National match brass

[abunaitoo]

Have a lots of 30.06 and .308 military brass.
Is there a way to tell match brass from regular brass?????
Head stamped NM or match????

[Gunor]

Headstamped. And usually LC

[M-Tecs]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?231570-Lake-City-Match-vs-NM-brass

https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/lake-city-match-brass-with-rib-at-base.185682/

[David2011]

I have a bunch that says “LC MATCH” on the headstamps.

[Land Owner]

I have a whole heap that say "Hornady Match".

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have a bunch of Mil surp 30-06, in the mix are some with “LC MATCH” on the headstamps.
Problem is, if you are unsure if a group of them are from a specific batch, then it's just mix HS mil surp brass.

[yovinny]

Older LC brass says Match,, newer stuff says LC LR for long range.
I've have no issue using different mixed batches of either for precision ammo reloading.
Just run them across the electronic scale,, you'll see right off if different lots or years match each other super close. Of course this is after size, trim and prep.

[quail4jake]

I have unsorted GI brass too and have been weighing to try to match years, arsenals and weights. Here is my question: Does gross weight after sizing and trimming correlate to case capacity? If that's true then does it make sense to sort even commercial brass by weight without regard to manufacturer? Please respond with experience, data etc. I really appreciate it! Outpost 75, where are you?

[fc60]

Greetings,

Some of the 45ACP, 30-06, and 7.62Nato were head stamped "NM" (National Match). This ammo was produced and issued at Camp Perry.

Ammunition with the date and "MATCH" are loaded to National Match specification. Not just for Camp Perry issue.

Head stamps include "FC MATCH", "WCC MATCH", "RA MATCH", "FA MATCH", "LC MATCH", and "TZZ MATCH". There may be others...

The dates will be in the early '60s when shooting was popular.

Cheers,

Dave

[country gent]

Not sure where they stop But a lot of 7.62 match military brass also had a straight knurl around the case head to denote a non battle ammo or hollow point.
+ in a 0 on the head stamp was special ball with the 173 grn bullet

[samari46]

When Weideners sold IMI Israel Military industries brass they had some labeled IMI Match. I have match and national match in 7.62 Nato. And some older Lake City M72 match for the 30-06. Frank

[akajun]

Old match brass had NM or match on the head along with the year it was produced. In 308 it also had a knurl around the base so you wouldnt shoot that evil ammo in combat since its against the Geneva Convention (dumb I Know) They also produced a special ball which was basically the same ammo with no knurl. Now "Match" brass is loaded and simply says LR for long range and is sniper ammo.
FYI shooting highpower and talking to several armorers and people who worked at the arsenals when it was produced, match brass was the same as ball brass and I confirmed this by comparing same year production brass.
the main advantage was that it was not primer crimped so depriming was easier and no crimp removal step.
however it still had the same amount of off center flashholes, case weight variation, etc and was not anywhere near "match" like Lapua or old Federal Gold medal. The ammo it came in was decent though especially when it was free like it was for years.
Match and ball brass was thicker than commercial and lasted longer in M14 and garands than commercial too.
Many shooters had their 600 yd brass which was weight and year sorted or just bought commercial brass and used the match marked brass to differentiate between short line and long line ammo for NRA matches. Leg matches used to require you to shoot issued ammo "match ammo" so you got what you got. Some people used a bullet colater or even weighted rounds on their tailgate to find 20 "good ones" for 600

[yovinny]

I havent weighed anything besides newer LC LR brass in many years,, older brass was already made into different lots long ago.
That said,,,, the newer LC LR Ive worked (2014) is definitely different then regular production LC.
Besides no primer crimp, the weight averages about 15 grains more, the flash holes are about perfect and the primer pocket uniformer and flash hole deburrer both hardly make a chip.
The difference Ive seen on newer LR stuff vs regular LC, has been day and night...ymmv

[Alstep]

M852 7.62 match brass was nerled around the base. Loaded with SMK 168 bullets, did not have crimped primers. Boxes (white) were marked "not for combat use".

M118 7.62 (brown box) was loaded with 173 grain FMJ boat tail bullets and crimped primers.

Early .30 cal match was also made by Frankfort Arsenal. Marked “FA MATCH” and date.

As a side note, a long time ago I spent a winter weighing and segregating a few thousand pieces of brass for long range match shooting, and found some lots of M118 was more consistent than M852 brass. Go figure.

I also found that the 173 bullets were stable & carried right through to 1000 yards, whereas the 168 bullets went sub sonic, and tared big oblong holes in the target.

The POI for both was very close back through the 600 yard line, and rarely had to change sight settings.