Quoted:
For a while, I was sorting .223/5.56 brass primarily into 3 groups - LC, non-crimped commercial, and 'mixed non LC military crimp,' and it worked out well enough, as I wasn't loading near max loads nor for super precision.
Lately, I've jumped to 'full' sorting, after noting the 'oddball' PMP brass, and doing more load testing for accuracy.
I've still got a 'mixed' collection of brass post-sorting, along with the more typical further sorted out brass (LC, Fed, PMC, Rem/RP, Hornady, TAA, PMP, PPU 5.56) - in most cases, I just don't seen enough of them to split into their own containers yet, although I have another ~8K or so to get sorted, so that may change...
Just wondering what others are doing, and why...and a question on a pair of headstamps.
I segregate those also... into 1 quart Ziploc freezer bags, labeled on the outside, big enough to read.... eventually you will have more....I use those for small load testing of different bullet / powder combinations
1. I have some 'random mil brass,' headstamp simply say 'M193' up top and a 2 digit year on the bottom - e.g. "M193 08" - not a clue whose brass this is. Anyone? Likewise, I've got some 'IK' mil brass that is apparently from Yugoslavia - anyone with experience reloading it to say it's good to go or 'avoid' for some/any reason, or if it's made by a known mfgr and just stamped differently?
"M193 08" Is Centurion sold from AIM Surplus..... IK is from Yugo and said to have SMALL flash holes....
Which brings up one of the reasons I separate it all... small flash holes will ruin your reloading day
2. WCC, IMI, and I think one other headstamp have nearly identical case volumes. PMC, S&B, and Remington (RP) likewise, are nearly identical on case volumes. Any reason
not to group those together (2 groups)?
I don't segregate various headstamp be volume... because of the difference in the brass construction.. not all brass is constructed the same, I feel like I am removing a variable that way.
...... from this article...
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/x-ray-spectrometry-of-cartridge-brass/
3. Last one - I've read
many threads on the 'questionable' value of FC .223 brass. I've been separating these, but am I wrong in assuming the "FC 0N" vs "FC .223" brass is mil-spec NATO brass, possibly off the LC line, and can be further split out and loaded reliably (the FN NN brass)?
more or less the same answer as before.... LC brass has to meet specific USGI specs... FC brass may not need to