Range Brass finds and 2 questions

[colt_saa]

I am having this argument about HK91 brass right now. Based on your reply, I am still confused? Can this brass be reloaded or no? I am currently prepping some , I can not feel the marks in it, it just appears to be soot. I can rub it off with a rag and metal polish. I have some people telling me to reload it, its fine, I have 1 person saying no, its garbage, it will blow the gun up. How can the gun blow up? Even if the brass lets go, all the pressure will want to go down the barrel. If this was a cheaper rifle, I would say SEND IT, but this is a pre-ban HK and it was my fathers. I'd rather not screw it up.

Of course it can be reloaded

You wont feel the marks, that is just soot. Do not worry about cleaning the marks off, that is too much work

It will not blow up as long as you do not exceed sensible loads. You already know what to do, use good loading practices and work your way up

 

[Drm50]

I have reloaded brass from HK-91. Ammo was GI issue and came out with more than soot lines. I loaded in standard Lyman 3 die set 308. I can't tell you how many reloads but would be safe telling you at least 2. But never had a case bust or any issue with them. * loads were military dupes.

 

[Warren Sear]

I also had an HK91. I reloaded for it using regular RCBS .308 Winchester dies in an RCBS Rockchucker press. I never had the least bit of problem sizing or re-loading this brass, and I never had a single case failure of any kind, and I reloaded brass many times.

I would never re-load brass from blanks, of any caliber.

 

[Nevada Ed]

In this case, the 'incipient case head separation' is actually a sort
of cannelure--that's how 5.56 blanks come, right out of the little
cardboard box. Dunno why they make 'em that way, they just do.

While doing my time in the Navy as a "GM" we handed a lot of ammo and explosives, since I was also in the CB's.

Metallic ammo was marked by bullet colors and case markings, for it to be recognized in the field, for what it was intended for.

Those crimped end cases (Blanks) were also used to launch Grenades as well as just for practice "War Games".

A lot of "Semi-Auto" weapons leave a dent on the case mouth where it strikes the weapon on ejection, be it pistol or rifles, as is the case of the one case on the right.

My daughter in law has a Khar 9mm pistol that just kills it's brass cases, on ejection......

 

[Jellybean]

I see very few .50 AE and M1 Carbine cases at my local range and when I do find them there are only one or two pieces. Cartridges I load for I'll pick up, if I don't already have a large stash of. Oddities I don't load for I'll pick up one and leave the rest for anyone that needs them.

As for the blanks, I'll start with a little disclaimer, "I have never attempted to load any and have no first hand knowledge on the subject and I have never served in the military".

I did do a little research on your blanks and according to TM 43-0001-27 Army ammunition data sheets for small caliber weapons, your 5.56 cases were M200 blanks used for simulated firing and saluting purposes.

As far as reloading them in Earl Naramore's book "Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition", 4th printing: 1971, He states that cases used for blanks are standard cases there were rejected for various reasons and should not be considered safe for reloading high pressure loads and if you do choose to reload them they should be restricted to reduced loads.

 

[AZ2VET]

As far as reloading them in Earl Naramore's book "Principles and Practice of Loading Ammunition", 4th printing: 1971, He states that cases used for blanks are standard cases there were rejected for various reasons and should not be considered safe for reloading high pressure loads and if you do choose to reload them they should be restricted to reduced loads.

That there is some really good information. Thank you for sharing it.
Note to self: blanks brass goes into the scrap bucket

 

[Jellybean]

AZ2VET, you're welcome.

 

[minconrevo]

I owned a HK91 back in the day. Heavy beast to lug around. Trigger can be tuned to something more shootable but still safe. I did reload several of the nasty looking fired cases that flew (FAR away) from it. If I was shy on quality 7.62/.308 cases I would do so again; otherwise not. Normally the brass fired out of conventional chambered rifles is readily available. I do not pick up HK-fired brass these days.