Quality of Hornady 308 match brass

[Markk9]

How is the quality of Hornady 308 match brass? I pick up 100 new pieces at a good deal. Is this stuff already prepped? Does it need primer pockets rearmed? Is the flash hole drilled or punched?

[markm]

It's ok stuff. I think it's WIN brass... I don't know this, but the necks are thin LIKE Win brass. You might need to ream the pockets if they've not been primed. I remember the pockets are a little tight.

For a factory bolt gun I like a little thicker neck like Lapua, LC, and FC.

[Onyx Z]

I can't speak for that specific brass, but if they tell you it's prepped, I would at the very least size it and check the length, headspace, etc. I don't trust pre-prepped brass.

[markm]

Yep. Even Lapua brass isn't perfect until I shoot it once and get it into the cycle. Neck tension can be all over the place. I don't really put a ton of effort into initial prep, I just load it up unless it's really got dinged necks.

[HKGuns]

Agree completely with Markm.....

I have used it and it strikes me as being neck thin as well. I prefer Lapua or once fired LC, fired either by myself or someone else.

[markm]

.308 brass, unlike .223, really needs to be batched. There are all kinds of variances in different kinds.. and different internal volumes. Hornady is fine, but don't mix in a bunch of FC or LC.

[Whiskey&beer]

I'm just getting ready to start loading for 308's and hell, it sounds like I have a shit ton to learn! My starting point sounds like to buy brass from all the makers to work on just to get to know all the differences with each of the brass.

[markm]

I'm just getting ready to start loading for 308's and hell, it sounds like I have a shit ton to learn! My starting point sounds like to buy brass from all the makers to work on just to get to know all the differences with each of the brass.

Hell no. What are you going to load for? Bolt gun? Gas gun? Are you making match type ammo? Ball ammo?

Depends what you want to do.

[Whiskey&beer]

It's going to be match type ammo for a bolt gun. I've only loaded .223 and on the shitload of posts I've read, it seems there's so much more to making good match .308 ammo.

[markm]

Making good .308 bolt gun is simple to me. I have my own process that surely varies from everyone else, but the biggest pain is metering Varget in the chargemaster.

If you're not going to be shooting 50 rounds per week, it might be worth it to buy some Lapua brass. Good brass does make a difference. But it's also good to develop your process on cheaper brass too.

I say this because I started loading .308 like I do .223.. sizing the brass all the way back to SAAMMI specs and killing it too early. Instead of bumping the shoulder just enough to match the chamber, I was squeezing it all the way back to a case gauge. So I ended up getting a lot of premature case separations on nice Lapua brass. :(

[Whiskey&beer]

Hell yeah Vargets a pain! I did try that straw trick on the chargemaster and it actually works pretty good. Now if I understand this right, on a bolt gun I can just shoulder bump / neck size (I'm looking at the Forster bushing bump neck sizing die) keeping the brass body basically fire formed to the chamber dimensions? Then if I run into neck tension issues, use a neck sizer mandrel type then a neck squeeze at then end after bullet seating?

[markm]

You can do just that. I cut the crap and full length size EVERYTHING. I set up the a body die for bolt gun stuff, then tumble off lube and finish with a Lee collet neck size die.