Reloading 5.56 Lake City Brass

[Ed308]

I have about 5000 cases of 5.56 of LC brass that I plan to reload.
I had a commercial reloaded tell me that 20% of the brass could not be used.
Other that trying to get me to sell my brass to him, not sure why he would make that statement.

I have noticed some of my brass seems to have a different crimp.
Per the inserted picture below of some of the brass, is the case on the left just a different crimp compared to the case on the right?
IMG_1287.jpg

How many reloads can I expect from this brass?
And other than a need to swage and a lower capacity of LC brass, anything else I should know?

[angsniper]

I reload tons of LC brass and it will take many reloads. Like 10-12. Very good brass. I reload it until the primer pockets get loose or a neck cracks. I only bump the shoulder .004 so usually the primer pocket get loose first.
I have not seen any with the crimp like what's on the left. Maybe that's what that guy was talking about? If they all looked like the one on the right I'd say the guy was full of sh*t.

[l67coooled]

Its not lower capacity with LC brass, its the same as commercial brass. Most crimps are very light and easily be removed with a de-burr tool.

[RMP-RLTW]

I am processing 2000 pieces of LC brass right now to keep on hand. As far as I am concerned, the only problem with it is that initially it is longer than most other once fired. So, it does take to to initially get it processed. Well worth it for the ability to reload at least 10 times depending on your charge weights.

Hope you have a lee universal decapper!


Ryan
RLTW!

[BamaInArk]

Whoever told you LC brass had less capacity.........

casecapacitiesresized.jpg

[BradL45]

LC 11 Brass, I would want to buy it TOO.

The weird crimp is processed the same as the older style, you can use a de-bur tool, super swage or a Dillon 1050 press.

How many times can you reload? That depends more on your loads, if your trying for a HOT 77gr load, you can get about 6(2725 fps for a 16 inch barrel in my testing), I loose most before I can get 10 loadings from them.

You will loose some brass, it could be from torn case heads or some chambers are very large and your sizing die can't resize low enough. To save on bad ammo, I process the brass, clean it, then I drop all the cases in an EGW 7 hole 5.56 ammo checker. Depending on where you got your ammo from, 2-5% freckage.

LC 5.56 brass has GREAT capacity, Bama posted a nice pic!!! 7.62 LC, some commercial brass has more capacity.

You did GREAT buying 5k of LC brass, enjoy.

In the last 6 months, Brass prices are up 50% for once fired LC Brass, mixed brass(I avoid like the plague), has gone up too.

[elkbow]

I reload tons of LC brass and it will take many reloads. Like 10-12. Very good brass. I reload it until the primer pockets get loose or a neck cracks. I only bump the shoulder .004 so usually the primer pocket get loose first.I have not seen any with the crimp like what's on the left. Maybe that's what that guy was talking about? If they all looked like the one on the right I'd say the guy was full of sh*t.

Same here, that's all I use, and same here, never seen a crimp like the one on the left. I sewage all my primer pockets with the dillon crimp remover tool.

[Ed308]

Thanks for the comments.
Most of this brass is from ammo I've shot.
But, I will pick up LC brass on my range if it appears to be once fired brass.
I guess I'm confused about capacity. Good to know.

Starting to swage the brass with my Dillon swage.
The ones with the weird crimp look fine after I swage them.
After the swage will need to trim the brass.

[Solus]

Ive never had a problem using both swaged brass. I uncrimp them and clean them. They shoot just fine. Its just a different style of crimping thats all

[coondog]

I picked up a thousand rounds of the new brass without the crimp when it was on sale at midway. They are asking some good money for it now. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/231...to-new-unfired

I'm thinking I gave less than a $100 for a thousand rounds.