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Posted: 5/15/2011 4:40:27 PM EDT
Loading .223, using LC brass at the moment.  I did use the search button with no sucess.  I apologize for asking a question that comes up so often.  

I also have some FC and WCC brass.  Do I reduce the same amount in these cases also?  

I am aware of web thickness issues with FC brass and plan to build the tool DryFlash3 used to measure the thicknesses.  

Thanks for your help in advance.
Link Posted: 5/15/2011 5:06:46 PM EDT
[#1]
Most people usually reduce the load by 10% when using mil brass
Link Posted: 5/15/2011 5:11:23 PM EDT
[#2]
Lake City 5.56mm (.223) brass does not need the powder charge to be reduced. It has the highest capacity of any brass in that caliber. Always check oddball headstamps, especially foreign military surplus for reduced capacity. Simply weighing an empty unprimed case should let you know how to proceed. Under 95 grains is good to load. Over 95 grains reduce your charge accordingly. I've seen Portugese brass weigh 104 grains unprimed.

Lake City 7.62mm (.308) brass requires a two grain reduction to start.
Link Posted: 5/15/2011 5:16:00 PM EDT
[#3]
Thanks good info guys, thanks.
Link Posted: 5/15/2011 6:57:08 PM EDT
[#4]
Link Posted: 5/16/2011 5:40:04 AM EDT
[#5]
As noted above 5.56mm NATO US military brass and .223 civilian brass are for all intents and purposes identical.

Consider something like BHA's red box loads where you'll get 50 rounds of mixed military and civilian cases in what is obviously the same production lot with no special sorting prepping or charging of the cases.  It generally shoots as well as cases I've hand prepped and more to the point if you sort  a mixed box and chrono them in two groups (military and civilian), you'll get very similar mean velocities and standard deviations.  In short, it makes zero difference.

Foreign made brass, and in particular non NATO standard foreign 5.56mm brass is something else, so proceed with caution.  

7.62mm NATO brass versus .308 Win brass however is a different story, particularly non-match brass.  7.62 NATO brass was made with thicker side walls to provide more strength and reliability by reducing the potential for a head separation in fully automatic weapons with 1) barrel systems where the head space can quickly become excessive, 2) cyclic rates and extraction forces can be very high, and 3) chambers can be very rough or dirty.  Pulling the head off a case and leaving the rest in the chamber not only creates a jam, but it effectively takes that barrel out of the fight.  Consequently 7.62mm NATO brass is thicker with less internal volume and you will want to back any starting load off by 10%.
Link Posted: 5/16/2011 9:04:51 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Loading .223, using LC brass at the moment.


Simple, you don't reduce.

Military 30-06 and 7.62 brass is a bit thicker than commercial brass and ought to be downloaded about 1 -1.5 grains.  Military 5.56 is the same thickness/weight as commercial Winchester brass.
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