Sorting 223 Lake City brass

[Walkalong]

What is amazing is I asked a relatively simple question pertaining to Lake City 223 or should I say 5.56 brass because Lake City is not marked by either 223 or 5.56 designation. That simple question basically is it worth the time/effort to sort that 223/5.56 by the number stamp that is used. I have been told that number marks the year of production. As with other posted threads I have read there are conflicting sides. One main issue is that with a short barrel Semi-Auto fired from 25 feet to 100 yards the inherent accuracy is such that no it is not worth the time and effort for Blasting Ammo. Yet in all I have read very little is said about the use of Lake City 223/5.56 in a bolt action rifle that will be regularly fired out to 200yds and on occasion 300yds...

The interjection of "well bullets, primers, powder, gun, shooter skill all make a difference" then with that just what happens when all those things are tolerance stacked? All loosely stacked and you have absolute junk, all very tightly stacked results are the opposite. But again this question wasn't posed as what makes the most accurate ammunition. I am fully aware that the correct bullet, bullet weight, powder make and powder charge, primer, gun, scope are all components of an accurate load. The question was simply about one component.

Well I do not have the eyesight, magnification and light to sit and read all the different dots on the cases to sort the SCAMP to narrow it down to which plant and machine it came from. I also do not have the patience to do that though it could be done.

So what I have gleaned from this discussion and the other articles elsewhere that out to 200yds that there is not enough of a difference in case quality that it would make any significant difference. Farther out than 200yds I guess is still debatable. So I will continue to sort my Lake City brass by stamped number and use that as just a lot control and then spend my time developing loads per bullet and powder.

Though I did find it funny and curious that today I had two competition shooters doing load development on the range today and they were debating primer use.

What I am hearing is you already had your mind made up, and can't shoot/are not interested in shooting the difference, so you aren't going to bother, and that's cool.

The other components were relative because if you match great brass with crap bullets or barrels, it doesn't matter, and if you match crap brass with great bullets/barrels, you are doing the bullets/gun a disservice.

 

[kmw1954]

Inside of 300yds with out a custom rig in a rest you’ll not see a difference.

It’s now time for you to decide how you will proceed ,

I agree with this completely. In a box stock, off the shelf bolt rifle can only be expected to do so much. Next in the line of success is dependent on the shooter. Shooter then has to decide to use bargain ammo, top of the line ammo or reload. In my case I choose to reload. Which requires components and brass is the foundation we build on. Correct? Then we add the other components such as powders, bullets and primers. The correct powder matched with the correct bullet and primers will produce excellent ammo. or it should.

Reloading bottleneck rifle rounds is new to me and I freely admit I have much to learn on this platform. This is far different than reloading pistol.

Now as a novice to this I am not going to go out and buy top of the line brass only to ruin it with novice mistakes. If I was already an established rifle shooter it may be different as I would at least know what's working poorly and what is because of me the shooter. Also because of current affairs we are limited to what we can find in the stores or online for components.

Reason for the interest and for asking this question is because on these forums I hear most frequently the merits of Lake City Brass which I am acquiring a good deal of from my work at the range. Which in this thread I was asked about the viability of unknown range pickup brass. Not that it matters but all brass that I pick up was opened and shot in front of me and then left for me to pick up so I know this is once fired. Much of the time I even get the box it came in. I have two other brand headstamps that I keep that are a lot less work and do not require removing crimps. But because of the chatter I keep hearing about Lake City brass I have taken the time to keep it and remove the crimps because I am to believe this is good stuff.

Now a couple of times already I have stated that I will continue to sort the brass by number stamp and then just use that as a lot tracking method. If the bonus of a little extra accuracy comes with that then great but I will not be relying on that. Right now I have much more to worry about and one of those is to become a competent rifle shooter while trying to develop a good shooting workable load for this gun. Whatever that may be.

 

[hardheart]

One thing about LC I've read is that the casehead is supposed to be struck an additional time when made, to harden the brass further. Supposed to give you more reloads out of the primer pockets as a benefit.

You do whatever works for you. It isn't like anyone else's gun or target depends on what you choose to do.

 

[Walkalong]

Closed at OP’s request