is q3131a and pmp brass considered mil brass?

mikeinfwa · February 26, 2002, 02:04 PM

I have 1000 rounds each of both winchester q3131a and South
African pmp 223/5.56

Is this stuff considered military brass for reloading? ie...use 10% less for all published load data?

mike

zanthope · February 26, 2002, 11:30 PM

Yeah, these are military. The Q3131A is the best ammo around.

I have maybe 200 rounds of each reloaded in my AR ammo rotation, with no problems at all. I have never heard of down-loading .223 military brass. Mine have been full-power loaded multiple times.

The only thing different about these military cases, other than being slightly heavier gauge material, is that they have crimped primers. The crimping must be removed before you can install a new primer.

There are various sorts of tools around for this, including expensive swaging machines. I use a small primer pocket reamer from RCBS....3.95 for the reamer and 5.95 for the handle.

Cheapo · February 28, 2002, 03:27 PM

The "military" reloading caution is based on thicker case walls = less internal capacity in the powder chamber.

The only way to really know is to size & decap them, trim them, and weigh them. Compare that weight with USGI 5.56mm brass similarly processed, and with RemFedChester 2.23 Rem. brass and then decide.

The processing is needed to make as many external dimensions as possible identical between the samples. I suggest 5 as a minimum. Any differences in weight then will be either from thicker case walls/web area, and perhaps a tiny bit from differences in the extractor groove & extractor "rim"/lip dimensions.

Interior dimensional differences in military vs. "commercial" 5.56mm/2.23 brass are far smaller (percentage-wise) than those encountered with .308/7.62mm cases.

mikeinfwa · March 1, 2002, 05:50 PM

thanks for the info.

I'll give that a try,

mike

February 26, 2002, 02:04 PM	#1
mikeinfwa Member Join Date: January 23, 2002 Posts: 30	is q3131a and pmp brass considered mil brass? I have 1000 rounds each of both winchester q3131a and South African pmp 223/5.56 Is this stuff considered military brass for reloading? ie...use 10% less for all published load data? mike

February 26, 2002, 11:30 PM	#2
zanthope Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 258	Yeah, these are military. The Q3131A is the best ammo around. I have maybe 200 rounds of each reloaded in my AR ammo rotation, with no problems at all. I have never heard of down-loading .223 military brass. Mine have been full-power loaded multiple times. The only thing different about these military cases, other than being slightly heavier gauge material, is that they have crimped primers. The crimping must be removed before you can install a new primer. There are various sorts of tools around for this, including expensive swaging machines. I use a small primer pocket reamer from RCBS....3.95 for the reamer and 5.95 for the handle. __________________ We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then it gets worse.

February 28, 2002, 03:27 PM	#3
Cheapo Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 1998 Posts: 986	The "military" reloading caution is based on thicker case walls = less internal capacity in the powder chamber. The only way to really know is to size & decap them, trim them, and weigh them. Compare that weight with USGI 5.56mm brass similarly processed, and with RemFedChester 2.23 Rem. brass and then decide. The processing is needed to make as many external dimensions as possible identical between the samples. I suggest 5 as a minimum. Any differences in weight then will be either from thicker case walls/web area, and perhaps a tiny bit from differences in the extractor groove & extractor "rim"/lip dimensions. Interior dimensional differences in military vs. "commercial" 5.56mm/2.23 brass are far smaller (percentage-wise) than those encountered with .308/7.62mm cases. __________________ Let us never forget that the only legitimate source of government power is the citizens. If WE cannot exercise a certain power, we cannot grant it to the state.

March 1, 2002, 05:50 PM	#4
mikeinfwa Member Join Date: January 23, 2002 Posts: 30	thanks for the info. I'll give that a try, mike