[paulosantos]

I ordered 1K Winchester brass in January to plink around with for my 556. Since then, I shot approximately 6K rounds (basically 6 reloads), and I'm getting split necks left and right. Is the Remigton brass any better? I was hoping to get at least 10 reloads out of them. I don't abuse them much either.

 

[nemohunter]

Win is probly the worst. Rem is better Fed is better than that. Fed is most all primer crimped. maybe the SSA .223 brass.

 

[billclo]

I have not seen many people posting about getting 10x reloads out of 5.56 brass. Maybe in a bolt gun...

I expect 3-5 and that's it.

 

[rcrandall]

If you can find Lake City that is the more robust brass. 6.8 brass seems to hold up much better than 5.56 brass because I never load past three times, even with LC, because the primer pockets start to loosen. American Eagle (Federal) brass sucks. Even after the first firing the primer pockets are loose, even with CCI#41. I load them once and toss them. You could try SSA 5.56 brass? Maybe it would be better.

 

[paulosantos]

This kind of sucks. The whole reason I started reloading for the 556 was to save money. If I have to buy brass twice a year, it is not that much cheaper than the SPC.

 

[billclo]

Paulo,

Sure you still save money. Even at today's prices I can reload XM193 type ammo for about 18-19c/rd with my once-fired brass (I fired the round, then re-used the brass). I bought some extra LC brass for $90/1000. I figure 3 loadings and then it gets iffy. So add 3c/rd to the above price; 21-23c/rd...contrast that with 40c/+ per round of any decent quality brass cased ammo.

 

[tbready]

This kind of sucks. The whole reason I started reloading for the 556 was to save money. If I have to buy brass twice a year, it is not that much cheaper than the SPC.

This is the whole reason why I went exclusively to 6.8.

 

[EWP]

You can buy NEW LC brass cheaper than Win or Rem brass, so thats what I use. I also bought 1K once fired brass LC NATO brass from Precision Brass(good people and product, $70 a K or $36 for 500 polished) to do all my load development with (so I can save the new brass for final loads for storing) and so far I have been reusing the same 200 pieces over and over (3rd or 4th loading) and it's still good with tight primer pockets and all. Now I don't push my loads to the max but I do shoot the upper side of the load(what ever is most accurate) but I am very pleased with the LC NATO brass so far.

 

[nhm16]

You can buy NEW LC brass cheaper than Win or Rem brass, so thats what I use. I also bought 1K once fired brass LC NATO brass from Precision Brass(good people and product, $70 a K or $36 for 500 polished) to do all my load development with (so I can save the new brass for final loads for storing) and so far I have been reusing the same 200 pieces over and over (3rd or 4th loading) and it's still good with tight primer pockets and all. Now I don't push my loads to the max but I do shoot the upper side of the load(what ever is most accurate) but I am very pleased with the LC NATO brass so far.

++ to Precision Brass... I bought 1500 pieces of once fired LC brass from them for about $105 including shipping. That's way cheaper than any 6.8 brass I can find. The brass is also in pretty good shape, they offer polished brass for $10 per 1k extra, but that doesn't get you anything that a couple of hours in the tumbler wouldn't.

 

[jrswanson1]

You buy brass? I can't walk 10' at my range without tripping over LC 5.56 brass. Most of the guys shooting ARs just leave brass, so I scrounge up every last case. I have 2,000 empties sitting in bags/boxes because I don't have bullets/primers to fill them all. That's on top of 2,500 full rounds.

Jim

 

[paulosantos]

You buy brass? I can't walk 10' at my range without tripping over LC 5.56 brass. Most of the guys shooting ARs just leave brass, so I scrounge up every last case. I have 2,000 empties sitting in bags/boxes because I don't have bullets/primers to fill them all. That's on top of 2,500 full rounds.

Jim

Not at the range I go to. Guys are like scavengers.

 

[Jamesb74]

Not at the range I go to. Guys are like scavengers.

Same here. Range owner has some deal going on with some one else so all the R.O.'s are like hawks and start to hassle you even when you get your own. I need to find a new range.

 

[jrswanson1]

Not at the range I go to. Guys are like scavengers.

Like me? :a01: Paulo, tell you what. I'll be heading to the range a few times over the next few months. I might even get to Quantico Marine Base this weekend. I'll scrounge as much 5.56 brass for you as I can, and I will ship it up to you free of charge. You want it? Let me know. You'll probably get it in November.

Jim

 

[paulosantos]

Like me? :a01: Paulo, tell you what. I'll be heading to the range a few times over the next few months. I might even get to Quantico Marine Base this weekend. I'll scrounge as much 5.56 brass for you as I can, and I will ship it up to you free of charge. You want it? Let me know. You'll probably get it in November.

Jim

I won't pass up free brass.

 

[GSS]

LC the way to go..

During my 4-5 yrs of shooting NRA Highpower, the once-fired processed LC brass was outstanding. I think it was $40/1k (1998 pricing!).
It did stand up to 8-10 stout loadings, with minimal (<2%) losses due to split necks.

I recently purchased 1000 virgin LC brass from Scharch; I believe the delivered price was $214...crazy price difference for 10 yrs later.

RE the Federal brass: several yrs ago I bought 100 of the Fed Gold Medal 223 brass to dedicate to a Cooper bolt gun, cuz it was touted as top notch in uniformity...maybe so, but the primer pockets gave out after only 1-2 loadings. Quickest brass to die a reloading death.

 

[rcrandall]

You can buy NEW LC brass cheaper than Win or Rem brass, so thats what I use. I also bought 1K once fired brass LC NATO brass from Precision Brass(good people and product, $70 a K or $36 for 500 polished) to do all my load development with (so I can save the new brass for final loads for storing) and so far I have been reusing the same 200 pieces over and over (3rd or 4th loading) and it's still good with tight primer pockets and all. Now I don't push my loads to the max but I do shoot the upper side of the load(what ever is most accurate) but I am very pleased with the LC NATO brass so far.

Where do you buy new LC brass? I wouldn't mind getting some in 5.56 and 7.62 Nato. I have a great SBR load for the 5.56, LC brass, CCI#41, 23.5 grains of H322, Barnes 62 grain TSX, Lee Crimp. Gives me well over 2600 fps from a 10.3 inch barrel. I will also be working up some H322 loads for a 16" barrel 7.62 LWRC REPR, whenever that arrives.

 

[rcrandall]

http://www.scharch.com/categories.php?cat=7

Here's some.

 

[tbready]

Same here. Range owner has some deal going on with some one else so all the R.O.'s are like hawks and start to hassle you even when you get your own. I need to find a new range.

Picking up your own and gettin hassled. I'd tell him to get bent.

 

[Jamesb74]

Picking up your own and gettin hassled. I'd tell him to get bent.

I have and they listen. They don't mess with me much anymore just at the beginning and when the panic was on. They run around with revlovers on there hips and most of the shooters are fudd's . I am one of the few that run AR's there.

They are actually pretty nice now just had some growing pains at first.

They really thought I was wierd when I was setting up the chrono.

 

[Bubba FAL]

Yeah, Federal .223 brass sucks, seen many an AR lock up on the firing line because a primer has fallen out of reloaded Federal brass. Too bad, they make some good ammo, but I won't buy it if I can't get a few loadings out of the brass.

Winchester'll will usually go 5 cycles with my loads. If you're getting split necks, you can anneal the necks @ ~ the 4th firing and extend the life - 'til the primer pockets loosen, anyway.