Lake City Brass Crimp

So stopped by the LGS today and picked up a case of 1000 5.56x45 XM193 rounds. Got home and was putting them into an ammo can for storage and happended to look at a few of them. They changed the crimp on them, instead of being a crimp that goes fully around the primer, it only was in 4 spots on it. I've never seen any like that in all of the XM193 I've bought. When did they change that? And do they swage out just the other style, or does this new crimp cause some difficulties when trying to reload it?

I can get a picture to show what I mean if needed.

Off topic, but is your LGS Gunstop Reloading by chance?

Nope Little Crow's in Hutchinson. I occasionaly make it down to Gunstop but not anytime recently.

It's called a staked crimp. My LC 11 brass has it. My older and newer* LC brass has the regular 360 degree crimp. No big deal. All the same tools and methods for removing a circular crimp should work. I have used a chamfer and a reaming tool, no problem. Leaves a nice pocket.

*So I'm guessing they didn't change over to a staked crimp. Maybe they tried it and didn't like it. Or perhaps they had to temporarily pull out some different machinery for some of the runs for w/e reason.

I've had a few of those. Use the same crimp removing method you would normally use and then load 'em.

I have some foreign brass that was stake crimped and the usual methods of removing it worked for me. When using the debur/chamfer tool I stopped removing metal when I no longer felt the "bumps" that the stakes made when turning by hand and removed less pocket material it seemed. At least it will make that batch easier to sort from the others if you bother to do that.:)

This is a good thread for me to read. Last night I ordered 1000 rounds of 5.56 XM855 from LG.

Thanks for describing the crimp removal process.

Learn something new everyday. Thanks for the responses.

http://www.aschq.army.mil/ac/aais/ioc/LCAAP/Industry_Day/634272332137343750.pdf The new military round has a 4 stab crimped pimer. Different powder & bullet. Performance Benefits
-Dramatically improves hard target performance
-Provides improved, consistent effects against soft targets and CQB performance
-Significantly increases range of consistent effects against soft targets
-―Match‖ like accuracy –VERY ACCURATE
-No weight increase, improved propellant, reduced flash
-Trajectory Match—no Soldier training transfer difference
-Significant performance improvements in a 5.56mm
-Surpassed 7.62mm ball against soft targets
-Hard target performance (steel) far better than 7.62mm ball
-Extremely effective against ALL target sets ( a true, general purpose round)
-Lead free projectile http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/Firearms%20%20and%20%20Reloading/556Staked.jpg

Very interesting presentation.

If the stuff can keep within 8 inches at 600 yards that is very good.

What the presentation really shows is how much a military Program Manager is a salesman for his program. As such, a PM is not an objective person as his future promotion and pay depends on his ability to convince higher ups of the “wonderful things” his leadership achieved. You typically see capabilities being oversold at the beginning and there are no “clawbacks” of pay or rank for guys who get promoted and out before the program fails.

The next PM, his presentation will be how he “wonderfully” fixed all the problems created by his predecessor.

I think the stake/stab crimp is easier to remove than the full crimp. I have several types of 7.62 that used it, and you can use a countersink or chamfer tool in a drill or hand held for small amounts. The M855A1 sounds interesting, and I am deeply gratified that the EPA has now ensured the safety of those shot with it by making them lead free. This is a significant advance in the safety of our enemies. :rolleyes:

Slam, in the military we had O-6s and E-9s who would get together and come up with a new system to clothe the emperor (or re-make his ammo), make innumerable Power Point Presentations (I am a Power Point Ranger) and then award themselves medals. Some time later, after the new program failed miserably and the originators had all PCS'd, the new O-6s and E-9s would rally to the elimination of the failing programs, restore good order and discipline and award themselves medals. It was a never-ending story. :barf: As a mustang and old Army SSG, I had a distinct distaste for it all, but I could talk trash with the best of them. By the time I retired, I was what might be described as jaded and cynical, but I'm getting better by the minute... ;)

^^^^^ Your experience was identical to any other government program/entity that I have been able to observe, from a distance I assure you.:banghead: Something about Military Intelligence and holding the skunks tail down comes to mind.:D