Where do you get your brass to reload 308?

Brass is the cheapest part about shooting even if you spend the bucks on Lapua brass. I have used the same Lapua cases and I am on my 4th barrel on this rifle. I have never annealed a case and use a Redding S type die with a bushing and bump the shoulder back .002". The nice thing about Lapua brass is that very little has to be done to it for match prep. I only weight sort it and have enough of it that I only need to trim it every 2 years.

If you are just looking for something to put through a hunting rifle any brass will work.
 
I've purchased most of my brass from guys I met at the range- just chatting with them, and ending up finding out they saved their .308 brass and bought it for cheap. I have about 350 of that brass, mostly Winchester, Remington, and Federal, in that order.

The brass I started with was saved from the Dark Times where I didn't reload, but had enough sense to save it. I replenish my supply by taking my noguns friends shooting and buying them Winchester Power Point ammo and keeping the brass. Also, don't be above picking up range trash if it looks fresh and only fired once.

I load for .308 Winchester Service Rifle, so I'm not too picky about what brass I use. Winchester brass seems to be better quality (survives being fired and neck sized longer than other brass). I laid out all of my brass to inspect for signs of wear, and I threw out five or six cases, all Hornady. I don't know if that's a Hornady thing, but my Winchester brass of the same age lasted far longer.
 
It's interesting how people's experience with brass differs. I'm reloading for my M14 which is supposed to be brutal on brass. I'm on 6 reloads for Hornady brass and have culled about 1% out of caution. On the other hand, using once fired Federal I've experienced case head separations on 2% of the cases with no cases having previously shown any danger signs.
 
Pr589 said:
It's interesting how people's experience with brass differs. I'm reloading for my M14 which is supposed to be brutal on brass. I'm on 6 reloads for Hornady brass and have culled about 1% out of caution. On the other hand, using once fired Federal I've experienced case head separations on 2% of the cases with no cases having previously shown any danger signs.
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Every case head separation I've had with the M1A has been with cases that the bolt closed on, deformed, and I resized and reloaded anyways. Yeah yeah I know, it's not the safest thing to do, but it was a rookie mistake and I don't do it anymore.

The more I shoot, the more I'm skeptical of everything Federal makes.
 
shell_guy said:
Lapua is the way to go, don't have to resize or touch the primer pockets. Just load them and go, neck size the 2nd firing, then consider resizing on the 3rd firing.
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I'm on my 9th reload of just neck sizing. There's no point in full length resizing unless you need to bump a shoulder back.

Only now have I found my brass needs a bit of TLC. Next cleaning they are getting the length trimmed and shoulder bump if needed.
 
I just got 240 from a friend for 30$, should be good for a while.
Lots of norma, and some other. will probably keep norma for match, and the rest for plinking.
 
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