Gold Cross Match Brass??
- Thread starter big bear
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I respectfully disagree with Ganderite. It's the worst brass I've used to date. I have reloaded a few hundred Gold Cross .308 once fired cases. Allegedly the brass I purchased was once fired in match chambers. Some of the primer pockets were almost too loose to hold a new primer. I experienced several split cases, splits running lengthwise from the thick part of the web up to near the shoulder. This was experienced in moderate handloads fired in three different .308 rifles, a Sauer 202, and two Sako rifles. All that brass will be scrapped when the current ammo I have loaded has been fired.
I’m in the other camp.
I bought approximately 1000 (turned out to be about 1200) from Black Sheep Brass
It was a “one off” I think so it wasn’t processed
I have been shooting it and reloading it for a Sportco 44 with no problems
I bought approximately 1000 (turned out to be about 1200) from Black Sheep Brass
It was a “one off” I think so it wasn’t processed
I have been shooting it and reloading it for a Sportco 44 with no problems
- Location
- Saskatchewan
This is what I experienced. I have never seen another brand of brass that had a case failure of this type after loading and shooting thousands of rounds. And to keep the primers seated I had to paint them with some red fingernail polish (lacquer) in the crack. Never again. I wouldn't touch them if they were downwind and hiding behind a bush.
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just having some fun
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
i found / think the brass is on the hard side
I have some after getting body splits in the side of the case like above picture i did a good aneal of the shoulder an top 1/4 of the body
also checked / reamed depth of primer pocket
I use them in cast rifle loads
90% or so is very uniform in weight
I have some after getting body splits in the side of the case like above picture i did a good aneal of the shoulder an top 1/4 of the body
also checked / reamed depth of primer pocket
I use them in cast rifle loads
90% or so is very uniform in weight
I have been using several 50 round boxes of this brass for my own shooting. Re-loaded at least 5 times. No issues.
The enlarged primer pockets sound very strange. This is caused by soft brass or over pressure rounds. I wounder if the bad brass was reloaded by someone (hot) and then sold as "once fired"?
The enlarged primer pockets sound very strange. This is caused by soft brass or over pressure rounds. I wounder if the bad brass was reloaded by someone (hot) and then sold as "once fired"?
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Ganderite, I have great respect your your experience and integrity. You've share a lot of good advice and experience on this forum, and I've learned quite a lot from you. But, sad to say, the several hundred .308 Gold Cross brass I mention above was purchased by me directly from you! You advertised on CGN and sold it to me as "once fired in tight match chambers".
I full length resized, cleaned, and trimmed all cases. Besides finding that new primers were seating loosely, a couple of new primers actually fell out. So I purchased a primer pocket gauge from Ballistic Tools. That confirmed the primer pocket problem. I decided to go ahead and use them anyway, but load only the primers with the tightest fit I could find, CCI if i remember correctly. Added fingernail polish to keep the primers in. But then I noticed cases splitting. The case spits were happening about one out of 10-20 shots, randomly throughout this lot of now "twice fired" brass. This occurred when my ammo was fired in all three of my .308 rifles. Not good. None were maximum loads. I double checked my powder charges against the velocities in the manuals, and all chronographed velocities, and therefore I assume chamber pressures were within the expected safe range.
We all get surprises once in a while - and so I'm pretty sure you were unaware of the problem. I'm not pointing fingers, just explaining that the Gold Cross brass I bought was not satisfactory for my purposes and I can't recommend it to others.
I full length resized, cleaned, and trimmed all cases. Besides finding that new primers were seating loosely, a couple of new primers actually fell out. So I purchased a primer pocket gauge from Ballistic Tools. That confirmed the primer pocket problem. I decided to go ahead and use them anyway, but load only the primers with the tightest fit I could find, CCI if i remember correctly. Added fingernail polish to keep the primers in. But then I noticed cases splitting. The case spits were happening about one out of 10-20 shots, randomly throughout this lot of now "twice fired" brass. This occurred when my ammo was fired in all three of my .308 rifles. Not good. None were maximum loads. I double checked my powder charges against the velocities in the manuals, and all chronographed velocities, and therefore I assume chamber pressures were within the expected safe range.
We all get surprises once in a while - and so I'm pretty sure you were unaware of the problem. I'm not pointing fingers, just explaining that the Gold Cross brass I bought was not satisfactory for my purposes and I can't recommend it to others.
WOW ! Hmm ! Same Brass. And One says JUNK ! & One says GOOD ! Both good Dudes 
RJ
RJ
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Probably the difference in opinion is due to inconsistent quality control at the factory, and different lots of brass.
Good point. There were two lots of brass. The first was loaded with Federal match primers and the second lot with Winchester primers. About 40,000 rounds of each.
I don't know which lot my left-overs are, but it could be a QC problem with one lot. Both lots were used by visiting target rifle teams, and shot very well.
I don't know which lot my left-overs are, but it could be a QC problem with one lot. Both lots were used by visiting target rifle teams, and shot very well.
Fascinating,I am glad I asked the question. As a custom run of brass , getting more is not an option.Guess
i'll just run the 40 pieces I have as for plinking/paper punching with cheap bullets and not invest too much time/$$ working with it. The variables in reloading continue to amaze.
i'll just run the 40 pieces I have as for plinking/paper punching with cheap bullets and not invest too much time/$$ working with it. The variables in reloading continue to amaze.
Was anyone tearing them down and redoing the propellant at the match, I wonder? Heard of it but predates my time.
Never heard of such a thing. My guess is that one lot has a manufacturing problem.
There are about 40,000 of each lot. I am surprised that this is the first I have heard of a problem with 40,000 cases that got into circulation 20 years ago.
Google ‘Mexican match’ ammunition
I am familiar with Mex Mtch. Usually involves substituting a FMJ bullet for a match.
This Gold Cross ammo was sold with a Sierra match bullet installed. It shot very well. I doubt anyone would pull the 155 gr Sierra for a different bullet. But if they did, that could raise pressures.
I am going to assume this stuff was made for TR competition being that 155 in which case I could see a 168 or better projectile going in. I don’t think Canada had the chamber requirements Bisley did that would stick you with that 147 or 155 chamber and throat. Just speculation on my part.
