A question before add placement

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
I purchased some what i think are Once fired factory 270 and 243 from a scrapper. All of the brass was in one box so i figured they were all shot by the same person. And i need a question answered. Do Federal factory brass have a blue ring around the primer?
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I can't say for sure but if they do I've never seen it.

Got a picture of the head stamp?
 

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
All Federal rifle brass I've seen had a color ring around the primer. This ring disappears when you deprime the brass. If the ring is there, it is once- fired.
 
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Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
I have a fair amount of once fired 30-06 and 308 Federal brass. Some of the 06 has a blue ring, red rings, and some with no ring. The fed brass with no ring has the additional stamp of “HC”. All of the 308 has no ring. I’m confident that it’s all once fired. The brass was purchased and sat around for years and was starting to tarnished so I tumbled it to clean it up. You can barely see the colored rings, on some it’s just the hint of color in the crack around the primer.
I would suggest different lots from different times.
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I've gotten 30-06 cases from a deer rifle sight in day at our club...so I know it's all once fired.
Yes, the Fed has primer sealant, red or blue.
If you don't get to crazy with cleaning the cases for reloading, I've found that the residue of the sealant will remain around the primer pocket.
So, it's not a 100% that they are once fired. I'd look for other clues, like FL sizing lines in the case.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Couple of pictures. The brass that ends up here in Alaska could be different lots from what you may get in South Carolina.
C85110EA-6E2F-4B5B-8622-B4ADC7FDC191.jpeg

34AA4B08-D99D-4085-B2FE-2C243D4ECADD.jpeg
As Jon says look for marks on the cases. But, different chambers on on various guns? Most of mine came from class 3 guys, but most but not all marks are on the head and rim.
D14FC949-E654-4F7B-B750-DD27990C92ED.jpeg