How much is match brass worth?

[Guest mw.]

I have about 200 pieces of match brass from a lot of reloading stuff I bought. It's .308 and looks to be once fired, mostly 63 dated. Just looking for a ballpark price on what it's going for. Thanks

[Guest FNandGlock]

Ive paid $ 30 for 200 rounds some time less other time 2x's that of Match Grade once fired 308. I just cant get anymore lately been trying to get some.

[jeffmem]

Depends on the make but .10 to .40 each.

[Guest mw.]

Depends on the make but .10 to .40 each.

Mostly Lake City, a dozen are marked FA (Federal?).

[Guest mw.]

Ive paid $ 30 for 200 rounds some time less other time 2x's that of Match Grade once fired 308. I just cant get anymore lately been trying to get some.

I may put them up at reloaders auction, been trying to clear some of this stuff out. Maybe I just need to buy guns for all the calibers I don't have.

Thanks

[Oh Shoot]

Obviously non-loader question:

what zactly is "match" brass?

Higher quality of some sort, better specs, or what?

- Oh "even did quick Google" Shoot

[Guest Astra900]

1 reason: More consistent wall thickness means volumetric consistency round to round, which translates to less pressure variations, for a grand total of mo better shootin. Sorry I ran out of big words.

[Guest Guntrainer]

FA 56 Match ammo is corrosive. Some commercial match 30/06 had corrosive primers into the 60's.

Other 7.62 mm US Military ammo is non corrosive. The main advantage to Match brass is the non crimped primer pocket.

Military brass is held to tighter weight controls than commercial, but typically will have a little more neck runout. It is generally thicker and softer than commercial.

Do not expect this brass to out perform properly prepped commercial brass.

[tn hp]

FA = Frankfort Arsenal.

Match brass was/is the military arsenal's best effort to produce brass that is consistent in weight, thickness and overall demention from round to round. The primers in match brass produced by FA or LC (Lake City) are not crimped since it was not produced to be shot in fully automatic weapons.

The 30.06 match ammo was designated as M72 and was loaded with the 173 gr FMJ match bullet. The .308/7.62 match ammo, known as "white box" was, I believe, designated a M118. It too, had the 173 gr FMJ bullet. Later on, based on a decision made at Springfield Armory, the 173 gr FMJ bullet was replaced with the Sierra 168 BTHP Match King bullet. This match ammo, also known as "white box" was designated as M852.

Initially M852 had a "knurled" ring around the case just forward of the case head. This was so the round could be identified as a match round since, in the earlier years, the 168 gr BTHP Match King was not deemed "legal" as a combat round. That issue was later resolved and the round was approved for combat use.

Now, there is a round designated as the M118 LR (Long Range) developed for sniper use. It is loaded with the 175 gr Sierra BTHP Match King bullet. However, the brass that it is loaded in, at least what I have seen, is not "match brass". It is loaded on what was commonly referred to as "special ball brass". This brass, while made to match specs, has a crimped in primer. The "special ball" was orginally loaded with the 173 FMJ match bullet and then with the 175 gr. Sierra.

Most Lake City Match ammo is loaded with canister grade powder. IMR 4895, 4064 or equivalent powders. Most of you know that IMR is an abreviation for "improved military rifle" powder. Match ammo, like the standard "ball" ammo is loaded to a velocity. Therefore, actual powder charges, depending on the powder used, will vary from lot to lot. This is why it was important to obtain as much as one lot of match ammo for shooting rifle matches in order to avoid a change of zero. The powder used also depends on the contractor supplying the powder or which contractor held the contract at Lake City. However, the military dictates what components are to be use with approved substitutions.

Two Tennesseans figured prominently in the bullets used in the match ammo. Mr. Larry Moore, formerly of Oak Ridge, helped to design the 173 gr FMJ match bullet. Col. Homer Pearson (Champion's Choice) played a significant part in the decision to change to the Sierra 168 gr. BTHP.

Why change bullets? The Sierra was much more accurate as a result of the jacketing process used by Sierra versus the jacketing equipment available and used at the arsenal.

If I recall correctly, the USMC reloads all ammo for its High Power rifle teams. Although, they have used some Black Hills match ammo in limited quantities. The Army's Marksmanship Training Unit (AMU) has used some Black Hills match ammo for its short range use and has hand loaded for the 600 and 1000 yd. loads. There is, to my knowledge, no "match" .223 brass produced by Lake City. The AMU does use primed .223 Lake City brass for loading its long range loads in order to avoid "blown primers". The brass is weighed and sorted for consistency.

TN HP

[Guest mw.]

Thanks for the help guys.

I've found a couple of interesting sites while searching and thought I'd share them.

Reloading sites

http://shootersforum.com/index.htm

http://www.handloadersbench.com/

Headstamp codes

http://cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes.htm

[Guest Astra900]

Thanks MW. Nice to meet you!

[Guest mw.]

Good meeting you too. Hope you enjoy it.