Best semiautomatic rifle brass

It's normally heavier brass and holds up longer.

Free.

From that list I use more LC than the others.

I had never heard of IMI brass till I downloaded some loading data from Speer for 308 Win. The brass they used for the majority of the loads as IMI Commercial. So did as search for IMI and Internet seems to think it is military brass produced by Isreal.

Am wondering if this would have similar case volume to Lake City brass, such that the powder charge data from Speer could be used for LC brass with no reduction?

R-P/UMC for the Garand. Not an option so I didn't make a selection.

Currently only loading 223 for rifle, and LC is my preferred brass. That and it is all over the place once fired and free, so that makes it better for me.

308 -Lapua, Norma
5.56 - LC

LC for anything Im loading to 5.56 velocities

Commercial junk for blammo

Im not disregarding the other brands, its just that I have a ton of LC brass, and maybe only a few 100 of IMI or PPU.

I voted LC, mostly because I have a bunch of it . I use PPU which seems to hold up fine also , I just picked up some IMI brass and after annealing I plan to neck it up to 6 x 45 . I hear good things about it so thought that would be a good test.

LC is fine for 5.56mm, I have gobs of it, and most of my factory ammo stash in 5.56mm is LC (the other is PMC, which I like for brass, also.) This is ALL sourced from my fired factory ammos, or unfired components.

I have moved on from LC as my primary 7.62mm brass source, to Prvi. I think LC quality control is spotty, and was not happy with either the components I bought, nor the loaded ammos I bought. Prvi has been solid from day One, this for my M1a.

I don't have an opinion on IMI... I've heard it's good stuff, but none of it ever crossed my path, so I don't know.

Further, I now only source rifle brass from MY fired factory ammos, or from component brass, with rare exception.

Of those offered, I have some LC in the range fodder.

But in reality I have more Starline than anything.
They make great brass and I have it in 4 AR oriented cartridges. (Many Pistol cartridges too)
I love buying straight from the source as well.

I have been known to run Lapua through an AR too.
But I made my vote for LC.

LC for me. It's been plentiful and durable. Even with "hot" loads, it lasts a while. PPU is good stuff as well. Never used IMI.

IMI is good stuff for the M1a's, never used any in 30-06. But the proper stuff for gas guns is Lake City. I have lots of that from my Garand and M1a days.

Got an ammunition can, and an ammunition case, full of this stuff.

All posted in your survey have worked well for me and seem equal. I do have more LC than others though. As stated the military spec brass is thicker and seems to last longer than regular commercial stuff. RP seems to be the thinnest of commercial brass and at least in the 30-30 has the shortest life. The problem with most military brass is if they have been fired in a MG, if so you probably need a small based die to get back in spec before using it. Most of us tend to use what is inexpensive and plentiful over many other criteria.

FROGO207 said:

All posted in your survey have worked well for me and seem equal. I do have more LC than others though. As stated the military spec brass is thicker and seems to last longer than regular commercial stuff. RP seems to be the thinnest of commercial brass and at least in the 30-30 has the shortest life. The problem with most military brass is if they have been fired in a MG, if so you probably need a small based die to get back in spec before using it. Most of us tend to use what is inexpensive and plentiful over many other criteria.

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There is some brass, fired in huge chambers, that even a small base die won't fix. Than is why roll sizers are on the market. Roll Sizers are not cheap.

FROGO207 said:

The problem with most military brass is if they have been fired in a MG

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Which is why I no longer reload anyone else's 'once-fired' 7.62mm brass.

I'm pretty sure the 5.56 PPU brass I've reloaded was the most durable I've ever used. . . it just wouldn't die. It was also the most highly variable (case weight) of any of the brands I checked.

LC is nearly as durable, and almost as consistent as the most premium commercial brands I checked.

edwardware said:

I'm pretty sure the 5.56 PPU brass I've reloaded was the most durable I've ever used. . . it just wouldn't die. It was also the most highly variable (case weight) of any of the brands I checked.

LC is nearly as durable, and almost as consistent as the most premium commercial brands I checked.

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The PPU I've used in .223 has been great, I have a ton of it in .308(I bought 2 M80 Ball "battle packs" a while ago). And the PPU 7.62x51 brass is great as well. Been very durable running through a LR308

FROGO207 said:

RP seems to be the thinnest of commercial brass and at least in the 30-30 has the shortest life

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There is some truth to this but, some commercial .30-06 brass (pretty sure that's what FROGO meant, not .30-30??) is heavier than some military brass (Lapua, for example). Which is why R-P and Win can get pretty cheap even though it's good brass if *maybe* a little on the thin side: it's not popular with competitive shooters.

Range brass is my first choice. I'm not shooting for supreme accuracy out of my semi auto rifles and if it is going to tear up brass I want it to be free brass. Fortunately I have a fairly good supply of brass because it is very hard to find laying around the range these days. If I were going to buy brass to run in a semi it would be LC. It has always been durable, consistent and reliable for me.

My big "go-to" brass for 5.56 is always either LC or IMI. Both last a long time before primer pockets open up, and the lots I have gotten are fairly consistent in weight. The LC seems to be able to give me SLIGHTLY tighter groups(talking a difference of 0.5moa for LC to 0.6moa from the IMI), but that small of a difference could easily just be from me not doing my part. Never really had a chance to try PPU outside of an old 8mm mauser, so I can't really say on that.

Generally Lapua but recently Peterson. Will use LC before any other commercial brass. Nothing wrong with LC except that one cannot or I cannot find LC match Bras. Starline 308 ok for bolt guns not Semis.

LC. Don't have any IMI, PPU is OK.