So I was examining my bulk-packed AE223BK ammo and have found dents of various sizes. I have read a lot of posts that universally seem to say this is expected and just fine. I have shot about 100 rounds so far with some of all of these dent sizes and they seem to operate fine (feeding, firing, ejecting, etc).

I figured I would share some pictures so that others could rest easy:

http://i1353.photobucket.com/albums/q678/techjedi/Ammo/AE223BK_Dents.png

As noted in the image, only about 1% (5 rounds) had the larger dents shown in "A", maybe 10 rounds had "B" sized dents and something like 50ish had "C" sized dents. Most of the rest of the brass looked normal.

Yep, good illustration.  About 5 years ago Wideners was selling some bulk packed 62Gr Lake City.  People had the same findings, bulk packed ammo may include some dents.  Lesson learned or reinforced was always check your ammo before loading.

Of that Lake City, I only had 1 round out of 3K that wouldn't fire.  Found that yesterday, as it was too dented to chamber.

Dents like A, seem a bit to much. Have you tried to chamber one as bad as it?

I will try the A from that picture this week and follow-up.

OP,
I'm sorry to get off topic, but if you wouldn't mind, could you look at the brass headstamp and confirm if it is Lake City or Federal?  I have a chance to pick up some AE223 at a decent price, but I only want it if it's LC brass (I use LC for reloading).

They all say "F C" which I am pretty sure is Federal.

Correct, thanks for checking.

I went to the range today and all of these rounds fired without any issues feeding, firing, ejecting, etc.

I loaded the mag such that C was the first round to be chambered, then B, then A and they all worked without issues as well as another 12 rounds after them in the same mag..

...which proves the point that so long as they chamber well, they will work.

upon firing, they take the shape of the chamber, hence they are then "fire formed." (betcha post-firing you don't find any of these dents)

my "Rule" for firing dented brass ammo is two-fold:

1. does the dent impair chambering, if so, NO GO and,

2. if there is a sizeable dent on any of the "datum line," (which, of course, we all know is the shoulder area where the round headspaces itself in your chamber), then it is NO GO.



it's just me, but I won't fire ammo that's not seated properly on headspace contact points. headspace is important, why defeat its purpose by a huge dent there?

just my .02...