.223 reloads with mixed brass

[dragon7]

I have for a while now reloaded .223 with one brand of previously fired brass and have had good success. Recently I was given a good amount of mixed once fired .223 brass and was wondering how much accuracy and reliability I might give up by using it? What have your experiences been? I might mention with pistol brass I'm not so anal and have had good success with mixed brass in most pistol calibers.

[toby]

Unless your keeping score don't worry about it with reloading any caliber.

[lpspinner]

OK....I have to say it. You accuracy and reliability with suffer! It's just gonna be awful! Best to just box it up and send it to me and I'll take the hit for you.

Seriously, you should be fine. Just full length resize the brass, trim if needed and you should be go to go!

However, if you can, sort the brass by headstamp and load by the same headstamp.

[Darklyte27]

What are you shooting it with?

I have separate labeled zip lock bags to hold the brass with what gun i shot.

IE, Larue AR and keep all that brass together which is 223 75 gr factory PPU ammo.
While I also use the same ammo in my stag model 6 varminter that has its own bag because both are AR they might have a slight different chamber size.

If you are using mixed brass for "plinking" then it doesnt really matter much.

Once you are shooting half inch groups or something then you want to be pretty detailed so you can track and keep data on what brass works better than what.

I have a 308 savage which i tried 4 different brass cases, 2 were ok, 1 was all over the place and one brand shot very well. different mfg have different tolerances which can help accuracy.

I also have a box full of brass thats mixed stuff thats not going to be my "accurate" brass, its just for bulk plinking 223 stuff.

[xfer42]

My brass is all mixed up range brass. I just put a new upper together, its a 22in .223 Wylde bull barrel and a el cheapo $69 Leapers scope. 3in targets at 100 yards, 55 grain prvi partizan FMJBT, SPP210 propellant, Wolf SRM loaded on a Lee Loadmaster. These are out of my last batch of about 1200. Good enough for me (maybe not for some folks)

[scotty99]

I reload mixed .223 all the time, but take some time to check the case OALs. I have found up to .040" differences and that can get frustrating when seating bullets.

[Darklyte27]

xfer42, it all depends, off hand? bipod? benchrest? sand bags?

its not bad for a AR. I have a larue stealth upper and a stag varminter. Ive shot both in the half inch group range with factory ammo. That is using a bipod and buttstock in my shoulder.

[xfer42]

xfer42, it all depends, off hand? bipod? benchrest? sand bags?

its not bad for a AR. I have a larue stealth upper and a stag varminter. Ive shot both in the half inch group range with factory ammo. That is using a bipod and buttstock in my shoulder.

From the hip... with a cigar hanging out of my mouth.

JK. Bipod mounted on the gas block. It could have been a little better if I had higher scope rings. For now, I have to squish my face against the buffer tube to see.

[huckberry668]

I think you're ok if you're not shooting for accuracy or saving lives.

Are you sure they're all 223Rem brass? I bet some of them are 5.56NATO. On a high level the differences are case length and capacity. 5.56 are usually longer & thicker in my experience.

The brass stretches about .005" each time you resize it. 5.56 is already long to begin with so I'd suggest trimming the cases after sizing if you reload them multiple times. this way the longer 5.56 won't get pinched in the shorter leade of a 223 Rem chamber and cause failures (including blow up).

[AK all day]

I used mixed brass, and it's just fine

[SuperSet]

I've also used mix brass but only for general purpose (shredding) 55gr loads. Accuracy is good.
But for 77gr SMKs, I mark my brass and use only those head stamps. I tested some from my mixed bag and accuracy started to vary quite a bit.

[dragon7]

Got the message. Thank you. I'm shooting a couple of ARs one with a 14.5" 1 in 7 barrel and a 20" 1 in 8 barrel.

Plinking (3" or better) = mixed brass

Accuracy (1/2") = single head stamp

Good reminder about .223 vs 5.56 dimensions from huckberry668. Some of the brass I acquired is 5.56. I'll be sure to trim them and watch the OAL as scotty99 says.

[mjmagee67]

I regularly shoot 1 inch minus groups at 100 yard with 55gr Hornady SP bullets using mixed brass. One thing I do is trim all my newly acquired once fired brass to 1.745 after that I can normally get 2 to 3 reloads before having to trim again.

[bohoki]

i use mixed brass but i avoid reloading certain headstamps

i love pmc,gfl,r-p,win,fed(but often i get a loose pocket)

i don't like s&b the pocket wont seat a primer all the way for me so i gave up and just chuck them all when i see them

i have a pocket uniforming tool from hornady it cleans up the military stuff like lc wcc

[damndave]

All depends on what kind of accuracy/consistency you are aiming for. For plinking rounds, I wouldn't bother, but if you are making match rounds I would sort by headstamp. It really doesn't take very long so why not?