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Do you use 'mixed' brass in your AR?


AJPeacock

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Guys,

I recently finished my first AR-15 build.

Seekins upper/lower/free float handguard

Giessele 3gun trigger

JP LMOS BCG, JP Captured buffer.

18" lightweight JP ultramatch barrel.

Syrac adjustable gas block

UBR stock.

I have 2 scopes setup for the rifle (both on Larue QD 104 mounts).

1-4x20 Leup

3.5-15x50 Nightforce NXS

I've loaded 55gr V-max with 25gr H335 and it shoots under 1"

I've also used the SMK 69gr with both H335 and H4895.

I'm getting around 1" with the 69gr, but am seeing distinct groups about 3/4" apart depending on the brass.

I have a few thousand mixed (LakeCity, Rem and PMP).

Would you guys recommend sorting them and using one brand at a time?

I never mix brass with any of my 'accurate' rifles.

Before I started sorting, I thought I'd see if my OCD was kicking in ;-) or if I should treat the AR just like it's big brothers.

Thanks,

AJ

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Might have found my answer. Some of the brass is as long as 1.77" and others are nominally 1.750". I'm going to trim a batch and see if that fixes my group issue.

Thanks guys,

AJ

Edited: 1.50" to 1.750"

Edited by AJPeacock
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I sort mine and usually save a certain headstamp for precision loads that I sight the rifle in for and save for when I need the most accuracy I can get from my rifle.

For general use/blasting ammo it all gets mixed together, even so I don't notice a tremendous change in accuracy

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I'm getting around 1" with the 69gr, but am seeing distinct groups about 3/4" apart depending on the brass.

I have a few thousand mixed (LakeCity, Rem and PMP).

Would you guys recommend sorting them and using one brand at a time?

Oh man do I have some experience with .223rem cases, and bunches do I have.

You probably find the highest case capacity and consistency with current production Lake City brass out of what you mentioned you have. Anything produced after '07 or so maybe a bit earlier. PMP cases I find have less capacity and are heavier (thicker walled I reckon) but not always consistant. Out of my pile, remington and winchester range pickups are always the least consistent in weight and capacity.

When it boils down to actual buying cases for quality handloads, nothing beats Lapua. I was super impressed with Nosler custom too.

For "precision" loads I always prefer starting with new brass, not range pickups. For good quality reloads using range pickup, I always sort by headstamp. I don't bother culling to much or weighing individual cases if its range pickup.

A dillon 1200b rapid trim setup with an automatic case feed makes life sooooooo much better. Sooooo worth the money if your doing bulk loads. You can run the brass thru a small base die if you find it necessary after, but I swear by Lee collet neck size dies after you already full sized the brass. Trickle charging may take more time, but you'll see the difference on paper. A good seating die that seats off the ogive rather than the nose of the bullet for consistent jump to rifling too. I never crimp. After I started using collet neck size dies, I never found a need to crimp.

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Thank you all for the information. I will definitely sort my brass AND trim them all.

I use single stage presses for my precision rifle stuff, but have been using my Dillon 650 for the 223.

I use the dillon dies, including the crimp die.

So, I'm going to do the following and see what the results are.

1) sort brass.

2) trim the brass. (I'll just use my Forster classic trimmer)

3) use LC for some 69gr loads (24gr H4895)

4) back-off the crimp die so it just touches the brass, just touch the corner of the brass.

5) use the rem/r-p brass for my 55gr loads.

6) set the PMC and other brass aside.

A friend of mine knew I was building an AR, so he contributed 2x3lb coffee tins full of empties. That is where I got the brass.

Thanks everyone,

AJ

Edited by AJPeacock
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I do not sort my brass but only use it for 3 gun. I do trim with a Little Crow WFT set up to a motor. And crimp with a Lee FCD. It is no fun to stick a bullet in a barrel trying to clear a round and be done. Also I found the RCBS Gold Medal seater die is the easiest and fastest seating die for me.

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Mixed whatever for practice.

For matches I only use once-fired brass with same headstamp, both for hoser 55gr and 69gr long range loads.

The 69s only get LC brass, the 55s whatever brand I happen to have on hand.

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I sort mine and usually save a certain headstamp for precision loads that I sight the rifle in for and save for when I need the most accuracy I can get from my rifle.

For general use/blasting ammo it all gets mixed together, even so I don't notice a tremendous change in accuracy

+1 The more consistant the more precision. In this application case volume.

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Thanks guys,

I sorted my brass and ended up with 90% R-P brass. A few mixed (FC,PMC, HMC etc). The rest being LC 97.

I trimmed/deburred/chamfered a few hundred of the R-P and will do some accuracy testing in the next couple days.

I'm not new to case preparation, my precision rifles (408Cheytac based 338, 338-300RUM, etc) prefer perfect reloads and I spend a lot of time getting them that way. Hopefully, simple sorting/trimming will be enough for this little 223. I wish I could find a bucketful of LC brass!

Thanks again,

AJ

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I have two distinct pedigrees of 223 brass - practice "junk" of 31 flavors I use for 100 yard practice, and match brass of similar (usually LC) lineage, processed by number of times fired. I load all of 'em before starting over. I'm a High Master NRA Highpower (Service Rifle) shooter and that's all the sorting I do, out to 600 yards, on the bullseye target. For match brass, I segregate by weight, only to cull the real mutants at each end of the scale, and trim each firing. If I had the $$, I'd just shoot Lapua beyond 300 yards.

You might clump brass together by headstamp, but I wouldn't go crazy with all the other benchrest techniques. Just my 2 cents - YMMV, of course.

Mark

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