For years I have read posts critical of FC headstamp brass. There are many criticisms, but suffice it to say that just listening to the cacophony, FC is less desirable than brass bearing other headstamps, like LC.
I do most of my shooting in the field and so recover only a small percentage of my cases. Statistically, by the time I would reach the fifth reloading, none of my cases are still around. This means I am buying a fairly constant stream of previously fired brass to replace my losses.
I'm working through a thousand pieces of .223 Remington/5.56x45 brass. It was advertised as mixed range brass with military head-stamps predominating. And true to that claim, I have about 500 LC cases, 300 FC cases and a little less than 200 cases from all other headstamps. The LC and FC cases were crimped so I'm relatively certain they are truly once-fired cases.
After sizing them, I trimmed them. I trim to 1.753 inches. The unusual length is due to the fact I don't want to waste any more work trimming than I have to and I know from past experience if I trim to 1.753, the cases will not lengthen to the point of needing another trim until they have been lost in the weeds.
What surprised me was that for the vast majority of the FC cases (about 250 out of roughly 300) the cutter never reached the case mouth. The cases were 1.753 or less. On the other hand, virtually all of the LC brass required trimming, some generating abundant brass shavings in front of the trimmer. Anyone else had this happen; where one once-fired case stretches hardly at all on firing while another once-fired cases seems to stretch dramatically?
I do most of my shooting in the field and so recover only a small percentage of my cases. Statistically, by the time I would reach the fifth reloading, none of my cases are still around. This means I am buying a fairly constant stream of previously fired brass to replace my losses.
I'm working through a thousand pieces of .223 Remington/5.56x45 brass. It was advertised as mixed range brass with military head-stamps predominating. And true to that claim, I have about 500 LC cases, 300 FC cases and a little less than 200 cases from all other headstamps. The LC and FC cases were crimped so I'm relatively certain they are truly once-fired cases.
After sizing them, I trimmed them. I trim to 1.753 inches. The unusual length is due to the fact I don't want to waste any more work trimming than I have to and I know from past experience if I trim to 1.753, the cases will not lengthen to the point of needing another trim until they have been lost in the weeds.
What surprised me was that for the vast majority of the FC cases (about 250 out of roughly 300) the cutter never reached the case mouth. The cases were 1.753 or less. On the other hand, virtually all of the LC brass required trimming, some generating abundant brass shavings in front of the trimmer. Anyone else had this happen; where one once-fired case stretches hardly at all on firing while another once-fired cases seems to stretch dramatically?