Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

[Hunt]

A buddy gave me 1800 rounds of .223/5.56 brass (mostly once fired) that included the following headstamps:

- BHA Match
- Frontier
- FC
- IMG
- IMI
- JC
- Lapua
- LC
- PMC
- PMP
- PPU
- PSD
- RG
- RP
- S&B
- Winchester
- WCC

I have spent the last couple days sorting the headstamps. What is the best approach when loading .223 with various headstamps? Can I "assume" that same weight brass will yield similar velocity? This will be used for prairie dog hunting and not blaster ammo.

Lastly, anyone have a good link on various 5.56 brass? What brass should I stay away from in terms of reloading?

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

Wow. Take 1 good quality brass brand that you have the most of and load those. A stiff load in a Win case will be over pressure in an LC and WCC case. BHA and Win are the same brand. Make 1 specific load per brand of brass. Sell the rest of what you don't use.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

Lots of little batches. I thought BHA and WCC were the same not Winchester (same company different spec). Loading BHA/WCC for service rifle out to 600 yards. PMC reloads well also, using it for 100 yard with 52 SMK. LC also reloads well tested for 100 to 600 yards. I haven't done any of the others.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: inode</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is the best approach when loading .223 with various headstamps? </div></div>

Load up the LC brass until it starts to die, then go find some more LC brass.

 

[m1ajunkie]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

I plink with federal xm193 and then reload the brass into 77gr precision loads. If I were you I would stick with LC and sell the rest.

Or have a specific load for a specific brand of brass, don't just use random brass in a load. Stay consistant.

 

[Hunt]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

I have sorted all of it and there was more Win. and FC than anything. Some brass that did stand out as looking like some really good brass was PMP and IMG. I have never used either but I'm willing to try it. PMC and PSD look like the same brass and according to other sites it is but the weighs vary about 1 grain b/t the two.

 

[jbailey]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

Win in 223Rem is great brass. FC is crap. I would start with the Win w/ some test loads.

 

[Hookman]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

tag..I have the other half of the same brass

 

[MALLARD]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

different cases are different , the same weight doesnt mean same velocity. Your max load in a Win case is allot less then the max load in a PPU case. Case capacity varies between companies.

 

[akmike]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

I"m in a similar circumstance and wondering do I need to worry about different dates of LC brass, got LC with several different dates. Is this a concern?

 

[ehparis]

Re: Sorting .223/5.56 brass variants

Lots of little batches doesn't make for accurate loading. And keep in mind that brass varies from lot to lot, in some cases as much as the difference in manufacturers. Weighing cases won't tell you much as you'll still be faced with lot to lot variations.