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7.62 headstamp 'RA'

doubledar
Have been reloading Lake City 7.62 for a while. Came across a couple hundred 7.62 brass marked "RA 69" and NATO + in excellent condition. Each piece that I have prepped (full length sized, swedged, trimmed and de-burred) weighs @ 4-5 grains more than the Lake City prepped exactly the same way. I checked the headstamp references and RA indicates either Remington Arms or Raufoss, Norway. Any ideas how to tell if it is USA or Norway?
Also, if made to NATO specs, why would it weigh heavier and therefore be 'better' brass? Thanks
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7 comments

Date Votes
  • Laredo Lefty
    My guess is its Remington Arms from 69. I have some of the same stuff, its more common than the brass from Norway.

    Not sure why it weighs more but one possibility is it was from "overhead fire mission" ammo. This was special 7.62 ammo made to very stringent specifications and screening used to fire over the heads of troops during training. I had that stuff fired over my head at Fort Ord in 1968.
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  • doubledar
    thanks, Joe.... any issues with reloading same powder weight as LC, or should I decrease load a bit because of likely thicker case? Have not shot any of the RA stuff yet. thanks
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  • Laredo Lefty
    I know it is recommended that you decrease your powder by 10% when loading with LC or other military brass when compared to commercial brass.

    Since this brass weighs 4 to 5 grains more that your LC brass I would suggest another 5% reduction, then chrono the ammo and go from there. Check for signs of excess pressure, ie flatened primers.
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  • ikeda
    What you have is Remington Arms 1969. The NATO specs for Ball M59 and M80 are for the brass to weigh from 170 to 190grs. The accuracy specs specified a max average mean radius of 5" @ 600yds.

    There was no specific overhead fire ammunition loaded in 7.62x51. There was an overhead fire ammunition in caliber 30 Ball M2.(3006) The accuracy specs for regular ball M2 are 7.5" max average mean radius @ 600yds. For overhead fire it was 5" max average mean radius @ 600yds.

    So you can see the accuracy specs for regular 7.62x51 ball is the same as that for the overhead fire 30 caliber Ball M2 (3006).
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  • Laredo Lefty
    quote:Originally posted by ikeda
    What you have is Remington Arms 1969. The NATO specs for Ball M59 and M80 are for the brass to weigh from 170 to 190grs. The accuracy specs specified a max average mean radius of 5" @ 600yds.

    There was no specific overhead fire ammunition loaded in 7.62x51. There was an overhead fire ammunition in caliber 30 Ball M2.(3006)

    Really.........This from the Army Ammunition Data Book...

    [img][/img]IMG_2353.jpg
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  • doubledar
    Lefty... I have that manual and reference it frequently... Any idea who the powder mfg is ( WC 846) for tracer and other apps?????
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  • ikeda
    You are correct sir. I missed it. In fact there was a Ball M80 also for overhead fire.

    Same accuracy specs as regular ball, except extreme spread max. per target was 45" @ 600 yds for tracer and 25" @ 600 yds for the ball.

    Powder for Ball M59 was WC846, or IMR4475, Ball M80 non OFA was "double Base spheroidal, or single base tubular", Ball M80 OFA was IMR8138M or IMR4475, M62 Tracer OFA was "Spec. MIL-P-3984 double base spheroidal"
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