Reloading for the Famae 542

[LordEvilPepper]

Whelp....

Doesn't look likes its very viable. It eats brass like a car burns gas.

It marrs up the rim and literally bends it during ejection, puts a gouge in the side of the case (sometimes two), collapses the neck. Worst though is that the ejection is a bit off timed I'm thinking because a fired case will not fit back in the chamber, it is stretched out about 12 thou over a .308 no go . I'm not worried about the head spacing since this case will not fit (unlike when they ballooned like this in the M305 and they chambered without resistance)
And thats if you can even find the brass... its about a 30-40 foot ejection on gas setting 1. I think I recovered 60 Pc of the 180 I fired.... It was an expensive day with those norma cases worth about 90 cents a pc.

 

[mmattockx]

Looks a lot like the brass from my Garand. It reloads fine, but has a short lifespan with the abuse it takes. All I ever get from it is 4-5 reloads before it is toast and that is running moderate loads nowhere near max pressures.


Mark

 

[LordEvilPepper]

the case rims are bad enough that they will have to be hammered straight they are bent back almost a full mm. some of those gouges are actualy cuts right through the case wall

 

[mmattockx]

the case rims are bad enough that they will have to be hammered straight they are bent back almost a full mm. some of those gouges are actualy cuts right through the case wall

Ah yes, I see the rims are pretty mangled. If the gouges go through then you are stuffed for using those again. You may be right that cases aren't safe to reload if the rifle is hammering them that badly.


Mark

 

[thump_rrr]

Ejection is extremely violent for a rifle with an adjustable gas system.

 

[boss351cleveland]

Ouch . when i had a Swiss Arms it was hard on brass too because it threw it out with such force , could not find it half the time ether lol . But i was able to reload it a few times without worry , was hardest on the rim and left a dent like that but not a puncture through the case. I did not use high dollar brass in it because of that . How does the rifle like cheap bulk ammo like Tula , MFS , Barnell, Norinco? Reloading might be pointless for a infantry type rifle made in South America anyway, I wouldn't expect match grade accuracy out of it , if you want that check out a FNAR or a high end M1A .

 

[boss351cleveland]

the case rims are bad enough that they will have to be hammered straight they are bent back almost a full mm. some of those gouges are actualy cuts right through the case wall

After looking at the pics of those rims closer it looks like early extraction , it can happen with some semi autos if the powder burn rate is too slow , can even rip the rim right off the case . What powder are you using ? I would try IMR 4895 . Try to replicate a 7.62 NATO loading .

 

[LordEvilPepper]

I'm using BLC-2 its tailor made for military 7.62/.308
Never had any issues with it loading for M14's .

This rifle bucks hard, harder then any other .308 I've ever shot, my cheek is bruised from the 5 168gn rounds I shot.



I haven't tried cheap ammo yet... just picked up a few cans of AE 150 gn. FMJ. with my hand loads the rifle is under 2 MOA, the video I posted the gongs flapper is 4 inches, so 1.8 MOA at 200 meters. I hit it every round except the one I pulled.

 

[samsplacci71]

Norma brass too, ouch.

 

[beltfed]

It looks similar to Swiss Arms brass that comes out of the .223 guns. Try playing with a slower stick powder with a heavier bullet - the case dents will likely disappear or be drastically reduced.