308 win case capacities? Which brand holds more?

[lar45]

Hi everybody, I'm working on a 358 Win x 1.700"
Is there much of a difference in case capacities or wall thickness from the different manufacturers?
ie. Which brand holds the most water?
TIA
Glenn.

[M-Tecs]

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=595560

https://www.bisonops.com/2021/04/05/...zzle-velocity/

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have weighed many different brands, Lapua, Jageman, IMI Match, LC, HXP, TV, Federal (all 308 or military) - most of these have weighed 178-183 grains on my scale. The Winchester/W-W Super have weighed 168-172 grains for my brass on my Hornady electronic scale. I have also noticed that loads worked up in the Win/W-W Super brass show pressure signs in the heavier brass. I believe that Winchester .308 brass is known for its greater capacity, my findings confirm that. It is also tough, durable brass.

[Winger Ed.]

I never thought twice about it when loading civilian produced rifle brass.
But I never got up into gassing them up more than about 80-90% of max. listing anyway.
However---
They don't say it anymore, but in the old days, most loading books advised decreasing a powder charge
by one full grain to compensate for the thicker walls and less case capacity of surplus military brass.

[Larry Gibson]

In 308W cases Winchesters universally have more case capacity.

With a given load Winchester cases will give less pressure in a given rifle than other cases. I've found R-P cases to pretty much have the same capacity a LC Match cases and later LC M118SB cases. Other commercial case capacities vary in between Winchester and R-P cases. Pre 90's M80 ball had the thickest brass, especially at the web, hence with a given load they give greater pressure.

[lar45]

Excellent, thanks for the info

[Wooserco]

Can't speak for .308 case capacity, even though I've loaded hundreds of them. However, the Winchester .223 brass was fantastic (bought 500 at a time). My best accuracy was with the Winchester brass. Same load across all: Military, civilian, etc. May have been just the consistancy of the same lot. Too many years ago to remember. I just recall that I shot two classifications up from normal at Camp Perry from my "normal" classification. Went there just once determined not to embarrass myself nor those that I went there with. An astounding experience. One every shooter should experience, if just once in a lifetime.

I had some LC 69 brass that my Uncle gave me when I purchased his rifle. He also gave me his pet load data for said brass. Custom chambered and built rifle. Capable of 17 tens and X's (by me) at 600 yards. Same day, my buddy borrowed the rifle and ammo and shot a clean. The day two fools met: He for what he offered me for the rifle and load data and me for turning him down.

[6GUNSONLY]

In my experience, Federal brass has a little less capacity and I've seen pressure signs sooner with it than Winchester. I now have some Lapua .308 cases but haven't started loading them yet. I have so much Federal Gold Medal Match I may never get to the Lapua.

[Wooserco]

I wish that I had the ability to measure every manufacturer's cases' capacities. It would be interesting. Then, to load test each with all of the available bullets and boolits. Oh, and then different alloys. A lifetime of work.

Oh wait! I believe that Larry Gibson has already gone this route, complete with pressure readings results???