Old Military Blank Cartidges for M1 Gaurand

[Boyscout]

I have about 60-70 empty blank cases in with a box of loaded M1 Gaurand clips. I punched out the spent primers and put them in my scrap bucket. Can they be used?Each one has an extemely heavy crimp groove on the neck. Planned on trading them to the lift mechanic in trade for old battery post.

[Dutchman]

USGI blanks, particularly m/1909 blanks which you are describing, are made mostly from reject brass cases. While some people have used them it is generally discouraged.

Dutch

[Reg]

Looks to me you both will come out about equal.

[45 2.1]

This subject comes up quite often with people on both sides of the issue. I use them with normal cast boolit loads going up to 40K with no issues. Most of this brass and loaded blank are from the WW2 era.

[Dale in Louisiana]

Philip B. Sharpe's Complete Guide to Handloading, published when such things were all over the place, recommended 'no' if other brass was available, mainly due to the stresses introduced when ironing out that crimp.

Us, though, being hard-headed enough to do the whole boolit-casting and handloading thing in the first place, will also be the types to look at that as a challenge.

dale in Louisiana

[Boyscout]

Looks like I will scrap them in the interest of keeping up a small supply of lead. It's enough of a challenge to dial in my loads with cast; I don't need another variable since I have plenty of '06 brass.

[quiver]

I save blank 30-06 brass to convert to 7.7 jap. I figure the crimp prevents it being used as it's orginial cartrige, but a shorter cartrige on the other hand...

[wallenba]

They don't get the full annealing treatment that regular ammo does. Tread carefully.

[mold maker]

Would annealing the neck, just like well used brass, not be enough to make it useable?
The 06 military brass that used to be in abondance is no longer cheap. If the deep crimp is the only issue, there should be a fix.

[Dean D.]

I wouldn't mess with trying to straighten out blank cases. Not when I can buy 200 loose rounds of HXP M2 Ball Greek Surplus ammo from CMP for $98 ($110 with shipping) and they throw in a free .30 cal ammo can to ship it in. I worked out the prices and that is very near current un-primed new brass price. The order wait times have gone up since the latest buying frenzy but they say they still have several years supply even at these buying rates.