LC '05 brass problem?

SL1 · June 16, 2010, 02:19 PM

I picked-up about 60 pieces of 5.62 Nato LC05 brass at the local range a while ago, and deprimed them today. To my surprise, 15 of them would not fit into my shell holder. It seemed that the rims were over-diameter, because they did fit after some gentle filing around the rims. No obvious burs or bends. And, it seemed to be a uniformly larger diameter, rather than an eliptically-shaped rim that kept them from fitting.

I haven't had this problem with any other brass, including some LC06 and some LC08.

Any thoughts?

SL1

**Unclenick** · June 16, 2010, 02:42 PM

More questions than answers: Since the primers are crimped, you can't tell until after decapping, but were the flash holes at all enlarged or loose, as by overpressure? What do the calipers say the extractor groove diameter is? How about just in front of the extractor groove? Did you get a rim diameter measurement before you filing them? Also, how much do they weigh before filing?

Man, asking all those questions make me feel like I was 5 years old.

F. Guffey · June 16, 2010, 03:02 PM

Not likely you are using a Herter's shell holder, there is a lot of slack on the RCBS shell holder and even more on a lee.

The problem? You did not fire the cases, that means you do not know if the shell holder fit before firing, there are areas reloaders will no go into, this is one of them, signs of pressure is a relative term. if the case head expanded so did the flash hole and primer pocket, finding someone that can distinguish settle difference is not easy.

Soft brass? The case head squats (crushes), the diameter of the case head expands, the flash hole increases in diameter along with the primer pocket, and the case stretches between the body of the case and case head, then there is the ideal brass stretches and flows forward, without skid marks.

F. Guffey

SL1 · June 16, 2010, 03:07 PM

Unclenick,

I didn't bother to take the measurements you are asking about. For one thing, I didn't fire it and don't have any "before" measuerments. The brass did not look like it had over-pressure issues. Of course, it is hard to tell if the pockets are loose when decapping crimped primers, and I have not yet processed the brass to reprime. But, the case heads looked normal and the primers weren't flat. Remember, these were not fired as reloads, the brass is once-fired as indicated by the crimped primers. SO, the loads were whatever Lake City put in them. And, all of the case were fired in the same gun (by another guy at the range). SO, I was assuming that there was some variation in the manufacture, rather than the firing process.

My question was really just asking if anybody else had noticed a similar problem with brass from that year (or other years).

SL1

Fox1 · June 16, 2010, 03:24 PM

I'm using a Hornady shell holder and I've noticed some LC 05 and LC 06 cases "sticking" a little bit in the holder. Mine are once fired as well because I have to ream the crimp out after depriming.
I have to sort of twist them back and forth to get them back out.
I thought it was a rim thickness issue rather than a diameter issue but either way it sounds like the same thing you are experiencing.

SL1 · June 16, 2010, 04:28 PM

I was using a new Lee shell holder. At first, I suspected the shell holder and looked it over, then tried some other brass in it that I had decapped preciously. It seemed loose on other .223 brass and MOST of the LC05 brass.

SL1

June 16, 2010, 02:19 PM	#1
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	LC '05 brass problem? I picked-up about 60 pieces of 5.62 Nato LC05 brass at the local range a while ago, and deprimed them today. To my surprise, 15 of them would not fit into my shell holder. It seemed that the rims were over-diameter, because they did fit after some gentle filing around the rims. No obvious burs or bends. And, it seemed to be a uniformly larger diameter, rather than an eliptically-shaped rim that kept them from fitting. I haven't had this problem with any other brass, including some LC06 and some LC08. Any thoughts? SL1

June 16, 2010, 02:42 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	More questions than answers: Since the primers are crimped, you can't tell until after decapping, but were the flash holes at all enlarged or loose, as by overpressure? What do the calipers say the extractor groove diameter is? How about just in front of the extractor groove? Did you get a rim diameter measurement before you filing them? Also, how much do they weigh before filing? Man, asking all those questions make me feel like I was 5 years old. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

June 16, 2010, 03:02 PM	#3
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	Not likely you are using a Herter's shell holder, there is a lot of slack on the RCBS shell holder and even more on a lee. The problem? You did not fire the cases, that means you do not know if the shell holder fit before firing, there are areas reloaders will no go into, this is one of them, signs of pressure is a relative term. if the case head expanded so did the flash hole and primer pocket, finding someone that can distinguish settle difference is not easy. Soft brass? The case head squats (crushes), the diameter of the case head expands, the flash hole increases in diameter along with the primer pocket, and the case stretches between the body of the case and case head, then there is the ideal brass stretches and flows forward, without skid marks. F. Guffey

June 16, 2010, 03:07 PM	#4
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Unclenick, I didn't bother to take the measurements you are asking about. For one thing, I didn't fire it and don't have any "before" measuerments. The brass did not look like it had over-pressure issues. Of course, it is hard to tell if the pockets are loose when decapping crimped primers, and I have not yet processed the brass to reprime. But, the case heads looked normal and the primers weren't flat. Remember, these were not fired as reloads, the brass is once-fired as indicated by the crimped primers. SO, the loads were whatever Lake City put in them. And, all of the case were fired in the same gun (by another guy at the range). SO, I was assuming that there was some variation in the manufacture, rather than the firing process. My question was really just asking if anybody else had noticed a similar problem with brass from that year (or other years). SL1

June 16, 2010, 03:24 PM	#5
Fox1 Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2008 Posts: 300	I'm using a Hornady shell holder and I've noticed some LC 05 and LC 06 cases "sticking" a little bit in the holder. Mine are once fired as well because I have to ream the crimp out after depriming. I have to sort of twist them back and forth to get them back out. I thought it was a rim thickness issue rather than a diameter issue but either way it sounds like the same thing you are experiencing.

June 16, 2010, 04:28 PM	#6
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	I was using a new Lee shell holder. At first, I suspected the shell holder and looked it over, then tried some other brass in it that I had decapped preciously. It seemed loose on other .223 brass and MOST of the LC05 brass. SL1