FC 223 brass reloading question

[chas442]

A number of years ago a friend had an AR 15 built by a well known rifle maker for long range shooting. He was told that loading any commercial or LC brass would be fine. He was told not to use FC brass as it was too soft.
My own personal experience probably 20 years ago with factory brass was not a good one. I was shooting an ar-15 using FC factory loaded ammo. I shot a number of rounds without incident. I went to clear the rifle. I still had ammo in the magazine. I removed the mag. I went to clear the chamber and pulled a case full of powder that spilled on the shooting bench. I shook the rifle and out came the bullet.
I am assuming that the bullet came loose when the cartridge was chambered.
Needles to say I stopped shooting that ammo.
I have a substantial amount of range pickup brass in 233 and 556.
Of that I have a substantial amount of FC brass.
I have 3 different types of FC brass and would like loaders opinions.
1. Marked FC at 12 o'clock and 223 at 6 o'clock with a crimp.
2. Marked FC at 12 o'clock and 223 at 6 o'clock looks a lot like LC.
3. Marked FC at 12 o'clock and 223 at 6 o'clock numbers at 3 and 6 o'clock.

 

[243winxb]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/276154_.html&page=1 No problems with Federal brass over the years for me. . Just normal neck splits after about 4 loading. If you load using some of the 5.56 data at http://www.accuratepowder.com the high pressure may cause problems ??

 

[redbullitt]

Never had much issue with my brass. I am not hot rodding anything though. You may have to remove a primer pocket crimp here and there.

Otherwise I would shoot it!

 

[Ifishsum]

I have a metric crap-ton of FC .223 brass that I have mostly avoided loading because I've heard they stretch and start getting loose primer pockets after just a couple of loadings. I spend a fair amount of time on once fired brass trimming, removing primer crimps, uniforming pockets etc to only get a couple of loadings on it. Recently I decided to rotate a hundred cases into my loading schedule and see for myself. I've had very good luck with Federal in other rifle cases, and wanted see how the .223 does with my general purpose match loads. So far it's on the third loading. Federal has been running the Lake City ammo plant for a few years so all that recent LC brass is actually made by Federal - which I know doesn't necessarily mean it's exactly the same stuff of course, but....

 

[chas442]

I'm looking for accuracy not velocity unless that is what it takes. I am primarily a 100 yard shooter and I shoot 200 yards at most. I'm not the best shot but I do enjoy it.
Going to be using them a few semi autos, a couple bolt actions and a pump.
Once I sort thru all my brass I will decide which to load and which to get rid of.

Thanks for your input

 

[ants]

"Too soft" ??? Some guys anneal their brass to soften it so it won't split. Too soft?

Why not load that brass and see for yourself. I've never had problems with Federal Cartridge brass for several decades. I bet you look back on this thread 2 years from now and laugh to yourself.


But if you really don't like that brass, send it to me and I'll pay postage. I'd be happy to load and shoot it myself. Again and again.


Your 20-year-ago experience: The bullet ogive was too blunt for the cartridge overall length. It jammed the bullet into the lands where it got stuck, so when you pulled the bolt back it rotated and twisted brass free from the bullet, of course all the powder spilled. When you shook it the bullet fell out. It happens rarely, but it happens when the ogive (the curved sides) of the bullet gets stuck in the rifling lands. It has nothing to do with the brass.


Load and shoot that FC brass. Be happy with it.

 

[243winxb]

A good read http://www.6mmbr.com/223rem.html

 

[Laphroaig]

I'd definitely prep and try some of that new FC military brass in spite of the past history with FC.

My experience has been both good and bad. A while back I came across a batch of about 250 commercial .223 brass. Beautiful stuff. Had to scrap it after 4 reloads (probably should have stopped after 2) because of loose pockets. I had a seated primer just fall out, the only time that has ever happened to me.

About the same time I had a bunch of FC 30-06 brass that I loaded 10+ times. Great stuff.

Just recently, my son bought 3 boxes of Federal 270WSM ammo for a new rifle to try out and save the brass. Some of it has loose pockets on the first reload! Of course he mixed the brass so we don't know what box the loose pockets came from.

Laphroaig

 

[stoky]

A number of years ago a friend had an AR 15 built by a well known rifle maker for long range shooting. He was told that loading any commercial or LC brass would be fine. He was told not to use FC brass as it was too soft.

A friend of mine had a high zoot AR 10 built. Part of the custom magic was lightening the bolt. He bought some bulk Federal to feed it. The primers were coming out of the cartridges upon firing. Not blown primer serious, they just fell out. After a few rounds the spent primers would tie up the action, necessitating (expletive rife) disassembly and shake out.
I bought the remainder of the lot, which ran just fine in my M1A and H&K 91.
I hand load more 7.62 than 5.56, but I do reload both. In my experience, Federal is on the lower end of brass choice for reload-ability.

 

[Hacker15E]

There is a headstamp difference that indicates which FC brass isn't as desirable for reloading (had a weak/thin web).

It is the "large-font" FC that people don't like to use, and it has been many years (nearly a decade?) since that was made and sold.

Most FC brass these days is exactly the same as the Lake City military stuff, so there is no issue reloading it.

Here's the large font headstamp that folks generally avoid:

 

[Reefinmike]

9.9 times out of ten that I have a loose primer pocket, it is a FC case. I set all my FC cases aside for later use in case I ever wear out the 3k pieces of good LC brass that I have.

 

[chas442]

"A good read http://www.6mmbr.com/223rem.html "

GREAT READ.

Great info from the rest of you.

I am going to set the FC aside till I need more brass. I think I have enough other brass for now.

Thanks

 

[Gadawg88]

9.9 times out of ten that I have a loose primer pocket, it is a FC case. I set all my FC cases aside for later use in case I ever wear out the 3k pieces of good LC brass that I have.

Same here.