.223/ 5.56 nato

[Brian5582]

I was just wondering peoples personal opinions on this if any would you rather reload cartridges with a 223 headstamp or 5.56? is the 5.56 brass better quality being made for military use I already have thousands of 223 brass but found some 5.56 brass somewhat inexpensive and am leaning towards buying it

Thanks
Brian

 

[T(1)of(3)]

I find no difference in the reloading of either. I do use a full length sizing die when I process them. There are slight differences in the cartridges and if you were looking at match quality ammo you probably would choose one or the other and then weigh those to get the most consistent brass size possible but for plinking, I use both. Now for the 5.56 military brass, the first time you reload it you will have to swage or ream the primer pockets because the military brass has a crimped in primer. Removing the primer is exactly the same as non crimped but you can't put a new primer in without removing the residual crimp. That adds an extra step to the first time you process the brass but you only have to do it that once. I use a Dillon super swage and it is pretty quick.
There is a slight volume difference in the two cartridges but since I don't load to above max loads I don't run into issues with over pressure.

 

[Brian5582]

thanks i have just heard from people that the 5.56 is a better quality thicker walled and such i know like if you have a rifle chambered for 223 dont shoot 5.56 but the other way around and you are ok because the 5.56 operated at a higher preasure or is that because of a thinner wall and thus will hold more powder i am not loading to max charges either i was just curious about it I am new to the rifle reloading thing sense I am now addicted to ar15's i guess it might be a stupid ? I have been reloading pistol for awhile and have heard differnt things about the 223/ 5.56 thats all

 

[DukeInFlorida]

The Lake City 5.56 brass is made to mil spec. That is to say, the quality of the brass alloy is held to a tighter tolerance than the commercial 5.56.

So, even among 5.56 brass, there's good, and then there's better.

 

[m4bushy]

thanks i have just heard from people that the 5.56 is a better quality thicker walled and such i know like if you have a rifle chambered for 223 dont shoot 5.56 but the other way around and you are ok because the 5.56 operated at a higher preasure or is that because of a thinner wall and thus will hold more powder i am not loading to max charges either i was just curious about it I am new to the rifle reloading thing sense I am now addicted to ar15's i guess it might be a stupid ? I have been reloading pistol for awhile and have heard differnt things about the 223/ 5.56 thats all

i have found that the ''5.56 brass is thicker than 223'' statement isn't always true. current year lake city military brass has almost identical case capacity as the commercial remington brass we get from a local firearm manufacturer.

that being said, i have found 7.62 military brass to consistently have less capacity than commercial brass.

 

[bpm990d]

i have found that the ''5.56 brass is thicker than 223'' statement isn't always true. current year lake city military brass has almost identical case capacity as the commercial remington brass we get from a local firearm manufacturer.

that being said, i have found 7.62 military brass to consistently have less capacity than commercial brass.

I agree on both points. Spreadsheet of case weights for .223 & 5.56mm.

B

 

[Jose]

Now that I no longer use an AR for Highpower competition, brass headstamp and case capacity are unimportant to me.

 

[EddieCoyle]

The Lake City 5.56 brass is made to mil spec. That is to say, the quality of the brass alloy is held to a tighter tolerance than the commercial 5.56.

So, even among 5.56 brass, there's good, and then there's better.

LC gets their brass from the same place as Winchester (Olin). Winchester cartridges use the same stuff.

i have found that the ''5.56 brass is thicker than 223'' statement isn't always true

I've found the same thing. Even LC brass year-to-year can show a lot of variation. I think this is one of those mantras that's been copied, pasted, and reposted so many times in so many places that it's assumed to be fact.

 

[Brian5582]

thanks for the answers i picked them up anyway the head stamp is ppu08 5.56x45 i got some live rounds with them as well they are the 62gr green tipped penetrators

 

[Scrivener]

I believe your PPU is Purvi Partizan, which is Serbian/Croatian/one of those lovely little mittel European states that gave us WWI.

That is not a criticism; I have both the factory ammo and cases waiting to be chamfered and reloaded.

 

[jpattersonnh]

Now that I no longer use an AR for Highpower competition, brass headstamp and case capacity are unimportant to me.

Found a Pee shooter did you? You need to stay away from P-town