Reloading w/ LC brass?

[muntz]

This will be my first time for reloading .223 for use in an AR.

Is Lake City brass in .223 thicker than commercial brass?

If so, how far under max load should I start? And how should I proceede to work up?

[marksbb]

LC is suppose to have thicker case walls than commercial brass. Fill a case of both with powder, then measure the weight. Might give you an indication of overall capacity.

The standard method is to start at 10% below max charge. Look for eccessive presure by examining cases after you fire them.

I usually work up my loads 1/2 grain at a time.

[CAT_101]

I use LC brass. Here is what I load.

Accurate 2230 24gr
winchester 55gr FMJ
magtech small rifel primer
OAL 2.224
out of a 16" 1=9 twist I get 2980 FPS and sub MOA out to 300 yd

Its a cheaper load but works very well.

[muntz]

I'll be using Varget along with various bullets and weights from Sierra, Hornady, and cheep Winchester.

I'm not looking for max velocity but good fast and accurate loads in 55gr, 63gr, 69gr, and 75gr. I'm starting with Varget cause I use it for .308 and 30-06 loads.

[thmpr]

What powder and bullets are you using? There are many people on this forum who has wealth of info.

[muntz]

The bullets I have so far are:

Sierra 63 gr Semi Point
Sierra 69 gr HBT
Hornady 75 gr HBT
Win 55 gr SP

I'll be using once fired Lake City brass and virgin Winchester brass w/ WSR primers.

[Pryde]

The bullets I have so far are:

Sierra 63 gr Semi Point
Sierra 69 gr HBT
Hornady 75 gr HBT
Win 55 gr SP

I'll be using once fired Lake City brass and virgin Winchester brass w/ WSR primers.

Don't use WSR primers in an AR15. They are not hard enough and will result in popped or flattened primers and possibly slamfires. Do a google search on it.

Some people might not have problems, but enough people do to make me not want to take the risk.

[muntz]

Don't use WSR primers in an AR15.

I've heard this, too, but never came accross any info to back it up. But have heard from people who've been using them for years w/o any problems. I've been using WLR for my M1A and Garand for years with no problems. So I thought I'd give them a try.

[jandmtv]

i use wsr primers, on some hot loads too, no problems here! ive shot 2k reloads using WSR.

[ocabj]

I had a bunch of LC brass I had primed with WSR that I was using for practice ammo (non-match use) and I was piercing primers at a rate of 1 per 20 rounds. Even after swapping for a new firing pin. This was with a mild load of 24.0gr Varget, 75gr Hornady BTHP, and LC03.

I switched to CCI 400 for practice. I now also use Remington 7-1/2, but only because Bass Pro Shop was selling them for $17.95 per brick ever since they opened in Rancho Cucamonga. Unfortunately, they 'corrected' the price according to a friend that went there last week to get some. Luckily, I took the liberty of cleaning the BPS shelf of Remington 7-1/2 primers everytime I passed by.

[Pryde]

I've heard this, too, but never came accross any info to back it up. But have heard from people who've been using them for years w/o any problems. I've been using WLR for my M1A and Garand for years with no problems. So I thought I'd give them a try.

The old silver colored (nickel plated) WSR primers are fine.

The newer ones from the past few years no longer have the nickel plating as a cost cutting measure , they are the ones that people have been having problems with.

[xrMike]

Wish I would've heard that intel before I bought 1,500 of them!

[muntz]

1K here. But I've heard of way more people not having problems with them than the ones that do.

Anyway, to get back on subject. If, say, 26.0 gr. would be the max load published, and I'm using LC brass, how far below the 26.0 should I stay?

I know that I need to start low and work up, I just don't want to waste any time or materials on any loads which are pushing the case capacity or pressures to the danger zone. So if the max load were 26.0 should I not plan on making any loads hotter than 25.5?

[masterkwan]

Every rifle and even brass are different. As mentioned earlier, best to work to the max load usually starting at 10% less.

[Pryde]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the max load for a .223 without having a crimped primer is around 24.5? 26 sounds way too hot for civilian reloading.