Back when I started reloading I would come across 30-06 blank brass from the 40’s and 50’s, the kind with the red paper disc crimped in the neck but otherwise normal dimension brass. Not knowing any better I just loaded it the same as any surplus brass, never had a problem.

I have a bag of 50 or so pieces of such brass sitting on my loading bench right now. The funny thing is that they are quite a mix of headstamps, including a few commercial. They are primed and heavily crimped but someone poked out the paper and dumped the powder. I’d heard long ago that sometimes blanks were made using regular fired brass. This bag leads me to suspect there’s truth in that.

I haven’t decided whether I should pop the primers and scrap them, or try to use them for something.