Using 30-06 Blank cases

[Ben]

Today, I decided to reload some of the 1,000 30-06 blank cases that I have on hand. ( I paid $10 per 1,000 about 35 years ago and they have just been sitting in a box since that day )

Some reloaders have loaded them to full potential in the 30-06 with absolutely zero problems . Some of this brass is 60 - 70 years old and I choose not to load this brass to those pressures and will use all this brass for low intensity, cast loads. This brass should last a long time using loads of this magnitude.

If I err, it will be on the side of safety.

I used a # 30 wire gauge drill bit to open the flash holes ( this brass will be loaded from this day forward with light cast loads only )

I'll include a test target fired at 50 yards , 5 shots. While I've seen my Tikka shoot much better than this, it is comforting to know if obtaining 06' brass someday for my 30-06 rifles becomes a problem, I can always fall back on this stash of 1,000 empty cases. If required, these loads could put meat on the table or keep a bad guy(s) at bay.

The load was 20 ea. military blank 30-06 cases with 11.5 grains of Russian Salute ( Russian Unique ) with a Lyman 311466 sized .310 with a Hornady g/c and a Winchester large pistol primer. ( The flash holes were drilled out with the # 30 drill bit ) The cast bullet was lightly engraving the rifling when the bolt closed.

Ben

_____________________

[JCherry]

Ben,
Be sure to wear shooting glasses any time you use those blank shells. Though the low pressures you note should hopefully preclude any problems. 15 to 20 years ago I ran across some fired 30-06 military blank brass with mixed head stamps of the mid 50's which I resized to 8mm. I can't find my notes on what I loaded but my recollection is that I used commercial .323 jacketed 170 gr. bullets. At that time I was using WC852 (slow) and WC860 so the loads were not high pressure and I always load on the mild side. Upon firing, some of the heads expanded leaking gas past the primer which fell out upon extraction. Needless to say I discarded all of the blank shells.

I've heard that many of the blank cartridges were made from rejected brass. Please proceed cautiously.

Have Fun,

JCherry

[Larry Gibson]

Back in the day '06 blanks "could" be made from reject cases IF such reject cases were available. If reject cases were not available when the blanks went into production the blank cases were made from standard cases. Production of blanks was not dependent on availability of reject cases. Some '06 blanks were reject cases but fact is most weren't.

Ben is using some pretty good safety measures and his results are note worthy.

Larry Gibson

[Bloodman14]

O.K., so what causes the ring? I am just curious, as I have never seen that before. I have some .303 blanks, which prompts the question.

[BruceB]

Most (if not all) US-made .30-06 blanks that I've seen had a cardboard wad in the case mouth, which was heavily-crimped to hold it in place.

This accounts for the "ring" in the neck.

The later 7.62 NATO blanks have an extended case, which is the full length of a ball 7.62 NATO round. The extended neck area is formed to a shape approximating that of a bullet, so the blanks will function through semi-auto and full-auto weapons (with a blank-firing attachment to build the needed pressure for functioning).

[bruce drake]

It was the crimp placed in the neck for the red lacquered cardboard disk to rest on to hold the blank powder in place after the neck was roll crimped.

[smokeywolf]

Nice pics Ben. Thanks for this post. I have maybe a few dozen '06 blanks. Don't foresee loading them in the near future, but who knows.

[Ben]

smokeywolf

I don't plan on loading hundreds of rounds of this. Yesterday, I loaded 20 rounds to test the waters with this concept.

I basically wanted to see what results were possible and use this stash of 1,000 pieces of brass as a " reserve " in the event it was needed someday in the future.

We don't know the future, I wouldn't have believed that there would be a day when I couldn't buy .22 LR ammo, I wouldn't have believed that there would be a day when primers and powder were not available. What does the future hold , .......I don't know ?

Ben

[shredder]

Nice pictures as always.

I am impressed with your high tech targets! Paper plates and a can of blaze orange spray with what looks like a 1 inch square mask. Couple that with 1000 discarded Govt. 30-06 blanks and I might just think you are a bit of a curmudgeon!

Keep up the great work!

[Ben]

Most reloaders are penny pinchers.

If you're going to have some fun , why not do it on a budget ?

[Dutchman]

Typical case damage from manufacturing process seen half-way down the case body.

[Ben]

Dutchman

I have yet to see anything like that example ( w/ severe damage visible on the outside of the case ) in my particular lot ?

Ben

[fourarmed]

My dad had a case of '06 blanks in the fifties. He made .30-'06 and .270 loads out of them for years with no problems. Doesn't mean it always works that way, of course.

[Larry Gibson]

Probably a lot of changes in the way arsenals made/make cases since 1909..............

I've used a lot of blank '06 cases and 7.62 blank cases over the years to make some other cases (primarily 45 ACP shot shells) and never found any case as pictured. Had I found one with such an obvious defect it would have been discarded as with any other case with a defect. Not saying to use blank cases or not to use them.....that's the shooters choice.....just be conservative and use safety measures as Ben has if one does.

Larry Gibson

[wallenba]

I understand that the blank cartridges do not get the full annealing treatment also. Take care.

[Ben]

Thanks to all of you for all your safety concerns offered on this topic. I always appreciate reloaders who show a real concern for safety.

These loads that I'm currently using the blank brass for will rival pressures developed by the 38 Special. Considering these loads are being used in rifles that are capable of safely handling 60,000 psi, and each of the rifles have excellent gas venting properties, I'm not too concerned about a safety threat with 17,000 psi loads.

Now if I was loading at 47,500 psi with this brass, .....that would be another story entirely.

Ben

[Longone]

I received 8 of these blanks in a trade awhile back. They are mixed headstamps.
1) EW 43
2) WCC 52
1) SL 56
1) SL 54
1) TW 53
1) SL 4
1) WRA 57

Kinda neat to display, not enough to do anything with. Longone

[Ben]

Yes, thanks for posting the pics !

Ben

[TXGunNut]

Why do you drill out the flash holes, Ben? Great thread, BTW.

[C. Latch]

Where do you get the Russian powder?