FC 223 brass

[5 DOLLAR FOOT LONG]

When I'm checking the length on my 5.56 brass these pieces are always 1.740" to 1.746" or so, and I discard them because I'm looking for 1.750 +- 0.003.

Are these cases shrinking while I resize them, or are these cases short from the factory? My other cases all come out fine (LC, WCC hornady etc) and I set up the resizing die with a case gauge.

 

[highlander]

Cases stretch when resized,I've found that factory loaded ammo is overly long after being fired by as much as .010 over max. I trim my cases before resizing to 1.745 after sizing they are 1.748-1.750.

 

[Hoon]

FC .223 brass is usually 1.740 or so. I use it to make plinking rounds.

 

[xtry51]

Shoot 'me a few more times for plinking and they'll be long enough shortly

 

[EddieCoyle]

Why are you tossing them? 1.740" is the SAAMI minimum length.

 

[mac1911]

When I'm checking the length on my 5.56 brass these pieces are always 1.740" to 1.746" or so, and I discard them because I'm looking for 1.750 +- 0.003.

Are these cases shrinking while I resize them, or are these cases short from the factory? My other cases all come out fine (LC, WCC hornady etc) and I set up the resizing die with a case gauge.

Why are you looking for brass that is already at 1.750"? I will take all your short brass.
You will see different results out of your die with different brass, from different guns. If your brass passes the case gauge for headspace anything between 1.740 and 1.750 will work just fine.
How much .010" has an effect on neck tension I could not tell you.
95% of all my 223 reloads are shot from the same gun and resized for that rifle. I use brass in lots of 200 pieces for 5 reloads. I run them through the trimmer every second loading. Some cases need it some don't?

 

[Steve Marshall]

Simple, in fact easy peasy. Trim all your brass to some arbitrary number. Your rifle cares not a whit if your brass is 1.750" or 1.730".

 

[white feather]

Case length a little short is not as big a problem as web thickness... FC are known to have thin webs. I have verified this by using a vervier to measure distance to web after case trimming and then sectioned cases to verify.

 

[5 DOLLAR FOOT LONG]

Maybe I'm being dumb to throw out cases based on their length. The reason I was doing it is mainly so that when I set up some taper crimp, there wont be a giant variation in the tension it puts on, due to the length of the case neck that gets crimped.

However I'm using this stuff for 55gr FMJ blasting ammo anyway so maybe it doesn't matter.

 

[DW357]

Do you have a case trimmer and tools to chamfer/debur? I would think you do if you're reloading rifle. Just trim them, done.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I don't crimp 5.56/.223

 

[Steve Marshall]

I taper crimp .223 as it smooths out the burr from deburring the trimming. Some believe that burr centers the cartridge better in the chamber. To each their own.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I taper crimp .223 as it smooths out the burr from deburring the trimming. Some believe that burr centers the cartridge better in the chamber. To each their own.

Gotcha. I use a trimmer that leaves no burr. I tested crimped vs. uncrimped .223 and found that the uncrimped rounds grouped a little better.

 

[highscore]

When I started loading .223, I was told not to crimp them from a person who should have known. For a long time I loaded them on a single stage and they shot fine. Further down the road I started loading highpower rounds for 200/300 yards on my Dillon 550 and used the crimp station to just gently chamfer the edge. Can't say that it made any difference at all and although I've been known to load lots of brass with a pretty good variation of length, they all shoot the same so I believe it is not necessary. On the other hand I was told by a lot of people that it isn't necessary to chamfer the OD of the neck. When trimming I always do just because I believe it does help function, nothing catches like a sharp edge.

 

[5 DOLLAR FOOT LONG]

Thanks guys. FWIW I don't put a crimp on the "good" ammo (SMKs etc), just on this blasting stuff, since its basically a m193-like thing and just seemed like the thing to do.

Another question is: how do you know when a case shouldn't be reloaded anymore. I have seen pictures in the books showing the bright ring indicating imminent head separation but what else is there? I have heard of highpower shooters loading hot loads for 600 yards, to the point where after firing once the case is no longer good for reloading. If this is true how do you know?

 

[white feather]

Loose primer pocket is one way to tell.

 

[Steve Marshall]

Wait just a minute- are you talking one of those 3-way heads? They don't leave a burr?

I trim on a manual trimmer these days and use power to chamfer ID very lightly and OD a bit more. But I can still feel something sticking out. When I taper crimp that feeling disappears. To my mind, if nothing else, it might make the difference in a Failure to Feed. I pretty much taper crimp everything that shoots in a semi.

 

[mac1911]

Wait just a minute- are you talking one of those 3-way heads? They don't leave a burr?

I trim on a manual trimmer these days and use power to chamfer ID very lightly and OD a bit more. But I can still feel something sticking out. When I taper crimp that feeling disappears. To my mind, if nothing else, it might make the difference in a Failure to Feed. I pretty much taper crimp everything that shoots in a semi.

I load plinking ammo myself. I use 223 cases I know have been loaded 5 times and any odd range brass. Also loading in batches allows me to control my brass a bit more.
So if my current lot of brass shows any signs of loose primer pockets, split necks, or rims that are getting beat up I will inspect that lot and turn the "good " brass over to the plinking pile.

I trim on a rcbs case trimmer, hornady or the Lyman debur tool inside and out yet to having a "edge" or a,problem. I used to crimp my 62gr M855 bullets until I used them up. Was a waste of time as I get much better accuracy with hornady 55 gn bulk bullets.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Wait just a minute- are you talking one of those 3-way heads? They don't leave a burr?

I use a Giraud. No burr.

 

[thormx538]

Maybe I'm being dumb to throw out cases based on their length. The reason I was doing it is mainly so that when I set up some taper crimp, there wont be a giant variation in the tension it puts on, due to the length of the case neck that gets crimped.

However I'm using this stuff for 55gr FMJ blasting ammo anyway so maybe it doesn't matter.

It doesn't. Not for plinking ammo.

I had a batch of Speer brass that was like 1.735" after resizing. Loaded it up and didn't think twice.

 

[xtry51]

I've reloaded linkers down to 1.720 (random range pickups I'm assuming someone ill versed in reloading created). Haven't had an issue.

I also don't crimp anymore. I used to crimp all my .223 and .308, stopped last year after we had a big thread about it here and I ran a comparison test myself and found no meaningful difference using my main rifles.