Primed blank surplus 3006

[Bigmancrisler]

I came into a 50 and 30 cal ammo can completely full of primed 3006 that has various head stamps from like 1952 to the late 60s. Can anyone tell me 1) if the primers are corrosive. 2) if I can just neck size them to get crimp out. 3) should I even bother trying to use the primers and brass (they are all boxer primed).

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[TurnipEaterDown]

I have seen warnings in publications before that Brass for blanks is annealed differently than that used for loaded cartridges, and should not be repurposed for loaded cartridges due to soft base/body.
It may be that someone says that they have used blank brass successfully, but I have abided by what I have read in publication. I can't remember where, but it is firm in my memory.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Load at your own risk. It appears some have loaded them to published loads for cast. It's sounds like fixing the neck to stuff a boolit into it, is a bit more work than you allude to.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?156597-30-06-brass-blanks

[MUSTANG]

Have reprocessed and reloaded blanks in .223; .308 (7.62x51) and 30-06 for jacketed and cast boolits in the past Getting the same 5 to 10 loadings per case that traditional brass was giving. My biggest concern would be that the primers are definitely from a "Corrosive" age; and some might even be mercuric based primers which could affect the brass itself.

Given the primer Unobtanium condition over the last 2 years; if I did not have a "Good Supply" on hand; I would look at these as a better solution than "Reloading Primers" because of consistency of ignition (personal experience and others reports in threads on this site indicate we have not as a group MASTERED the primer reloading art so we are seeing less than 100% ignition over a few hundred primers when reloading primers).

One makes their choices and then lives with results.

[DDriller]

I've used hundreds of .308 blanks to make .243 cases. Never had any issues.

[Bigmancrisler]

From what I’ve seen they’re definitely blanks but have no powder like the thread that was linked mentioned people using. I only plan to use them for light plinking rounds. I’ve also seen that primers stopped being corrosive around early 50s. Just curious if anyone has ran into surplus brass with primers that were corrosive from this time period head stamp.


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[Winger Ed.]

I'm not sure exactly when corrosive primers went away for GI brass.
But if you treat them as if they are, and clean the bore accordingly- you won't shoot your eye out kid.

A simple test to see if they are is to shoot one in question and a known modern one.
Shoot both primed cases against a piece of steel sheet metal, and leave it outside in the weather.

If one 'blast spot' rusts way faster than the known modern primed spot--- it's a corrosive primer.
Then sort your cases by those head stamps.

[Bigmancrisler]

I'm not sure exactly when corrosive primers went away for GI brass.
But if you treat them as if they are, and clean the bore accordingly- you won't shoot your eye out kid.

A simple test to see if they are is to shoot one in question and a known modern one.
Shoot both primed cases against a piece of steel sheet metal, and leave it outside in the weather.

If one 'blast spot' rusts way faster than the known modern primed spot--- it's a corrosive primer.
Then sort your cases by those head stamps.

Sounds good, I’ll sort them by year and factory and try one of each and see


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[45DUDE]

Somewhere I have 100 that look like the last photo in a machine gun belt I bought 30 years ago. I think they have red sealed ends and a small crimp without anything sticking out past the case. I never took the time to see if they were blanks or tracers. UPDATE XXXXXXX I just dug mine out and stamped LC--83. Mine is long like post #1 but roll crimped on the end.

[Winger Ed.]

. I never took the time to see if they were blanks or tracers.

It'll be pretty obvious.
The tracers look like regular loaded ball/FMJ with (usually)a orange painted tip.
The blanks don't have a projectile at all, just a longer case that's crimped shut, or a extra long neck with a plastic plug.

[Bigmancrisler]

Somewhere I have 100 that look like the last photo in a machine gun belt I bought 30 years ago. I think they have red ends and a small crimp. I never took the time to see if they were blanks or tracers.

That would make more sense…. In the trade I got a big bag full of pulled tracer pills from the same guy.


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[Char-Gar]

Last USGI corrosive primers was loaded in 1949. Ammo 1950 and later use non-corrosive primers.

[M1fuzz]

Well them to the WWI and/or WWII re-enactors. The older military issued blanks are like gold for them. Take the money you make and get yourself some newer brass. Just an idea.

[Bigmancrisler]

Well them to the WWI and/or WWII re-enactors. The older military issued blanks are like gold for them. Take the money you make and get yourself some newer brass. Just an idea.

They’re all demilled, just brass and primers.


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[Gtek]

http://www.ashlandlakegunclub.org/docs/CorrosivePrimerRedux.pdf. As with all, many stories, many tales, your discretion.

[Japlmg]

The switch over date for corrosive to non-corrosive primers in 30-06 cartridges varied from arsenal to arsenal.
Thus, anything dated before 1952 should be treated as corrosive until proven otherwise.
Caution, special use ammo like national match ammo, was loaded with corrosive primers as late as 1957.

As to the blanks, your mileage will vary, but they were not intended to be reloaded as live ammo.
Some were made on rejected production, some were loaded on fired cases; and some were specially made for blanks, with annealing steps undone.
Personally, I just scrap any 30-06 blank cases I come by.

[Dutchman]

I came into a 50 and 30 cal ammo can completely full of primed 3006 that has various head stamps from like 1952 to the late 60s. Can anyone tell me 1) if the primers are corrosive. 2) if I can just neck size them to get crimp out. 3) should I even bother trying to use the primers and brass (they are all boxer primed).


From: "Description and Rules for the Management of the United States Rifle caliber .30 Model of 1903", from an original copy in my library. Pay attention to what it says. Do no listen to anecdotal gobbledygook from people you don't know when it pertains to your safety. It is widely known, by those same people you don't know, that U.S. M1909 Blanks are unsuitable for use in conventional loaded ammunition. It isn't worth arguing about, nor taking further simply because you see what appears to be an entirely good cartridge case and primer. Show some good sense and move on.

https://images34.fotki.com/v1633/photos/4/28344/9895637/blank1909-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/firearms/blank-1909.html)

One of the more obvious defects of a U.S. M1909 Blank. Not all defects will be obvious.

https://images51.fotki.com/v1563/photos/2/28344/3886627/blank2_tif7836800848634078941-vi.jpg (https://public.fotki.com/dutchman/crufflerstuff/v_am-1/blank2tif7836800848.html)

[Damtree]

With the .308 (7.62x51) blanks conversion, have you had to turn the necks?

[Alferd Packer]

I shoot blank cases for years with regular loads.
Use new factory cases for maximum loads.
Of course, light plinking loads, and they seem to last forever.

[BLAHUT]

use them? just clean after, like they were corrosive ? I have used many. watch for split necks ? light plinking loads. to get the crimp out you will need to ream or iron that out.

[P Flados]

... I would look at these as a better solution than "Reloading Primers" because of consistency of ignition (personal experience and others reports in threads on this site indicate we have not as a group MASTERED the primer reloading art so we are seeing less than 100% ignition over a few hundred primers when reloading primers).


I have am one of the primer reloaders. I use the non-corrosive EPH 20 & EPH 25 primer compounds discussed in https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?434882-Making-Sparkplugs-My-first-100-primers.

My results have improved as I have gone along. After I started using only matched cups and anvils I am now getting pretty darn reliable ignition in guns with a strong firing pin strike. Since early this year, I have put multiple hundreds of rounds through my TC Contender and HiPoint 9mm and have not had a failure to go off on first strike or a notably low powder report.