn near any caliber that exists for under $300 for a Hbar and a little over $200 for a standard taper.

I'm thinking a wildcat of some type would be fun. What say you all? What should I do with this brass?

 

[expiper]

It isnt worth the bother...sell it to me for 50$ and I will make .260 AI's for my .298 ND ---.145 FB....chamber....hahaha...Roger

 

[Minesweeper3433]

It may be thicker but is the brass itself as strong? Also if you have 20 extra pieces I have 80 and am looking for 20 pieces to round out the box?

 

[LeoHuhta]

00Scot
Does the head stamp say LC Match?

Leo

 

[dmickey]

How about making it into the 6mm/250 case? ;D

 

[wbm]

M14/M1A Service rifle shooters use LC a lot when they can find it. M14's and M1A's are hard on brass and the heavier LC cases usually gave you more re-loadings. I shoot the M1A. Do you want to sell any of it?

 

[00Scot]

I will have to pull it down from the rafters again and look. From what I remember it did say LC and it has to be from the late 60's or early 70's. Or somewhere in that range because he had it for a number of years before he offered it to me because he never figured out what he wanted to do with it and he stopped shooting competitions. I have had it for about 15 years or more. So it is some pretty old brass.

Once I figure out what I'm going to do with it I wont mind handing out some brass here and there. Especially to those who help me figure out what I'm going to do with it. As long as you pay for shipping.

What I am hoping to come up with is something in the 6mm or 6.5 range. I'd like to be able to shoot 125-150gr Bergers or maybe some Barnes. I want a very accurate mid size game hunting cartridge. Something I can use on anything from Coyote to medium sized pigs with maybe one or 2 deer thrown in for good measure. But it will be mainly for Coyote and pig.

Any ideas now that I have added in my intentions for the round?

 

[00Scot]

M14/M1A Service rifle shooters use LC a lot when they can find it. M14's and M1A's are hard on brass and the heavier LC cases usually gave you more re-loadings. I shoot the M1A. Do you want to sell any of it?

Once I figure out my new round I would be open to selling some. I just want to keep 300-400 pieces. The rest can be sold. Or handed out to someone who gives me my idea for this round. I have no idea how much is in there but I would guess that there is at least double that if not triple or even more.

I do know that every piece of brass in there is the same type and caliber. It all came from the same exact place. From what I remember it was from one lot and it came from more then one year of shooting by the same shooter of the same match ammo. He told me the story that he shot this lot of LC ammo and that it shot like a house a fire out of his rifle so he went back to the armory and snatched up as much of that same lot as he could so that he would be able to shoot the same ammo over a few years. Then when the next years ammo was made available he tried it and found out that his old lot shot better so he stayed with the original lot and never shot anything else until it ran out. And that is what this brass is from.

 

[dreever]

I'd just sell it all here, or on snipershide and use the money to buy more Lapua. In fact that's what I did with 1000 pieces of once fired Black Hills I had a couple of years ago.

Danny

 

[00Scot]

I have been out of shooting for a number of years. Maybe ten or more. The last "new caliber" that I remember before I stopped shooting was the 300 WSSM and the 223 WSSM. So I have no idea what is going on with the 6mm 6.5mm calibers since then. I have heard of the 300 whisper and that interests me. But from what I read is that it is a bust balistically speaking. I just like the idea that it will load in a 223 AR-15 mag and lower without any mods. But if the round is a snoozer then it doesn't matter.

What is the 6.5 Creedmores parent case? or the 6.5mm SOC? I can't seem to find much info on the SOC. That is the one that the military was testing for its Seals right? That's the one that is supposed to give em more terminal destruction down range allowing our operators to drop the enemy with one round more often then the 223 right? Or am I thinking of another cartridge?

I'm pretty much open to anything. But would prefer a 6 or 6.5 bullet to send downrange.

I will take a look at the 6mm/250. Or is there any info you can give me on the terminal ballistics?

 

[00Scot]

I'd just sell it all here, or on snipershide and use the money to buy more Lapua. In fact that's what I did with 1000 pieces of once fired Black Hills I had a couple of years ago.

Danny

Thanks for the idea but I'm not really interested in selling it just to get something else. And I don't need the money. I would much rather see what can be done with it. Since I have soooo much of it I will have plenty to use to work up a new caliber without fear of loosing cases in the process. Plus I like the idea of using it. I have never attempted swaging brass into a new caliber before so it is something I want to learn and to try. More for the learning process and education of it all then anything else. Plus I still need to fill a 6mm hole in my caliber collection. And it will give me a good excuse to either buy or build a new rifle. So it is a win win situation all around. ;D

Hell I can even build up a new upper for my AR. Any interesting calibers being currently used in AR's?

 

[00Scot]

I have been lookin for a list that tells me what calibers can be made using the 308 as the parent case but have not been able to find one. Does anyone know where I can find a list like that?

 

[Minesweeper3433]

Go with a 260 AI using the brass. Maybe the thicker design will help it hold up a bit better. And since you have so much of it you could have a reamer cut for your exact brass? Also if you have as much brass as you say then you could bery easly fund a large portion of the project itself with the brass. Or sell it all and use it to get new barrels for you favorite rilfes in your safe now.

 

[Minesweeper3433]

For that just remember the rim diameter and start looking through all your reloading books at the dimensions. If it is shorter or similar leangth and has same rim than it might work.

 

[00Scot]

Go with a 260 AI using the brass. Maybe the thicker design will help it hold up a bit better. And since you have so much of it you could have a reamer cut for your exact brass? Also if you have as much brass as you say then you could bery easly fund a large portion of the project itself with the brass. Or sell it all and use it to get new barrels for you favorite rilfes in your safe now.

I'm just now looking into the 260AI and I really like what I see so far. The round seems to be pretty harsh and brass and the rifle itself. Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep researching it. But so far the 260 AI seems to be along the lines of what I'm looking for.

Wow that cartridge really holds up over distance and I really really like that. Look at that BC @.615 on the Lapua 139gr while still holding a velocity at 1000 yards of 1658. That destroys the 308 by 1368fps. Very nice! The other one anywhere in that range is the 6.5-284 so I will need to look at that cartridge as well to see if it can be made using the 308 case. So far I'm excited by what I see.

Time for some in depth reading!

Thank you

 

[Minesweeper3433]

The 284 is a longer case than the 308 so making brass from 308 into 284 is not possible unless you draw the cases wich takes knowledge on this way above my head. drawing cases thins them during streching so would make your nice thick LC brass pointless. You can also AI a 6mm based off of the 308 caseing. There are many out there already so it would just be a matter of talking to someone that shoots and or builds big 6s. I like the 6.5 better personely.

 

[00Scot]

The 284 is a longer case than the 308 so making brass from 308 into 284 is not possible unless you draw the cases wich takes knowledge on this way above my head. drawing cases thins them during streching so would make your nice thick LC brass pointless. You can also AI a 6mm based off of the 308 caseing. There are many out there already so it would just be a matter of talking to someone that shoots and or builds big 6s. I like the 6.5 better personely.

My main goals with this project is to learn the process of case conversion and to end up with an extremely accurate round that I can hunt coyote and pig with. I absolutely want it in the 6-6.5 caliber because I have neither of them in my arsenal at this moment in time. New cartridge/New project/New rifle and or barrel/new Upper for my AR - how can I loose? its all a win win no matter how I look at it.

 

[Baddog0302]

To get an idea of the process of case conversion and the $$$ & time involved, just measure the neck thickness of your LC brass and then the Lapua & other 308 cases. When you neck a case neck down the neck walls will get a bit thicker So you can neck turn and then specify a certain neck Dia.
Yep, win/win, but also work/work

 

[00Scot]

To get an idea of the process of case conversion and the $$$ & time involved, just measure the neck thickness of your LC brass and then the Lapua & other 308 cases. When you neck a case neck down the neck walls will get a bit thicker So you can neck turn and then specify a certain neck Dia.
Yep, win/win, but also work/work

I understand and trust me when I say that I believe that it will be a lot of work. But I don't mind the work at all. The satisfaction I will get once it is all said and done and have taken my first animal at long range will more then make up for any frustration I may have while performing all the case work and prep. It's kind of one of those "I made this!" moments that I am looking for in the end.

Anyone can buy a shooter. But working on one from the ground up and getting it to shoot is a whole nother level of satisfaction!

 

[bozo699]

Go with a 260 AI using the brass. Maybe the thicker design will help it hold up a bit better. And since you have so much of it you could have a reamer cut for your exact brass? Also if you have as much brass as you say then you could bery easly fund a large portion of the project itself with the brass. Or sell it all and use it to get new barrels for you favorite rilfes in your safe now.

I'm just now looking into the 260AI and I really like what I see so far. The round seems to be pretty harsh and brass and the rifle itself. Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep researching it. But so far the 260 AI seems to be along the lines of what I'm looking for.

Wow that cartridge really holds up over distance and I really really like that. Look at that BC @.615 on the Lapua 139gr while still holding a velocity at 1000 yards of 1658. That destroys the 308 by 1368fps. Very nice! The other one anywhere in that range is the 6.5-284 so I will need to look at that cartridge as well to see if it can be made using the 308 case. So far I'm excited by what I see.

Time for some in depth reading!

Thank you

00scot,
The .6.5*284 has a rebated head, totally different then the .308 You are pretty well stuck with .243,
6.5-08, 6.8-08,7mm-08, .308, .338-08 or any of the improved versions of them. you will not be able to make a .22 hornet out of it nor a .375 ultra mag, you will need to stick with the basic .308 platform unless you are willing to really get into wildcatting, custom forming dies,ect.....ect.....ect....
Wayne.