Author Topic: FC .223 Brass  (Read 39068 times)

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Project Appleseed

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #15 on: November 15, 2010, 12:46:06 AM »
Man, that sucks.  I've got probably 1k or more FC .223 REM brass sized, deprimed, trimmed and polished, ready for the loading bin. 

I *have* experienced the problems talked about in this thread, though I haven't had any case head failures- my problems are primer seating related.  After my first reload of these cases (second firing) the primer pocket is enlarged to the point where the primers are very loose in the pocket, and some primers will literally fall out!  Some primers become dislodged in the firing process, and I have had the primer get stuck in the damn trigger group of my AR-15... That will slow you down FAST.

As I have had zero problems with my first loading of these cases, I will continue to load them, but then scrap them after that... Damn shame, as these are some of the most plentiful cases found at the range... Guess now I know why!

Thanks for the heads up!

saintdeath

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2010, 09:46:00 PM »
you are right it does suck ! BIG TIME! Some one here might know where you can get a crimper for the primers so you can reload them at least once and help stop blowing out primers! ......on the federals ... I have reloaded them but I only do it once..... as

far as the primer pocket expanding

the size to becoming too large ....havent been there...im sure it will eventually come but ...knock on wood! not happened yet.... im actually surprised at the softness in remington brass hasnt yeilded any such problems but they do tend to harden after a few

reloads

so.... as of now i am sitting on 323 fed cases 141 rem., 565 Lake City 08, 286-07 Radway greens, 100 new winchester- 67 once fired, 296 PMC, 121 Hornady ......so i got a small load of brass.....the federals are only once fired.....after that I can them.

For safety I use a huge blue Sharpie perm ink marker and mark the base of my reloaded federal as to ensure I dont ever use them again!
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perry500

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2012, 03:22:13 PM »
yes, ive picked up bunches of fc 223 brass.

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2012, 06:13:45 PM »
So, to clarify Pete, and others, the FC brass is safe to reload perhaps once at best, with a reduced charge? I have a buttload from the police range at work, and now that I'm running out of Remmy brass, and have yet built up enough LC, the FC is what I was looking to use next.  I hope I have got all this correct.

On a side note, is it necessary to remove the primer crimp on the FC brass before I reload it, if I decide to use it. I ask because I have yet gotten the tools to remove the crimp, and I did a little non-scientific test seating spent primers into FC cases with the crimp still in place. I even went so far as to seat one live primer, with all explosives removed from around my bench, while wearing safety glades. It seated almost as easy as seating them in uncrimped REM brass. Is it a must to remove the crimp if I plan to reload these once, and not worry about loose primer pockets later?? Thanks fellas.
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Project Appleseed

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #19 on: March 09, 2012, 07:51:31 PM »
Luke, I got one good full power load (actually over 'max' .223 specs) out of my FC .223 REM brass.  It was on my second loading (3rd firing) that problems started to occur. 

FC shouldn't be crimped.  Their primer pockets suck, yeah, but not crimped.  If its a crimp in there, its the worst crimp I've ever seen in my life.  So, no, you shouldn't have to run the bras through a swedge tool, or otherwise remove the crimp.


Rocketvapor

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #20 on: February 16, 2013, 07:02:36 PM »
I've found it's not just the FC 223 head stamps that have a thin web. 
Since I don't load to max, I cull @ 0.180" thickness on .223 brass.  As much as I hate to give up any shell case, the percentage hasn't been that high for me.  My gage was cut from an aluminum knitting needle (she didn't miss it) and not as durable as a steel one, and not absolutely square and flat. 
Here's the culls from my current empties. I'm going to load low power loads in these then retire them.




The worst ones:
Well I guess my new **** stirrin paddle don't work . I got a like . WTF 😈

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https://www.yahoo.com/news/famed-ex-uss-john-f-003916449.html

skid00dl

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #21 on: February 03, 2014, 06:10:53 PM »
Thank you for the info, Frisco!

That's just one more reason I never "hot load" when I reload.

Hot loading shortens the usable life of the brass and increases the likelihood of damaging the firearm, or worse.

teriyaki

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #22 on: July 19, 2015, 09:50:34 PM »
With junk 223/556 brass I just convert'um to Blkout  :)

Rocketvapor

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #23 on: February 07, 2016, 05:09:01 PM »
I'll bump this up and add some more commentary on things I've found. 
One, Federal must have bumped up their head thickness as FC headstamp stuff I've picked up at the range are running over 0.190" and up to 0.205".  I still check everything, and since I don't sort out once fired from 5th fired, check many several times.  Before getting into the little black rifle scene .223 reloads were for the wife's Mini 14.  To keep the ejection distance down they were loaded pretty light.  The Mini still cycled fine. 
These light loads don't cycle our ARs though so a little more attention is necessary as the load goes up. 

Case stretch seems to be an issue with extended case usage.  While I have yet to find a case with a pending separation from internal erosion I pick the likely ones and look inside.  Man, these .223 cases are tiny :)
Was hoping to have some good pics to show, but I found nothing really significant.
Use Google to find better pics with cases that were ready to break.   




But, anything even close to bad is culled out.  Hey, they're range pick ups.

Another thing that I've found is the mil vs civy case weight you hear about, or that this brand is more consistent than another.  Well, All that internet talk is mostly hogwash.  Sure, the majority of one brand might be centered around one case weight, but the high and low extremes are popping up in just about every brand I have.  Somewhat large ranges in weight.  Sorting by brand doesn't eliminate the outliers.
(I know, RV talking weight sorting again :) )

Here's the results of 50 processed cases.  Sized, trimmed, primed. 
5 weight groups of 10 cases were charged with CFE223.  Full case, tapped down, carded. 
I picked one light and one heavy and checked water capacity.  Results with the powder and water were pretty close.  The values listed are the average of 10 cases (except the water weights)

If the weather ever improves I'll take some light ones and some heavy ones and see just how much the volume effects velocity. 

223 Case Wt Vs Vol (CFE223)
Primed Case     Powder     Water
  94.0                32.37        30.40
  96.6                31.92     
100.0                31.45   
104.0                30.42        28.64
Went back and checked the water vol data I wrote down and the 28.64gr. water might have been with a 108gr case.  The powder weights are correct, I think.  I'll go back and try it again with the water. 
 
What I've noticed with published data is case volume, sometimes volume with a seated bullet is given, but for a 'Brand' of case, not case weight. 
You can look up advertised case volume for different brands, but I'm guessing that's just a process average.  The capacity really seems to closely follow case weight. 

The "drop charges about this much for Mil cases" doesn't hold water if the case weight range isn't known.

« Last Edit: February 08, 2016, 08:31:38 AM by Rocketvapor »
Well I guess my new **** stirrin paddle don't work . I got a like . WTF 😈

Flo just received her EXPERT Mid range card from the NRA.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/famed-ex-uss-john-f-003916449.html

Turn4811

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #24 on: February 07, 2016, 09:14:30 PM »
Thanks for the heads up. Everything I have reloaded the past 5 or 6 years in 223 has been 55gr plinking ammo. Of the inventory I am currently cycling I have a little over half of it with the FC headstamp. I guess I will be sorting headstamps and paying extra attention after I shoot them.
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Lone Eagle

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #25 on: February 17, 2018, 12:22:05 PM »
Anybody have a tutorial for the rod?  Seems the Photosuckit curse hit that arf thread.
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Rocketvapor

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #26 on: February 17, 2018, 01:12:31 PM »
If you look at the pics I posted you can see the rod I use.  It was cut from a solid aluminum crochet needle.  The goesinta end is countersunk so it hits outside the flashhold flash hole and the end the sticksouta is filed flat.  Zero caliper on rod length, and the measurement will be web thickness.  Just about any rod, steel or aluminum can be used. 
« Last Edit: February 17, 2018, 01:57:28 PM by Rocketvapor »
Well I guess my new **** stirrin paddle don't work . I got a like . WTF 😈

Flo just received her EXPERT Mid range card from the NRA.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/famed-ex-uss-john-f-003916449.html

Lone Eagle

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Re: FC .223 Brass
« Reply #27 on: February 17, 2018, 01:54:47 PM »
If you look at the pics I posted you can see the rod I use.  It was cut from a solid aluminum crochet needle.  The goesinta end is countersunk so it hits outside the flashhold and the end the sticksouta is filed flat.  Zero caliper on rod length, and the measurement will be web thickness.  Just about any rod, steel or aluminum can be used.

Thanks.  I have some brass rod the correct diameter, just couldn't tell on the one end.   8)
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