ssa 308 SWAT brass

[308Loader]

Found some brass at the range today with a head stamp I cant find much about. Head stamp is -SSA- 308 SWAT. I know that it is silver state armory, but a quick google search didn't turn up much more. I also found some belt linkage near the spent cases, I assume (from what I could find) are associated with the brass. Is the brass of good quality? I hear good things about SSA but have no experience with their ammo, I'm too cheap (poor) to buy it I guess. Worth spending some time with? Assuming that they were fired from a belt fed firearm, small base size, fire in my bolt gun, then touch up with regular FLRS die to my chamber spec? If need be, I will post a pic and measurements after the tumbler is done with them.

Thanks for any input.

[std7mag]

I don't know much about the SSA brass.

Way i look at it, free brass is free brass.
Spend some time on first prep ( same as i do on virgin brass) load and see.

For more info on the SSA brass i'd consult the experts here.

[cptjack]

silver state armory.

[Unclenick]

308Loader,

If the stuff is being fired in a machinegun, it may well have a crimped primer like military ammo does, so you'll need to be prepared to remove that during prep. The other thing to watch out for is the cases having been fattened enough in the machinegun chamber that a single resizing in a standard die may fail to size it down enough to fit your chamber. Sometimes a small base die is needed to bring machinegun fodder down to normal chamber size. Once fired in your own chamber, that is not typically any longer necessary. So resize a sample case and see if it chambers in your gun OK or not.

Don't forget to take a hooked paperclip or dental or soldering tool to feel for dip in the brass wall due to pressure ring expansion. That can happen on the first firing in some loose full-auto chambers. If you feel the dip, the brass is likely going to experience separation at the ring soon and is not worth keeping.

[308Loader]

Thanks for the reply's. I don't know for sure if they were fired from a belt fed machine gun or if some one was just striping the belt links off and firing from another platform. from what I understand SSA has or had a government contract like lake city. The head stamp is definitely unique, kind of cool.

Thanks cptjack or should I say cpt obvious. sorry not meant to be rude, but I stated that in my original post. couldn't help my self with the caption obvious remark. this is the first time I've seen the SSA brass marked SWAT, usually says .308 Win or similar.

Brass seems to be in good condition, tumbled out clean. I do have a SB die to run it through. Good point about the primer pockets nick, ill run them through my swaging station for good measure.

seems like this brass is kind of an oddball.

[308Loader]

Also should note, the cases don't have a NATO cross, the belt links however do.

[F. Guffey]

It would help if you had the equipment/knowhow to measure the case's diameter, length from the end of the of the neck to the case head and from the datum to the case head, It is too late to determine the diameter of the case head, too bad the shooter did not leave a loaded round for reference.

But it will be possible to measure before and again after; after what? Before sizing and again after sizing. If the case whips your press when sizing you can increase the presses ability to overcome the cases ability to resist sizing by placing shims between the deck of the shell holder and case head.

I suggest you eventually purchase a feeler gage, automotive or machinist.

F. Guffey

[308Loader]

"It would help if you had the equipment/knowhow to measure the case's diameter, length from the end of the of the neck to the case head and from the datum to the case head,"

that's odd... I do have all of that. Seems like a poor assumption.

"It is too late to determine the diameter of the case head"

why do you assume that?

"too bad the shooter did not leave a loaded round for reference."

something we can agree on

All I was looking for in this post was help identifying what it was that I found. don't worry guffy I wont tell you how I'm going to bump the shoulder back to set my cases head space. As you have pointed out, cases don't have headspace and it is impossible to push a shoulder back. See, I am paying attention. I will weigh, measure and repeat as necessary.

[308Loader]

"I suggest you eventually purchase a feeler gage, automotive or machinist."

I don't see how this is relevant. feeler gauge

[308Loader]

Here is a pic. of my find. 50+ cases total

belt.jpg
headstamp2.jpg

is the dimple on the head near the primer something like a steak or primer crimp? or an after affect of firing?

[hagar]

Guy next to me was shooting .223 SSA cases in our monthly HI power match yesterday. He showed me his cases, all of them had a black soot ring around the primer, said he never saw that with LC or other brass. He was using BR4 primers.

Now 308 may be different, but judging by that I would not want the 223 brass for free..

[F. Guffey]

Thanks for any input.

I would want to what effect the chamber had on the case when fired. 308 cases after have been described with horror stories like "they must have been fired in a machine gun" and you did mention links.

I have formed 308 W cases out of 30/06 cases, no horror stories but a builder of bench rest type rifles called to tell me one of his customers was complaining about one of his builds. I asked him about accuracy; he said the new owner was not complaining about accuracy, I then ask him if the new owner was an internet reloader. To smooth things out I formed 400 308W cases from unfired LC 30/06 match cases. The match cases helped him sort his cases at the firing range. And accuracy did not get better but the shooter was happy and had no clue what and or why I formed the cases.

F. Guffey

[mikld]

Looks like to me, the dimple may be from an ejector. Notice the slightly raised edge of the dimple, indicating the case was struck by something after firing...