What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Discussion about rifles in 300 AAC BLACKOUT (7.62x35mm), hosted by the creator of the cartridge.

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Saxon
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by Saxon »

LC 16 sucks the primer crimp is a ring crimp and even chamfering you still have to watch that when seating the primer id does not "catch and edge"
as the ring crimp is off center...
Gundog55
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by Gundog55 »

Maybe it’s just me but I have gone through a couple of resizing dies converting.556 to 300 BLK due to the brass getting jammed in the die. One thing I have noticed is if after cutting the brass down if I anneal it before resizing then it goes smoothly. The ones that I haven’t annealed are harder to resize. So here is the question “Is it okay to resize first then resize or should I anneal again after resizing since the brass may be “hardened” after the resize?
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bangbangping
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by bangbangping »

Gundog55 wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 10:47 pm Maybe it’s just me but I have gone through a couple of resizing dies converting.556 to 300 BLK due to the brass getting jammed in the die.
Are you saying you toss the die when a case gets stuck? Ouch.
Gundog55 wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 10:47 pm One thing I have noticed is if after cutting the brass down if I anneal it before resizing then it goes smoothly. The ones that I haven’t annealed are harder to resize. So here is the question “Is it okay to resize first then resize or should I anneal again after resizing since the brass may be “hardened” after the resize?
Many folks never anneal, so I'm sure you're fine with the anneal then resize. My theory is that you should always size after annealing, even if you did it before. But you shouldn't be sticking cases either way. What are you using for lube?
TRshootem
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by TRshootem »

I sort and cut by head stamp, avoid using some on the list. If unsure if the brass is too thick to make BLK, cut a couple and measure the neck thickness. This will help you sort out the problem brands. I roll my cut, neck cleaned up brass on a RCBS pad with enough lube to form smoothly. The Hornady sizing die will, like others, jam a case if lube is lacking. Sorting the problem cases and using enough lube will save the headaches. I anneal after forming and before final trim, work flow seems less of a hassle this way.
Gundog55
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by Gundog55 »

I’m new at this so yeah, after not being able to extract the shell from a die I finally tossed it only to find out that Dillon would of replaced it. I use case lube but I noticed that the cases that were annealed did t have much resistance when I resized them compared to the cases that were not annealed. Since I’m loading for subsonic I guess re-annealing it after reforming won’t do any harm. This is a journey for me and thanks for the input that makes it easier. Some people don’t understand why I go through all of this when I could just buy bullets. This makes my brain busy I guess and I find that it feeds my obsessive personality 🤔
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bangbangping
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by bangbangping »

Gundog55 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 3:54 am I’m new at this so yeah, after not being able to extract the shell from a die I finally tossed it only to find out that Dillon would of replaced it. I use case lube but I noticed that the cases that were annealed did t have much resistance when I resized them compared to the cases that were not annealed. Since I’m loading for subsonic I guess re-annealing it after reforming won’t do any harm. This is a journey for me and thanks for the input that makes it easier. Some people don’t understand why I go through all of this when I could just buy bullets. This makes my brain busy I guess and I find that it feeds my obsessive personality 🤔
I vaguely remember starting out decades ago. There is a lot to learn.

A stuck case usually isn't too difficult to remove if you have a 1/4-20 tap and a few odds and ends. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFW9URitdAU
Or you can buy a kit: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012728735?pid=131002

I understand that annealed cases are easier to size, but I'm guessing you could still stick one without the right or the right amount of lube. Sticking a case is a lube issue, not a brass hardness issue. Lots of opinions there, but I like the homemade lanolin/alcohol mix. Recently formed 1000 cases using it and didn't stick one.
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dellet
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by dellet »

Gundog55 wrote: Tue Nov 05, 2019 3:54 am I’m new at this so yeah, after not being able to extract the shell from a die I finally tossed it only to find out that Dillon would of replaced it. I use case lube but I noticed that the cases that were annealed did t have much resistance when I resized them compared to the cases that were not annealed. Since I’m loading for subsonic I guess re-annealing it after reforming won’t do any harm. This is a journey for me and thanks for the input that makes it easier. Some people don’t understand why I go through all of this when I could just buy bullets. This makes my brain busy I guess and I find that it feeds my obsessive personality 🤔
In general, what will become the neck on a Blackout case will have been at least partially annealed as a 223.

The transition from case body to neck when forming this cartridge is so small that I would venture that what you are attributing to annealed or not, is probably more caused by lube correctly or not.

If it's any comfort, the obsessive compulsive type people who handload, rarely get in trouble or blow tings up. Attention to detail is what it takes to produce the well above average rounds.
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
noname
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by noname »

dellet wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 11:28 am
gds wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 10:13 am Of the thousands of rounds that I've personally fired out of multiple 300 Blackout firearms. Every round was loaded on a piece of brass that I converted myself. I even got lazy last year and bought 2,000 cases of already formed brass. But still haven't used any of them. Anyone poo poo in the idea I would be leery of their understanding of the 300 Blackout as a whole.
Thanks for the vote of confidence :mrgreen:

Besides why not use 223 brass for something useful?
Image
What is that longer brass on the right? Was it made from .223 too? The rim got me going.
Previously known as hardcase. Moved lost internet connection for 1+ years.
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dellet
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Re: What's wrong with making 300 BLK brass?

Post by dellet »

noname wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:16 pm
dellet wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 11:28 am
gds wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 10:13 am Of the thousands of rounds that I've personally fired out of multiple 300 Blackout firearms. Every round was loaded on a piece of brass that I converted myself. I even got lazy last year and bought 2,000 cases of already formed brass. But still haven't used any of them. Anyone poo poo in the idea I would be leery of their understanding of the 300 Blackout as a whole.
Thanks for the vote of confidence :mrgreen:

Besides why not use 223 brass for something useful?
Image
What is that longer brass on the right? Was it made from .223 too? The rim got me going.
That would be a 25-21, and yes that one was made from a 223. Rim diameter is the same, the web was swaged. That stretches the case out about .125” and is still short but it works. 222 magnum is what I try and use since it longer. 25 caliber straight taper to 300” at the base. Original length is 2.050”, the magnum brass ends up about 2”.

The actual 25-21 case hasn’t been made for probably 100 years, I use that brass sparingly.

There’s probably half a dozen obsolete cases you can make from the 223/222 magnum.
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
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