db_tanker
Member
So finally got me a Grendel upper for my collection. Complete upper was picket up from BCA. I went over the upper and all in all didn't look bad and really nice for the price.
Now..comes the fun part...finding the all important component - brass.
Could not find any that was reasonably priced but I WAS able to find some starline 7.62x39 brass and I know that they are related. I got 100 pcs and proceeded to start forming, trimming and loaded up about 50 rounds for a range trip as well as some wolf.
The wolf cycled fine - no issues.
My formed brass loads would not chamber. I was angry to say the least...at first I was thinking it was my lower since it was one of my home-mills. Swapped triggers from a drop in to an AT3 2 stage and didn't fix it...but the trigger is nice lol
So out came the calipers and started checking dims on the brass. The starline was solid at .447 dia at the rim/base of the brass and most of my store-bought (PPU,Hornday, etc) measure at .438-.439.
Next step - take some of the brass and chuck up in my drill press and massage off a few thou and see if that helps. Sure enough it did the trick.
NOW...since the factory ammo has to be sold at certain spec I know the rifle is within that spec. However with me using that x39 brass and trying to form from that - knowing that most x39 chambers are...shall we say...generous...is this going to be a major issue for me? I haven't taken the newly modified brass out - that will be this weekend - but I have checked and the brass/ammo does chamber now. Will fireforming the brass take away any further issues? Is there anything else I may need to look out for? The amount of material I removed on average was about .005 to .006 so I don't think I've compromised the brass and since it was from starline I think their quality isn't in question here. I feel that the rifle may just have a tight chamber and I just have to make allowances for that.
Let me know what you all think - is there something else I could do? OF course I could have spent an exorbitant amount of money on brass but I do this to save a few bucks.
D
Now..comes the fun part...finding the all important component - brass.
Could not find any that was reasonably priced but I WAS able to find some starline 7.62x39 brass and I know that they are related. I got 100 pcs and proceeded to start forming, trimming and loaded up about 50 rounds for a range trip as well as some wolf.
The wolf cycled fine - no issues.
My formed brass loads would not chamber. I was angry to say the least...at first I was thinking it was my lower since it was one of my home-mills. Swapped triggers from a drop in to an AT3 2 stage and didn't fix it...but the trigger is nice lol
So out came the calipers and started checking dims on the brass. The starline was solid at .447 dia at the rim/base of the brass and most of my store-bought (PPU,Hornday, etc) measure at .438-.439.
Next step - take some of the brass and chuck up in my drill press and massage off a few thou and see if that helps. Sure enough it did the trick.
NOW...since the factory ammo has to be sold at certain spec I know the rifle is within that spec. However with me using that x39 brass and trying to form from that - knowing that most x39 chambers are...shall we say...generous...is this going to be a major issue for me? I haven't taken the newly modified brass out - that will be this weekend - but I have checked and the brass/ammo does chamber now. Will fireforming the brass take away any further issues? Is there anything else I may need to look out for? The amount of material I removed on average was about .005 to .006 so I don't think I've compromised the brass and since it was from starline I think their quality isn't in question here. I feel that the rifle may just have a tight chamber and I just have to make allowances for that.
Let me know what you all think - is there something else I could do? OF course I could have spent an exorbitant amount of money on brass but I do this to save a few bucks.
D
