5.56 LC brass not crimped?

[Axis II]

I was given about 300 LC 5.56 cases that were purchased as factory ammo so I went out and purchased an RCBS crimp cutter and found out that not a single one of those are crimped even though there is a ring around the pocket. The cutter doesn't remove any material either.

I thought all LC was crimped? There is a slight ring that appears to be a crimp and the primers feel slightly tight going in and then kind of pop and go in.

Your thoughts?

 

[ponchh]

I have a lot of LC5 with no crimp.
I've have bought LC 12 crimped, and some not crimped in different batches.
Some 6 & 13 not crimped.
I run all through the cutter, just to get the slight taper for a guide.

 

[Nature Boy]

You can buy LC brass new, unfired and it’s obviously not crimped.

I’ll be willing to bet that’s how your brass started out

 

[cfullgraf]

I thought all LC was crimped?

You do know what they say about assume?

 

[Axis II]

Thanks for the comments of those who helped.

As i said there is a ring that looks like a crimp so i was just more concerned that I'm not forcing the primer in and going to have issues down the road. Its kind of tight and then they go in is what concerned me.

 

[Blue68f100]

I was given about 300 LC 5.56 cases that were purchased as factory ammo so I went out and purchased an RCBS crimp cutter and found out that not a single one of those are crimped even though there is a ring around the pocket. The cutter doesn't remove any material either.

I thought all LC was crimped? There is a slight ring that appears to be a crimp and the primers feel slightly tight going in and then kind of pop and go in.

Your thoughts?

Sounds like it's crimped but not to the degree as most. I don't use cutters to remove crimps, prefer the swagging as it does not remove brass. Is it possible it has been process before, removing the crimp.

 

[Axis II]

Sounds like it's crimped but not to the degree as most. I don't use cutters to remove crimps, prefer the swagging as it does not remove brass. Is it possible it has been process before, removing the crimp.

No sir! My buddy purchased the brown cardboard boxes of the 5.56 federal ammo, fired them with me and handed them right to me. Only thing i did last summer was deprime and size them.

 

[lightman]

A few years ago you could purchase new LC brass at a really good price. I've never seen factory loaded LC ammo that was not crimped, but I guess it may be possible.

 

[FROGO207]

That light or non functional crimp is possibly why you were shooting that particular ammo. They could have been a lot of factory seconds that were not good enough crimped for actual military use but safe and good enough to sell as functional ammo. I suspect most recent date mil spec ammo available to the public is such stuff. Either low VEL, poor/missing primer crimp, not sealing the primer or projectile, or OAL issues all could render the rounds not suitable for the military contract but still OK to use in a non military setting. Some may be factory overruns as well. They are just trying to recover their money without having to disassemble the ammo first and sell as components.

 

[RecoilRob]

When you deprime it'll push out a light crimp if the cup is strong enough. Guessing that's what happened here. Have used an RCBS pocket swager to reload crimped cases but they often still have a bit of resistance starting into the pocket...so a little deburring tool to cut a slight relief works fine. Resistance trying to start a primer is not good....much prefer them to seat smoothly with progressive effort until I feel them seat.

 

[Axis II]

When you deprime it'll push out a light crimp if the cup is strong enough. Guessing that's what happened here. Have used an RCBS pocket swager to reload crimped cases but they often still have a bit of resistance starting into the pocket...so a little deburring tool to cut a slight relief works fine. Resistance trying to start a primer is not good....much prefer them to seat smoothly with progressive effort until I feel them seat.

I didn't like the resistance either. I will run them all through the little cutter and see if it clears the issue up. I just didn't want to mess with 300pc if i didn't need to.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thanks for the comments of those who helped.

As i said there is a ring that looks like a crimp so i was just more concerned that I'm not forcing the primer in and going to have issues down the road. Its kind of tight and then they go in is what concerned me.

It sounds like there is a crimp, just not a good crimp.

Like said above, you were probably able to buy that ammo because it didn't pass military standards but it safe to shoot. As long as you can prime the brass correctly there won't be problems in the future.

Side note, I also prefer swagging the pockets instead of cutting to preserve the integrity of the case.

 

[Hunter86004]

It's my understanding that LC ammo going to the military is required to have the primers crimped, but when the military's needs are met, LC ammo continues to be manufactured for the civilian market, which keeps their workforce employed during times of lowered military needs. Since crimping is an extra step in it's manufacturing, which is not necessary for the civilian market, that step is eliminated.

 

[ponchh]

I get all of my LC from Brass Bombers in California. I will use the word"assumed" they came off a military base there, because they are always sandy and will be mostly of the same date in a batch of 1500 pieces. The 2012 will sometimes have 4 stake marks and have to be worked, and other 2012 will have none, and when cut with the RCBS removes very little, just enough for a guide for the new primer

 

[Axis II]

I get all of my LC from Brass Bombers in California. I will use the word"assumed" they came off a military base there, because they are always sandy and will be mostly of the same date in a batch of 1500 pieces. The 2012 will sometimes have 4 stake marks and have to be worked, and other 2012 will have none, and when cut with the RCBS removes very little, just enough for a guide for the new primer

I too use them and will continue but 300pc of once fired for free and me only shooting bolt guns I should be ok for awhile.

 

[Charlie98]

Same same...

I've had new LC brass that I have loaded... obviously no crimp.
I've had some LC headstamped brass that came from American Eagle or Federal red box that was not crimped. All of my gen-u-wine LC M855 and M193 ammos were crimped, however.