.223 Brass New Year's Resolution?

[Mastiff]

I think there are more threads on case preparation and reloading techniques specifically on .223 than any subject on the reloading forum. I have been reading, responding and starting topics on .223 ad nauseum.

I've given this a lot of thought. I think I'm going to sell all of the used 223 brass and not describe it as "once fired" even though that is the way it was sold to me and many of us that buy it. I just don't trust the once fired claims, but that's another topic for another day. I think I am going to take a different approach.

Long before the craze I put away some new .223 brass that I thought I'd reload one day, sound familiar? I figure I'll know my own brass was really once fired and cycle them through the reloading process until it's time to say goodbye. My brass, rifle chambers, dies, XL650, tumbling, well you get the idea. I'm just tired of the junky mixed brass out there and the reloading inconsistencies I experience (and read about). And then there is the decap pins breaking on the crimped primers, the swaging, the primer pockets too large, how many times the case has been stretched and trimmed, etc. I suppose the guys who carefully sort out the head stamps and trash the culls on the used brass can do ok. I just don't have the time or desire to sort brass. Are there many of you that start out with new brass and never buy the used cases? For my bolt rifle, I do make new rounds on my Redding press, but the quantity I make on the single stage press is a tiny fraction of what I make for the AR using mixed brass.

So, does this all make sense? Rant? Or just another useless New Year's Resolution (like eating better and exercising)?

Dog

[pmt]

I too have separate buckets of 'my brass' and 'range brass' Since I moved, I'm down to one press - my 550 with case feeder, which is not suitable for .223 brass. I'm still trying to decide what approach to take as far as reloading .223 or buying enough for local matches. A second 550 to load .223 is tedious and I don't shoot enough to justify a 1050.

I'm going to try eating better and exercising, it sounds much easier.

[Steve RA]

There are a number of posts, pics on the site showing how to load .223 on a 550 using a casefeeder.

[usmc90]

I'd be happy to help you out with your want to get rid of your 223 brass.. ..but i'm just saying? Lol

[Fullauto_Shooter]

I'm a cheap-ass who only shoots "range brass" reloads. Since I started reloading rifle several years ago, I've reloaded approximately 39K .223 rounds using range pick-up brass and have had just two ammo-related failures (a separated case head and a blown primer). While not 100% perfect, 99.99% has been good enough for my purposes.

That said, my case prep & inspection process is damn strict and I'll toss a case for virtually any reason. You certainly can't go wrong being careful with your brass, but my experience suggests that range brass is an acceptable option if you take the time to process and inspect every case thoroughly.

[Mastiff]

Full Auto, I hear you and you make some valid points. If you're sorting the head stamps and dumping the bad stuff it's fine. I just don't have all the time to do that, and what little time I have, I'd rather work with cases I know we're mine. Based on your usage, I go through just a fraction of that amount.

Dog

[pmt]

There are a number of posts, pics on the site showing how to load .223 on a 550 using a casefeeder.

I've done some searching here but came up empty. If you have any links it would be greatly appreciated.

[Steve RA]

Here is one, there is one with pictures but haven't found it quite yet:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=149058&hl=%2B550+%2Bcasefeeder+%2Bwith+%2B223

[Overscore]

I have never purchased any brass, and hope that I never have to. Generally, I load ammo for two purposes, practice and matches. So, if I get the occasional round that doesn't chamber or fire during practice, I'll take that as the downside to the benefit of being able to mass produce my ammo faster. For match ammo, it all gets individual attention, and for 9mm, gets the fancy copper jacketed bullets, as opposed to the cheapest possible lead that I can find.

[Ming the Merciless]

So, does this all make sense? Rant? Or just another useless New Year's Resolution (like eating better and exercising)?

Dog

I like your New Year's resolution! I made the same resolution many years ago and never looked back.

I've never understood the mindset of running the cheapest possible crap through your expensive guns. It's like buying a Ferrari and then buying the cheapest recapped tires, recycled motor oil and the cheapest no name unleaded fuel. If you're driving a Yugo, OK, but I wouldn't even do that with a Ford let alone a nice car.

I buy only new brass, mark the brass so I can tell it's mine, only reload my brass and segregate it by headstamp and times fired. For major matches, I use only new brass and my back up ammo is once fired brass. For local handgun matches I use brass fired less than 7 times, after that the brass is practice brass and I may or may not leave it for the next brass rat to pick up. Rifle brass depends on the headstamp but after 3 or 4 loadings it is practice brass.

IMHO it is false economy to cut corners on ammunition, even at the largest lost brass match using new brass, I will spend more money on a single good meal than I will lose in brass.

[Mastiff]

I have never purchased any brass, and hope that I never have to. Generally, I load ammo for two purposes, practice and matches. So, if I get the occasional round that doesn't chamber or fire during practice, I'll take that as the downside to the benefit of being able to mass produce my ammo faster. For match ammo, it all gets individual attention, and for 9mm, gets the fancy copper jacketed bullets, as opposed to the cheapest possible lead that I can find.

So would I be correct in saying that you're buying and firing new ammo and keeping the cases? Or?

Dog

[Retread1911]

Mastiff, I am in Fort Worth these days and if you are interested we can set up a time to let you come process your brass on my 1050. I have processed well over 100K on this machine and it is amazing the consistancy I can get even with range brass. most tend to come out +-.002 with samehead stamp same number of uses I bet It will deliver +-.0005

As for the once fired claims I know where you are coming from. I recently resold a box I bought as once fired as 'range' for that specific purpose. If I didn't fire it I cannot say it was once fired.

Retread.

[Overscore]

I have never purchased any brass, and hope that I never have to. Generally, I load ammo for two purposes, practice and matches. So, if I get the occasional round that doesn't chamber or fire during practice, I'll take that as the downside to the benefit of being able to mass produce my ammo faster. For match ammo, it all gets individual attention, and for 9mm, gets the fancy copper jacketed bullets, as opposed to the cheapest possible lead that I can find.

So would I be correct in saying that you're buying and firing new ammo and keeping the cases? Or?

Dog

No, all range brass.

[SWThomas]

I'd be happy to help you out with your want to get rid of your 223 brass.. ..but i'm just saying? Lol

+1. I'll help him clear some space.

[Doc Hunter]

It all depends on your goals. For me nothing but new brass or factory ammo for a match. If you can afford a malfunction in a match - well I cannot. For practice, range brass. But its been processed to death. I have almost no malfunction in practice.