Norinco surplus brass reloading life and usage

[luckey]

Hi, how many reloads you guys got from those Norinco surplus brass, they look good quality. and do you only use it for range, or hunting as well? thanks

 

[luckey]

never mind. it should read "HIRTENBERGER" brass. AUSTRIA Surplus. The ones I have do have boxer primer hole. so they are reloadable.

 

[Ganderite]

It should last for many reloads. At least 10.

Note that it is military brass, which weighs more than typical commercial brass. It has less capacity, so load data has to be reduced by about 2 grains. That is, if your favourite load with Winchester brass is 45 gr, load 43 with the military brass.

Case prep might involve reaming off the lip of the primer crimp and champfering the case mouth.

 

[kevinm1980]

I find after a couple reloads the primer pockets get very loose and need to be thrown out

 

[Kayser Sose]

run it til it fails;

keep some sort of track of firings. when one dies, there's a few others coming near their best-by date in the lot.

Congratulations! What's your load going to be?

 

[Ganderite]

I find after a couple reloads the primer pockets get very loose and need to be thrown out

This suggests high pressure. Are you reducing the powder charge a couple grains less than a commercial case load?

 

[Hitzy]

I weighed some Hirt 7.62 (It's not NATO spec BTW)....it was the same as commercial Norma 308 brass, around 180-182gr with the primers out, and it's quite soft brass. That's lighter then most commercial 308 brass as well, at least the Rem/Fed/Win I had on hand to measure.
By comparison IVI 7.62NATO came in at 200-205gr and is quite hard brass.

 

[Firehoser]

How about the 556 Norc brass? Have a bunch from range pick up.

 

[Pr589]

How about the 556 Norc brass? Have a bunch from range pick up.

I like the Norc 5.56 brass because it is one of the few that doesn't have crimped primer pockets. Watch for off-centre primer holes and for loosening primer pockets. Don't know how much life they have since I use them for bulk loading and they either get lost or go back into the pile of range pick-up.

 

[OneBarfly]

I found Norinco brass to be real soft. Head stamp gets pretty mushed-up after a couple of firings

 

[Robmcleod82]

I like the Norc 5.56 brass because it is one of the few that doesn't have crimped primer pockets. Watch for off-centre primer holes and for loosening primer pockets. Don't know how much life they have since I use them for bulk loading and they either get lost or go back into the pile of range pick-up.

I wrecked enough decapping pins with it I tossed it all in the garbage. Dillon decapping pins are tough to find it seems when you need them unless you order out of the states.

 

[Firehoser]

I wrecked enough decapping pins with it I tossed it all in the garbage. Dillon decapping pins are tough to find it seems when you need them unless you order out of the states.

You might want to try a Lee Universal Decapping Dye. The pin is heavier and it will push up through the collet on top before it bends on a stubborn primer. One size fits all.

 

[Death]

For those that think Miltary 5.56/223 has less case capacity

 

[dirtybarry]

You might want to try a Lee Universal Decapping Dye. The pin is heavier and it will push up through the collet on top before it bends on a stubborn primer. One size fits all.

Overall works good but I've had my share of misadventures and so some spares are part of my kit now.

 

[DWiB]

I had a case head failure on a Norinco reload about two weeks ago at an indoor range. 25gr. BL-C (2) and a 55gr can pro. Made a dirty mess of the inside of my AR. I haven't loaded many of them yet but I'm going to remember that experience.

 

[luckey]

It should last for many reloads. At least 10.

Note that it is military brass, which weighs more than typical commercial brass. It has less capacity, so load data has to be reduced by about 2 grains. That is, if your favourite load with Winchester brass is 45 gr, load 43 with the military brass.

Case prep might involve reaming off the lip of the primer crimp and champfering the case mouth.

Thanks Ganderite.

 

[burnaby]

But not 338 Lapua Magnum, base is too big, need to file down the Lee die.

You might want to try a Lee Universal Decapping Dye. The pin is heavier and it will push up through the collet on top before it bends on a stubborn primer. One size fits all.