dig4gold

How good is Federal/Fusion brass? I've got a bunch of "once fired" .243 brass that I would like to re-load.
Go ahead? Or scrap it all for something better?

davidg

those are fine brass .. just like others don't forget to anneal them

Big Uncle

That is not necessary at all for once fired brass.

dig4gold

Wonder who makes Federal's brass . . . I doubt they do. Seems to do fine at the press. Now to the range!

hunters_life

Federals brass is on par with the big 3, federal, winchester, remington, and holds up fine for normal reloading. It isn't the best, it isn't the worst. Thickness consistency is, as I said, on par with the others. Don't expect Lapua quality but for the average hunter/shooter it is fine. One thing to keep an eye out for with them is primer pocket tightness. If they have been hot rodded the primer pockets can get loose. I have a couple of hundred .243 cases on their 3rd loads for the twins and a couple hundred more on their 4rth load for my sister. All fed. brass the old man bought on sale a couple years back. He also bought 500 pieces of Lapua for the matched 7mm-08's he built for the twins. I also prefer Lapua for my .300wm since I tend to hot load for it and the 7mm-08's.

dig4gold

Do reduce your loads in the Lapua? say 1.5gr? I'm told that it's a good idea because the wall thickness is greater and therefore would produce higher pressure levels than other brass.

hunters_life

Only 1gr reduction on my hottest loads which, for the .300wm is pretty up there. If you use Lapua, just keep your eye out for tell tale pressure signs such as blown primers and extractor marks. Of course you should do that with them all but yes Lapua being a bit thicker walled it does have a higher pressure spike, especially with the slower powders.

dig4gold

I've used Lapua on my .308 ammo and have had to throw a bunch away because of expended primer pockets. Before I "knew better". All would go boom when you puled he trigger, but a lot of them blew the primer out. However, I started using some Federal primers that are slightly larger than the Winchesters I'd been using and got a little more life out of them. I now know to reduce .308 loads 1.5gr. This after the water test. Next is to chrono Lapua loads to Other brass loads to compare muzzle velocity.