Thickest 30-06 brass?

[Pointman]

I agree with those who mentioned Lake City. Years ago when I was loading a custom 25-06, there was little to no actual 25-06 brass available. I was running the surplus LC brass that I got at a (now forbidden in California) gun show through my trim die to form the neck shoulder. After reaming the primer crimps I started my load process. I did notice that before reaching the max load range, the powder, IMR 4350. Was right at the base of the necks. The big benefit I did find with surplus military LC brass was longevity. I finally retired that batch of brass after a dozen loads, mostly de to split necks. Thinking about it now, perhaps the brass was so robust was because the 30-06 was used in the M1 Garand's, belt-fed light machine guns and the indomitable B.A.R.'s.

 

[epoletna]

Pointman:

Cracked necks did them in. Interesting. I suspect if you had annealed them, they'd have gone a few more reloadings.

 

[Mram10us]

I have LC, win and rem brass to cut and measure. I've tried bigger Wildcats with .017" difference and no issues, and a 6br with almost .030" with No issues either. Good info guys

 

[fguffey]

Many years ago I read on the Internet that reloaders claimed military brass was heavier and then they drew a conclusion, if the brass was heavier it was thicker; so I started measuring. I decided the rumor was a half-truth. All of my military case heads measured .200" thick from the cup above the web to the case head. I compared all of those military case heads with my R-P case heads. The R-p case heads measured .260".

And then the deductive reasoning kicks in; If the case head is thinner but is heavier the case body must be thicker. My R-P cases with the thick case heads must have a thinner case body if it is lighter. I thought the R-P cases were the safest; based on deductive reasoning.

F. Guffey

 

[ofbandg]

An old time gunsmith once told me the thickness of the brass is only part of the story, the quality is just as important. Some brass flexes better than others. I don't know the metallurgy, and I assume modern quality standards are better now, but a few manufacturers used to be known for brass that became brittle after a few loadings. I haven't heard so much about this in recent years but at one time it was talked about. Hopefully it's not an issue any longer.

 

[George Dean]

The thickest and heaviest 30-06 brass I came across was LC (Lake City) military brass. They where pull down tracer bullets from the Vietnam era. I couldn't have the loaded bullets sent to me in Hawaii so I bought them pulled and got 1,000 pcs of 30-06 LC brass and 147 gr tracer heads. Great to shoot at late evening on the lava fields but it makes you have anxiety seeing how crazy they zig zag and ricochet especially when they bounce at a 45 degree angle and disappear into the sky. A real eye opener!! The only problem I had was this sticky tar inside the necks, I think the guy who sold me the brass said it was a sealer for wet conditions? I have no idea but it makes sense. Had to use lacquer thinner, a pistol rod and bronze brush... don't forget your safety glasses... found out the hard way.

All NATO 5.56, 7.62 & military .30-06 brass have thicker case walls than civilian brass. So they can stand up to being fired from automatic weapons. That's why you can not load the same amount of powder into NATO brass that you can load into a non-military piece of brass for the same at-home load development. Beware of over pressurization issues. If someone's already addressed this, apologies. I haven't read all of the responses.

 

[Lee Goodwin]

I am thinking the 30.06 might be the single coolest round ever produced. So old, venerable, dang it has to have some thick brass. Even as it slips into great grand daddyhood it just shakes its head...and says, " all you hunting boys...one round , maybe 200 if you can carry it , is all you ever gonna need". Now go on your way and play.

Quarantine delerium

 

[Ted Sierocinski]

I'm guessing its gonna be Lapua.

Or RWS

 

[Pointman]

Pointman:

Cracked necks did them in. Interesting. I suspect if you had annealed them, they'd have gone a few more reloadings.

Did one annealing session with a torch, templaque and really heavy welders gloves. This was back in the mid-'70s. Still, I think it's why I got as many loading as I did. Now, with one of the new annealing machines, it certainly would have been easier and probably more effective.

 

[blitzfike]

Prvi Partizan is pretty heavy stuff. I had to reduce powder charge compared to book max on some 30-30 reloads due to early pressure signs while working up loads. I would assume their 30-06 loads to be similar. Usually cheap enough to pick up a box and just to try but who knows with today's craziness.

Some of the Privi Partizan brass has been softer than I am used to. The brass flows at lower pressure loads than any of the LC brass I have used. That has been my experience with 308, 30-06 and 22-250 Good brass, just softer than I prefer.

 

[Pineyrooter]

Lake City was recommended to me by the guy who built a 6.5-06 for me. He has been reloading 40 years it seems and is a master gunsmith. He conveying the notion it's some of the best available and very durable. I've yet to use it but would if I ran across some.

 

[Sam Summey]

What is the thickest walled brass you've seen for 30-06 and what measurement did you get from the walls near the base? Thanks

I recently shot some of my reloaded 30.06 in my M1 with not so great accuracy. It was a mixed lot of loads containing SL56, LC69, and some Federal Match brass. They were all loaded with the same powder charge Shooters World Match powder with the same 147gr bullet. Wondering the culprit for the "loose" group, I weighed the brass cases. The SL56 and LC69 weighed almost the same (within tenth of a grain) The Federal Match was at least 2 grains heavier. I'd say thicker in the base and the walls.

 

[Uncle yib]

What is the thickest walled brass you've seen for 30-06 and what measurement did you get from the walls near the base? Thanks

Pull out your load book and look up to 57 Roberts you'll notice that there's a regular category for brass and a plus P category for brass research that a little bit and it might answer your question

 

[J E Custom]

Thanks for that explanation, JE. Interesting stuff. Hard to imagine primer pocket getting tighter with subsequent firings, but if you say so, I'll believe it.

You don't have to believe me, I have just experienced it for my self and wondered why and how so after sectioning I believe what other people said that experienced the same thing.

The best explanation I can make is the fact that the case web is shaped the way it is compresses the flash hole as it is fired instead of stretching the primer pocket like the concave design does as it is reshaped over time and firings.

Another good example is that a dished bolt face does the same thing. If you push a flat surface with a hole in it into a concave surface the flat surface will no longer be flat and the hole will be larger, (The reason we face the bolt face flat when we blue print an action)

The strength and quality cant hurt ether.

J E CUSTOM