.223 Brass Question

[D.Hayden]

I'm collecting components to start loading .223. At a range I shoot at I can get all the free 223 brass that I need (it's from prison guards using the range for target practice - all once fired)

I load for my 6MM now, and that's pretty straight forward.

Anything with this type of brass that makes it undesireable?

Or any special steps I need to reload it?

Headstamp:

Profile: (looks to be annealed?)

Thanks, Dave

[ErikW]

That's Winchester brass with crimped primers. You'll need to load on a 1050 or use a primer pocket swager, or simply use a case mouth chamfer/debur tool. Of course, you may have to trim it, but probably not if it is only once-fired.

[George]

As Erik said, you have a little work to do there. WW brass is very good stuff and you can get by without trimming it "maybe" once, but it is somewhat soft and stretches a lot on first firing/sizing so that's the best point in it's lifespan for a first trim. Additionally, the first trim will get rid of any mouth weirdness left from the original factory crimp on this stuff.

If you are gonna' regularly use range brass and/or load it several times, getting a power trimmer is definitely in order for the long haul (Do a search on the words Gracey & Giraud to find the power trimmer thread here).

For comparison, take a look at Scharch Mfg .223 brass

unprocessed .223 is $27.99/thousand

75% processed is $35.49/thousand

100% processed is $44.99/thousand

Hand processing a thousand cases is a lot of work even with a power trimmer, and even though the 1050 may swage, it doesn't trim for you (yeah, I know Dillon has a power trimmer that goes on top of the sizing die, but it doesn't chamfer worth a damn and leaves ragged mouths on cases, so I don't even consider it for precision rifle loading unless you size/trim as a separate step and then de-burr & chamfer by hand before continuing on).

I have hand processed thousands upon thousands of .223 cases and take it from me, it's a sure fire way to save $40 and get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome at the same time. I just buy the 100% Scharch nowadays and only pick it up from my practice sessions. I don't think I have loaded a piece of .223 more than once for over a year now. All big 3 gun matches are lost brass events anyway so why laboriously hand prep something you are just gonna leave on the ground. The 100% processed stuff provides the same accuracy as my wonderfully (read laboriously here) processed stuff did.

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Regards,

[D.Hayden]

Erik, George

Thanks to you both

Erik, are you happy with the Dillon Swager?

[g56]

I am just getting into reloading 223/5.56, to get started I ordered a case of IMI 5.56mm M193 ammo, as I shoot this up I process the brass when I get home, clean, decap, and swage the primer pocket to remove crimp. Measuring this IMI brass, a large percentage is right at, to over the max length, so I have started trimming all the brass so it will be a uniform length. That might sound like a lot of work, but I do it as it's getting shot up, so I don't have a lot to do at any one time.

I am currently using the RCBS swager that I got many years ago, one of these days I'll break down and get the Dillon, all the reports I have heard on the Dillon Super Swage have been excellent.

[pmd]

Here's another source:

River Valley Ordinance will process your 223 (5.56) brass (2000 or more) $25 per thousand, plus return shipping.

They will also process and prime your brass (2000 or more) at $44 per thousand + return shipping.

They also offer Lake City once fired Brass - check out their site for more info.

FYI -I have bought over 7kpcs of Lake City brass form them and have had over 10k pcs of my brass processed without any complaints - top quality and service -

Hope this helps.

Goodluck.

PMD

[TBF]

Berkim,

Yes, it's worth saving.

Win. brass, white box, crimped primer.

Travis F.