.223 case length

NeoBlackdog

I prepping a bunch of .223 brass to reload. It is a batch of mixed headstamps, with some LC, Winchester, and Remingtons.
The listed "trim to" length is 1.75" according to my Speer manual. I've cleaned up the brass, resized/deprimed with an RCBS small base die, and am in the process of trimming all of them to length. Some of the brass that I'm working with is measuring 1.747 prior to trimming and some of them are running very long, out to 1.775. Is this amount of variation normal? This is all once fired from a police range.

dcs shooters

It sure is. I bought 1000 pieces of new brass when starting to load 223. Some was long and some short. This is all the same brand.

Navybat

I bought some once fired Remington headstamp .223 brass (about 2500 cases) and they all varied from 1.758 to 1.776.

Typically, people tell you to trim all brass to the same length to start. It's not an issue for me in pistol calibers but this is the first time I see what they mean with rifle calibers. Especially with such high numbers of shells.

charliemeyer007

One of the reasons to reload, Quality Control.

375H&H

It seems to me that when I pick up spent cases ( 223 rem ) , if they were fired out of an AR style rifle , they are going to need to be trimmed . Some may be .005" over , but others may be as much as .015 or .020" over .

Once they are trimmed , I may get as many as 3 or 4 shots out of them , and then they are only 2 or .003" over ( out of a rem 700 VTR )

The ones you want to find are the ones fired out of a good bolt gun .
( 9 times out of 10 anyway .)

FrancF

quote:It is a batch of mixed headstamps, with some LC, Winchester, and Remingtons.

"LC" is not .223, it's 5.56mm. If your gun is a 5.56 chamber your ok. But if you have a .223 chamber you might/will run into pressure issues with the brass.

Hence the reason for case length difference.

Mobuck

I've found that once fired Federal brass stamped FC 223 Rem or FC and a year date in very small type is generally shorter than the trim length BUT there's that ocassional overlength specimen so all need to be checked. Also seen lots of commercial once fired brass so long it looked like I was sharpening a new pencil with all the cutting peeling off.

NeoBlackdog

Thanks for the input guys. The AR is chambered in 5.56 so I shouldn't have pressure issues with the LC brass. I'll seperate the LC out and load it with Sierra 69 grain HPBT's to try and work up an accuracy load. The other brass is getting Berry's 55 grain FMJBT's at a moderate loading to use for plinking.

Mobuck

Let me clarify some things. Load data is considered to be .223 specs unless specifically noted as 5.56(in most cases this is not due to pressure but to bullet weight/design). Regardless of what it was originally, once the brass goes through the sizing die, it IS .223. The thickness of the brass may be different than commercial brass requiring a reduction in powder charge on actual 5.56 spec brass. This has little to do with how your rifle is chambered.

NeoBlackdog

quote:Originally posted by Mobuck
Let me clarify some things. Load data is considered to be .223 specs unless specifically noted as 5.56(in most cases this is not due to pressure but to bullet weight/design). Regardless of what it was originally, once the brass goes through the sizing die, it IS .223. The thickness of the brass may be different than commercial brass requiring a reduction in powder charge on actual 5.56 spec brass. This has little to do with how your rifle is chambered.


Thanks Mobuck.
I've got some H335, IMR4064, and some H4831SC powder. Also on hand are Remington 7 1/2 BR primers and some CCI #400 primers. What charge weight/powder would you recommend as a good starting load for the LC brass using the Sierra Matchking 69 grain HPBT bullets.
The rifle I'm using has a DPMS upper, 16" pencil barrel, 1 in 9 twist, and chambered in 5.56.

dcs shooters

Try 22-24gr H335.22.5-24gr 4064.
I prefer R-15 for 69gr and up in my 223 loads.
I see a lot of Varget recomended also.
4831 is too slow for 223.