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Old September 3, 2008, 02:18 PM   #1
Jeffenwulf
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Join Date: December 6, 2006
Location: Georgia
Posts: 234
Brass - Sig 556

Hey all, looking for information both on good brass to reload as well as a question about what's happening to my brass upon extraction.

I already load for other calibers, but 5.56 NATO seems to be a bit different that what I'm used to. I recently picked up a Sig 556 and will probably get her a friend later this year. It's probably going to be an AR variant or HK. I won't start reloading this for a while until I get a better feel for what I need. However, I figure I should probably buy ammunition with brass that I'm going to reload later.

Since the 556 has a 1 in 7 twist, I'll probably end up loading heavier bullets. What I've purchased new so far are Federal XM193 and American Eagle XM193C. As far as I can tell they're the same thing in different boxes, manufactured in Anoka MN. I understand that since these are 5.56 I'll need to remove the primer crimp before reloading.

I've found already with this Federal stuff that the extractor seems to be slightly damaging the base of the brass. In addition there's a slight indent in the brass just above the rim of the case which also seems to have been caused during extraction. I've searched this forum and seen that Federal brass is not recommended. Looking at the headstamp though I see from top clockwise L-C-8-0. As far as I can tell that's Lake City and supposed to be very good. I also see that the Anoka Federal plant is supposed to be headstamped FC, but it's clearly L at 12 o'clock and C at 3 o'clock.

Since I'm more confused than ever, I'd appreciate your input. I have plenty of time before I do anything since I'm just getting started in this caliber. I can post up pictures if necessary. If I end up having to run only new stuff through the Sig and it damages the brass, I probably won't be shooting it much.

** Edit - Since my camera is autofocus, I can't get it to focus well enough to show the damaged brass.
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Old September 3, 2008, 05:52 PM   #2
Jeffenwulf
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Join Date: December 6, 2006
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Rather than edit I'm just going to post this.

As I was going through the brass from this last shoot, I found one where the primer had disappeared. That's right, it was totally gone. This is the same ammunition with what I thought to be excessive extractor marks. I've never had a primer come out during firing before, I've always had to use a press to remove it. Does anyone know how this could happen? I fired 120 rounds just to see how it handles and to zero the holosite. All of the ammunition was Federal 55 gr M193 ball marked XM193 and "LOT 217".

Like I said, I haven't experienced anything like this with any of my other firearms. When I fire the M16 or M4 I'm not looking at the brass afterwards either. Any and all thoughts on this are welcome. I hope there isn't a problem with my new rifle, but I'd really be tempted to blame this on the ammunition manufacturer instead. I was under the impression that the primers were crimped in on military rounds. How in the world could the primer just fall out?
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Old September 3, 2008, 06:24 PM   #3
Sevens
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Join Date: July 28, 2007
Location: Ohio
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I tell ya, I have my reservations about crimped primers in 5.56 LC brass. I have thousands of the stuff and it was all taken right off the Viale range at Perry, and fired from govt issue M16's. (govt issued ammo as well)

Before I was set up for reloading .223, I used the Lee decapper and base-- that is, the hardened steel pin that you whack with a hammer while the brass sits in the base. I used it to decap a bunch of brass to get a jump on the process seeing as how I didn't have a firearm in .223 yet, so I wasn't yet reloading the stuff.

Eventually I got my gun (T/C Contender w/Super 14" Bull barrel) and picked up my Lee dies for .223. Handloaded a bunch of .223 with my already decapped brass (didn't swage any primer pockets) and when I ran out of decapped brass, I simply lubed them as normal and ran them through the full-length Lee sizer and had no abnormal resistance in depriming or resizing.

I've been running through my LC brass normally ever since and haven't ever run in to trouble.

Conclusion: If they are crimped primers, my Lee sizer and decapper doesn't know or care, and I've never had trouble repriming either.
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Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.
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Old September 3, 2008, 06:28 PM   #4
Sevens
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While some folks don't care for Federal brass, it's not crap brass. For sure, there is crap brass-- my list of crap brass includes such beauties as A-Merc (worst ever) and Selior and Belot which is nearly as bad.

While Fed, Win and Rem will never be Norma or Lapua brass, let's not ever get it confused with the really bad stuff out there.

I'll tell you right off the hop that I don't know enough about the AR rifles to troubleshoot this, but I would be inclined to say this is a rifle problem and not a brass/ammo problem.
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Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.
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