The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Reloading /Difference between Military and commerial brass ?

stubbicatt · October 3, 2012, 07:37 AM

For all practical purposes the 5.56 and the 223 cases are identical. It is the pressures to which they are loaded which makes shooting 5.56 in a 223 chamber problemmatic. You can use milsurp cases in your 223 loadings. Run a few through your sizing die and trim to length and then weigh them. You will find after weighing maybe 20 or so that there is a weight range. I make 3 piles, one lighter than the range, one heavier than the weight range and the vast majority within about 2 grains of each other in the middle.

I toss or sell the heavies, and work up loads in the big, middle +/- 2 grain pile, and then use the light ones for 200 yard loads or less.

Oddly enough they all seem to shoot pretty darn good. Just cull the heavies.

YMMV.

October 3, 2012, 07:37 AM	#3
stubbicatt Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Posts: 1,707	For all practical purposes the 5.56 and the 223 cases are identical. It is the pressures to which they are loaded which makes shooting 5.56 in a 223 chamber problemmatic. You can use milsurp cases in your 223 loadings. Run a few through your sizing die and trim to length and then weigh them. You will find after weighing maybe 20 or so that there is a weight range. I make 3 piles, one lighter than the range, one heavier than the weight range and the vast majority within about 2 grains of each other in the middle. I toss or sell the heavies, and work up loads in the big, middle +/- 2 grain pile, and then use the light ones for 200 yard loads or less. Oddly enough they all seem to shoot pretty darn good. Just cull the heavies. YMMV.