Problem with .308 Nickel Brass

[Keller]

I have some .308 Nickel plated brass and am having issues with neck size.

After sizing the brass for the first time I check the case length by using my trimmer and the trimmer will barely fit inside the neck. I had to use vice grips to get the case trimmer back out after I stupidly tapped it into the case.

Is this normal?

Even if I went through the trouble to stretch the inside of the necks back out to proper size so the bullets will fit, would the outside dimension of the necks now be too large?

These are being loaded to use in my M1A.

This brass is headstamped "R . P 308 WIN" R . P = Winchester?

 

[badbrass]

Well R.P. is Remington Brass. For all the problems with Nickel brass I've heard I would stay away from it!

 

[t-star]

rp=remington peters, not winchester- cases are somewhat thicker, and weigh somewhere between winchester and federal- i'd just go buy "brass " brass if i were you and forget about nickel- it flakes off anyway, and is hard on your dies- the ONLY reason i use nickel is so i can distinguish between regular loads and "experimental" or heavy duty( i use a 338) - the military doesn't use them, and neither do most folks- it could be that pilot is just a tad bit oversize,- they only nickel the OUTSIDE of the brass as far as i know, cut it open and you'll find ordinary brass- if it's a lee, the pilot/shaft should drop right into a re-sized case no problem-the others use a different arrangement and i'm not familair with them

 

[Suputin]

There is a very simple solution to your problem.

DON'T USE NICKEL BRASS.

Throw it out and get some proper brass brass. It is just not worth the hassle to use that nickel stuff.

 

[Keller]

I am using Lee equipment.

Ok, well I guess I'll have to put the Nickel away. Thanks for the replies. I bought this Nickel stuff a few years ago when my local shop was out of brass, guess I've learned my lesson.

Luckily I have lots of brass. Only had 50 Nickel plated cases.

 

[sunray]

"...check the case length by using my trimmer..." A trimmer isn't used for measuring anything. Go buy some proper calipres.

 

[joe-nwt]

...........

Even if I went through the trouble to stretch the inside of the necks back out to proper size so the bullets will fit, would the outside dimension of the necks now be too large?

........

Why don't you whip out your handy-dandy calipers and reference your reloading manual and find out?

You do have calipers and a manual, right?

 

[t-star]

"...check the case length by using my trimmer..." A trimmer isn't used for measuring anything. Go buy some proper calipres.

the lee can be used to check case length- it uses a special shaft and pin that the the cutter mounts to to determine case length- you mount the case in the stud, screw the shelholder down tight, stick the shaft/cutter in the flashole and turn the cutter and trim the case- once you're in the flashole, the shaft gives you the precise trim to length every time- do it without the stud in place, and you end up with a case way shorter than it should be b/c it's measuring from the base of the pin, not the head