Riddle me this.....

[praetorian97]

I recently picked up two cases of the Federal XM855 rounds this past week.

I was taking a look at the brass and noticed a bunch of circlular punches on the primer rim. I was informed those type of markings were ejector marks.

I was under the impression that these were just factory rejects. But am I correct in thinking these were LC reloads?

Sorry about all the arrows but was trying to show the randomness.

 

[Steve H]

Sure looks like used brass to me.

 

[rcmodel]

The circular dents are too small around to be ejector marks from an M16 or MG.
And they don't leave dent marks anyway.

The spring loaded ejector in an M-16 doesn't put dents in cases because the case never hits it.
The spring & plunger pin just flips it out when the case mouth clears the ejection port.

Try sizing & depriming some of them and see if you can seat a new primer. If you can't, the primer crimp ring is still intact.
And they have not been reloaded.

rc

 

[highlander 5]

Could they be from the machinery that loads the ammo. I've noticed the same marks on range brass that I picked up and they were not reloads.

 

[Smaug]

Looks like reloads.

You don't seem too certain of the origin, considering you just bought a load of it...


"Well begun is half done."
-Aristotle

 

[amlevin]

These are merely "Factory Marks". They are not extractor marks. Marks like this can often be used to identify the machine or tooling used in the manufacturing process. They are often used by QC people to trace trouble back to a specific location/machine.

 

[animator]

Considering they all appear to be relatively in the same location on all the brass, I'd say it's tool marks.

 

[Steve H]

To me most of that brass looks pretty banged up. Look at the very bottom case. What are the horizontal lines in it?

 

[praetorian97]

Bought some American Eagle LC w/ no marks....Sorry about the size of pic. On my IPad.

 

[J_McLeod]

I have a bunch of new M855 with similar marks.

 

[cougar1717]

I've seen LC brass with and without the indentations. They are not extractor marks - too deep, too uniform, and wrong shape (extractor marks I've seen are usually a scuff in a shape similar to an apostrophe). Just a guess, but it makes me think that the marks were either 1)put there by a commercial reloading company like Ultramax that uses LC brass or 2)it's some sort of designation at LC uses for brass that doesn't meet a mil-spec or is sold for reloading. If you happen to find one with indentations and a primer crimp, idea #1 is out the window.