Mixed .223 and 5.56 brass - tips

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film495

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was looking to start collecting components to load .223. looks like the mixed lots of 2.23/5.56 once fired brass are relatively the most reasonably priced. couple questions

is the case prep for mixed a hassle? was thinking it would just get sorted by headstamp and then loaded in groups by headstamp.

is the primer pocket crimp on 5.56 a hassle to get out? can you just hit it with a chamfer tool and be good or is ther more to it? not looking to do any bulk loading, maybe 50 or 100 here and there, so - just don't want to overcomplicate it, which I tend to do.
 
So mixing the two is not a problem. If you are reloading military brass you do have to remove the crimp on the first go round. After that no need to. I use a little cutter for a RCBS case prep center but I put mine in a drill and it takes very little time to remove the crimp. When I am prepping cases I do mine in large batches of 1000 at a time and then store them until I am ready to reload them. That way I am not lugging the trimmers and crimp removal gear out as often for small batches. I also segregate cases that I reloaded after firing so I know the don't have to have the crimp removed again.
 
Since you are just starting to load for 223, I recommend sorting and using the same headstamp brass for load workup.

Once you have a good load identified, and as long as that load is not at max, it generally is ok to use mixed headstamp. if you are loading close to max, just keep in mind that some brass tend to be heavier than typical, and thus less internal capacity. That could lead to higher pressure.
 
What type of gun are you loading for? Plinking or accuracy?

.223 and 5.56 cases are predominantly the same. Some folks have done water volume testing and they don't differ by much. If you are loading for accuracy, you should sort by headstamp and trim as that will achieve the most consistent loads and accuracy.
 
If you plan to reload many 5.56 cases with the military crimp consider buying a Dillon Primer Swage 600. A bit on the costly side but saves so much time removing that factory crimp, is easy to use, and does a beautiful removal job.
 
they will go in a new mini-14 stamped 5.56, but - to start I just want to be able to load practice plinking rounds. it will take a while to collect tools and components, but eventually it will come together. just with prices of everything tyring to keep costs down, and I think normally I'd just shoot and then reload factory, or get some starline brass, but kind of want to get set up on the lower end of crazy prices, and the bags of 1,000 or so mixed brass seemed ok to me, think I'll go in that direction - now having got some good feedback here. SRPs is another story, but - well - there's a lot of pieces to put together to add a caliber to the bench.
 
223 and 5.56 brass are the same thing. Mil brass just has a crimp. Even alot of commercial ammo now has a crimp. Its simple to remove. The Hornady crimp cutter will work in a screwdriver if need be, but a drill on low is easiest. And its way cheaper than a Dillon swager.

As a general rule I decrimp every case I get just to be sure I get them all. Its a one time and done thing.

If you are loading plinkers, I would just test, find a midrange load thats decent, and shoot. If you are expecting accuracy, then headstamp sorting might be worth your time.
 
Kaldor said:
223 and 5.56 brass are the same thing. Mil brass just has a crimp. Even alot of commercial ammo now has a crimp. Its simple to remove. The Hornady crimp cutter will work in a screwdriver if need be, but a drill on low is easiest. And its way cheaper than a Dillon swager.

As a general rule I decrimp every case I get just to be sure I get them all. Its a one time and done thing.

If you are loading plinkers, I would just test, find a midrange load thats decent, and shoot. If you are expecting accuracy, then headstamp sorting might be worth your time.
Click to expand...

Same here. I find it's quicker to just do them all than it is to sort out the ones that need it. I use one of the threaded chamfer bits intended for a case prep station, but I chuck it into my lathe instead of a hand drill. That lets me hold the cases with 2 hands for better control. Goes very quickly this way.
 
I use the RCBS primer pocket swaging set up. (There are others as well!) I like that it is consistent for depth and the beveled edge. I do all my brass at the first reloading and the batch stays together. That way I can keep track of sizing (OAL) and number of reloads.

Depth is important for consistent ignition and the beveled edge makes seating primers consistent and a little easier.
Consistency is one of the steps to improved accuracy.

Smiles,
 
Pivot Dr said:
Mixed headstamp case prep is not a problem.
Primer pocket crimps are no big deal.
Yes, a chamfering tool will cut them right out, no problem.
I’ve been doing thousands of all of it for many years. I more or less segregate by headstamp when I load a batch, might not have to, but I usually do.
Click to expand...

This pretty much says it. One of my rifles will shoot 5/8 in groups with mixed brass loaded on my Dillon. Not just A group but pretty much all of the time. I can squeeze the groups down to 7/16 by using Lapua brass and Sierra Match Kings and using weighed charges. So, mixed brass is not to sloppy.
 
Kaldor said:
223 and 5.56 brass are the same thing. Mil brass just has a crimp. Even alot of commercial ammo now has a crimp. Its simple to remove. The Hornady crimp cutter will work in a screwdriver if need be, but a drill on low is easiest. And its way cheaper than a Dillon swager.
Click to expand...
do you cut the new square "staked" crimps out? LC has been using a weird square stab-like crimp that looks square and isn't the typical military ring or 3-pronged stake crimp. I'm concerned about trying to cut out the new square type crimps. Anyone done this?
 
1KPerDay said:
do you cut the new square "staked" crimps out? LC has been using a weird square stab-like crimp that looks square and isn't the typical military ring or 3-pronged stake crimp. I'm concerned about trying to cut out the new square type crimps. Anyone done this?
Click to expand...

Yup, everything! They cut right out.
Ive used the Hornady cutter which is really fast even by hand, but prefer the RCBS cutter set up in my drill press. Its a bit slower, but its impossible to cut too deep which is a concern when using the Hornady in a drill. As always, your mileage may vary, I just do not see the purpose of not using the correct tool for the job.
 
Yes they looked like regular cases and he annealed them.

627541-8db6f522feb2fa308281bab3d7e0bdb0.jpg



I buy & sell range brass and kept about 200.of these damaged cases and resized them. I need to trim them and then I will take twenty damaged cases at a time and twenty good range brass cases and load them exactly the same and then another twenty, then another twenty and see how they compare to goid range brass.
I will use the same head stamp in each test so I will be compareing apples to apples.
 
Highland Lofts said:
Yes they looked like regular cases and he annealed them.

View attachment 973978



I buy & sell range brass and kept about 200.of these damaged cases and resized them. I need to trim them and then I will take twenty damaged cases at a time and twenty good range brass cases and load them exactly the same and then another twenty, then another twenty and see how they compare to goid range brass.
I will use the same head stamp in each test so I will be compareing apples to apples.
Click to expand...
Are these the beat up cases from above?
 
That"s what he said.
When I do my garbage cases after shooting them and the good range brass I will get them annealed for the 2nd round.
Then have them annealed about every third reload.
 
1KPerDay said:
do you cut the new square "staked" crimps out? LC has been using a weird square stab-like crimp that looks square and isn't the typical military ring or 3-pronged stake crimp. I'm concerned about trying to cut out the new square type crimps. Anyone done this?
Click to expand...

Yes, same result as Kaldor... no problems. In fact, I think they cut out better than the 360^ crimp.
 
These were reloaded by some one on another forum.
I have a couple hundred bad 223/5.56 cases that I resized and will be doing this to.
I bought a fifteen inch 223 T/C Contender barrel and a H&R 223 Handi-Rifle for shooting these so i know what brass is what.
 
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