CAVIM Brass

[dverna]

I got a bunch of free brass and some of it is CAVIM. I know it is from Venezuela.

Does anyone have any experience with it? It is once fired, and is really tough to size. I not sure if it is worth using for hunting loads and may keep it for cast loads if I ever take that road (currently only shoot jacketed in .308) . Looks like a few hundred so I may junk it.

[cwtebay]

I may be wrong, but I thought some of that was brass washed steel? I had some pick up brass at one point that I finally figured out was that issue.

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[Moleman-]

I bought a couple of the cases of it back around 90 or so. Been reloading it ever since. Last deer I took in MO was with a M1A, hornady 165gr sp, IMR4895 and Cavim brass. For wildcatting it takes a little more effort to turn into straight walled 44's or 40's than RP or WIN brass and the finished cartridges usually have up to a grain or so less capacity. I seldomly load near max and treat it like mixed range fodder cases and run the middle of the road loads in them. If you're just going to pitch them send them to me.

[colchester]

Brass cases pretty decent stuff had a reputation for being a bit soft YMMV

[dverna]

Thanks guys

I will process a bit more and see how it goes. Moleman if I get rid of it I will send you a pm.

[Harter66]

I shot some of it some time back , seems like I needed to anneal it to make it work easy . It went 7-8 cycles before I got bored with the 308 .

[Barman54]

Just an FYI
When loading the .308 for the first time fired from an Auto.
Run them through a 30.06 Die 1st, makes it a whole lot easier on you, and your Press.
Something I picked up when loading for my M1A, for Highpower Shooting.
Barman54
Out

[Pressman]

Just an FYI
When loading the .308 for the first time fired from an Auto.
Run them through a 30.06 Die 1st, makes it a whole lot easier on you, and your Press.
Something I picked up when loading for my M1A, for Highpower Shooting.
Barman54
Out

With two 308 auto's to feed and a Swiss 308 your advise sounds good, I will try it.

[Slugster]

I have been using the same 100 CAVIM .308 (7.62X51mm) for several years... actually now that I think of it, a couple of decades and change. As long as I anneal it every 4 loadings or so I expect it to last almost forever. Bought it from Southern Ohio Gun in the early 90's, and sold several cases worth through my shop. Kept a couple for myself.
Sure do miss the days when .308 was a couple hundred bucks a case, and I bought about a truckload of HXP .30-06 to run through my 1919A-6 BMG for 240.00 delivered. Still have a couple thousand of those too... belted.

[Kraschenbirn]

A few years back, I came into about three hundred rounds of once-fired CAVIM 7.62x51 from a shooter who picked up a case somewhere and didn't think it was worth reloading. Brought it home, tumbled, prepped like any other milsurp, and I'm still loading/shooting it today. Not what I'd call 'match quality' but as good (or better) than some of the post-Viet Nam era U.S. milsurp that's passed through my hands.

Bill