5.56 lake city brass ?

rebs · November 18, 2013, 12:59 PM

I have about 500 LC 5.56 brass once fired and still has the primer crimped in. I measured some of these cases for length and found a big difference, some are 1.260 and some are 1.245 and some are in between. They are mixed head stamp but all LC. I was under the impression they should all be very close to the same. Why such a difference ?

steve4102 · November 18, 2013, 01:45 PM

As you already know, checking case length should be done after FL Sizing!

rebs · November 18, 2013, 01:59 PM

yes after fl sizing

MJFlores · November 18, 2013, 03:52 PM

Some people love LC brass but I have to tell you...I dont find anything special about it. I de-crimp the primer pockets with a Dillon swager which is no big deal, but the flash holes are terrible and the brass is overall just average in my book. I reload the stuff, but don't get the hype about it. The consistency is far from what I call tolerable, and after resizing I scrap many cases.

GWS · November 18, 2013, 05:58 PM

The biggest "special" about it is its availability (up to now) and its cost. You have to keep in mind that there's only one type of LC brass that's made for targets and that's Match LC brass, which isn't even crimped. Also more expensive and harder to find. Although 7.62 brass is heavier and maybe some think that makes it special, 5.56 is no heavier than commercial brass.

On the crimped stuff, swaging may remove the crimp, but often very sharp shoulders around the pocket are left to catch edges on new primers. So when you attempt to use them progressively, unless the swager is one that rounds the edges and adjusted to do so, they can be unpredictable, causing hangups and/or crumpled primers. The fix is to make sure your swager rounds the pocket shoulders (an adjustment on most) or just chamfer the pocket edges a little after swaging...or just use a reamer that does it for you.

But the bottom line is to expect practice and self defense ammo not match ammo.

November 18, 2013, 12:59 PM	#1
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	5.56 lake city brass ? I have about 500 LC 5.56 brass once fired and still has the primer crimped in. I measured some of these cases for length and found a big difference, some are 1.260 and some are 1.245 and some are in between. They are mixed head stamp but all LC. I was under the impression they should all be very close to the same. Why such a difference ?

November 18, 2013, 05:58 PM	#5
GWS Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2010 Location: New Mexico Posts: 688	The biggest "special" about it is its availability (up to now) and its cost. You have to keep in mind that there's only one type of LC brass that's made for targets and that's Match LC brass, which isn't even crimped. Also more expensive and harder to find. Although 7.62 brass is heavier and maybe some think that makes it special, 5.56 is no heavier than commercial brass. On the crimped stuff, swaging may remove the crimp, but often very sharp shoulders around the pocket are left to catch edges on new primers. So when you attempt to use them progressively, unless the swager is one that rounds the edges and adjusted to do so, they can be unpredictable, causing hangups and/or crumpled primers. The fix is to make sure your swager rounds the pocket shoulders (an adjustment on most) or just chamfer the pocket edges a little after swaging...or just use a reamer that does it for you. But the bottom line is to expect practice and self defense ammo not match ammo. Last edited by GWS; November 18, 2013 at 06:13 PM.

November 18, 2013, 01:45 PM	#2
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,955	As you already know, checking case length should be done after FL Sizing!

November 18, 2013, 01:59 PM	#3
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	yes after fl sizing

November 18, 2013, 03:52 PM	#4
MJFlores Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2013 Posts: 539	Some people love LC brass but I have to tell you...I dont find anything special about it. I de-crimp the primer pockets with a Dillon swager which is no big deal, but the flash holes are terrible and the brass is overall just average in my book. I reload the stuff, but don't get the hype about it. The consistency is far from what I call tolerable, and after resizing I scrap many cases.