best preloaded .223/5.56 brass for reloading?

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

So I know this isn't grendel related, but I respect your opinions as far as attention to details.

I have probably a few thousand empty cases already all once shot. But I'm getting kinda low on loaded ammo, and although I'm good way into my reloading equipment I'm not really able to set it up in a practical, useful and clean area to safely accommodate it all. Add to that the brass is somewhat mixed, and some of it is probably pretty low grade brass from when I first got into the sport about 8 years ago like PMC, etc. Whatever was cheap.. I also have about a thousand FC, LC, + some WCC and others in quantity of a couple hundreds or so.
Also considering seeking it cheap if those aren't really worth my time. Im going to single stage it all with a Co-Ax so it will fairly time consuming, so I'll want my time invested fairly well.

So I'm trying to figure out if there's some really good factory loaded brass that's worth spending the extra money on. Looking for the best cost to performance ratio in regards to how many reloads I can get from it. I plan to anneal once I get going. And don't typically shoot high volume, I used to somewhat but now that I'm spending more and buying better barrels and rifle/pistol components I'll be focusing more on lo get ranges.

I'll still practice volume shooting some for training purposes but in my more "beater" rigs.
I found this IMI 77gr. SMK that seems like a fairly good deal and will hopefully shoot really well out of my current 18" BHW 1-8 .223 Wylde 3 land poly barrel. I do plan on getting a second quality AR in the same twist/caliber/length relatively soon.

http://www.sgammo.com/product/223-556mm-ammo/500-round-case-556mm-77-grain-smk-otm-lr-mod-1-razorcore-imi-ammo-made-israe-0

[Sticks]

Try here

http://ammoseek.com/ammo/5.56x45mm-nato

[Fredman]

Well, I thought Black Hills used Lapua brass, but it doesn't say on their site. Lake City, maybe Federal?
You know, you can make some fine ammo on a progressive press, and spend more time shooting...

[LRRPF52]

The biggest problem I have with using brass from factory ammo is all the different types of cases, which have different volumes and different yield strengths.

The cheap, soft brass loses primer pocket tension quickly.

You can't use load data from one case to the next, so you really have to sort brass and develop loads or use lighter loads when mass-producing.

It makes sense to have one type of brass that is strong and long-lasting.

Easy answer is Lapua, but requires a major initial investment that will pay off in the long run.

Check this article out for a comprehensive source on different .223 brass weights, consistency, loads, etc.: http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/223rem/

[jkingrph]

I have had good luck with the major brands, Winchester, Remington, Federal, Norma, and some Lapua. The Norma is for a 9.3x57 and has not been used a lot so no long term results, same goes for the Lapua for 6.5 Grendel. Back in the mid 60's a friend in the Nat Guard got me a lot of Lake City 30-06 loaded match ammo, and I shot and reloaded some of those cases 10-12 times. I recently looked at some of them and see some case splits, probably due to work hardening and ageing.

I have bought and shot some IMI 5.56, and have not reloaded any. Right now I don't know if it has the military crimp or not. Before that I bought a quantity of once fired LC 5.56 that had the primer crimp removed and had good results with it.

Lastly, my most ambitious project 7-8 years ago, I bought some 7.62x39 IMI brass for the express purpose of converting to a 6.5 Grendel. It is a rather simple process, simply resize, load and shoot to fireform. It worked out well. Factory Grendel brass was in such short supply and so expensive, as well as not being SAAMI standard in those days that I got a couple of thousand cases for future use, so probably have a lifetime supply for me. I found the fireforming loads accurate, not gilt edge, and reliable to feed and function my AR rifles so they were good for fun shooting.

I have one of the little CZ 527 American rifles in 6.5 Grendel on order, so will save the Lapua and Hornady brass for use in it.

[Texas]

LC, once the primer pockets are swaged. Good cost\performance, availability, consistency.

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

#3 I would/will progressive once I move out sadly still live with the folks. (Thinking about a tiny home so I can drive it to the spot and just live on the shootin' range ) I don't even really have enough room to use what I got. Which is some nice equipment. I just have it in crates boxed up just incase SHTF... Some of those automated setups are pretty inspiring! But sadly I haven't been able to shoot that much. When I was working at Boeing on 787 it was mandatory O.T. and weekends on top of 100mi round trip in Seattle traffic, So no time then. And when I escaped that Gulag I dont really have the cash. I was good at spending $ Been in and out of the house, and paid rent on multiple storage units for years... Money wasted :.( Never again! (Hopefully) autobiography over..

#4 yeah I already have it all deprimed, cleaned, and sorted in bags sitting in a bucket. I'm trying to get as quality results as possible from the onset just to form good habits for the rest of my reloading career.

#5 interested post about converting x39 cases to Grendel. That could be a useful resource. Does sound pretty simple.

To everyone else sounds like i have a pretty decent start then. I mostly have FC, LC, and some other quality brass. PMC is probably third in quantity and was amazed how off center the primer holes were. Maybe I'll just chop those and use them for 300bo if I get into that (I'm sure I will at some point) I'll keep buying the quality Federal stuff. I want to mostly stick with one brand or type. I also read a review that said that IMI stuff was kinda thinking walled. So IDK.

Is there a difference from the XM civilian stuff we get vs. the M designated stuff the military gets? I read guy referenced the XM type as "cr*p" any truth? Not so much concerned when focusing on reloading here. But my xm855 green tips have kinda been shooting like poo compared to even my FC 55gr. Econo factory loads. But so far only open sight testing. Need rings for my cheap redfield revolution.

Definitely willing to deswage once if they are gtg and last a while.

[BR17722]

Precision Firearms uses Lapau cases in some and probably all their ammunition. Their boxes of ammo contain 50 rounds. Not the economy method to get Lapau brass but if any of his loaded rounds are desirable for your use you would have the best brass for reloading. AND if the ammo is in stock you are way ahead time wise. His "out of stock ammo" would likely have some wait time.

I answered this as a 6.5 Grendel cartridge/case question which was a big miss on the original question.

[Sticks]

I took a couple of carbine training classes, and was one of 2 people that were keeping the brass at each class. We split it up and I now have about 10k cases, 90% of it is LC. I have no need to worry about case life. The ammo is so cheap anymore, and abundant (finally) that unless you can get the components locally and avoid the HazMat fees, it is not cost effective to reload 5.56.

[Bruw]

The American Eagle XM193 is Lake City brass. I buy it on sale at Cabela's for about $7.50 a box, swage it once and you're good to go. I don't shoot competitions or anything but I can shoot under 1" groups with the reloads in that brass all day. If that's good enough accuracy for you it's a cheap way to get brass. The swageing is annoying but if the brass lasts 10+ reloads, which I expect it will, it's worth it to me.

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

I took a couple of carbine training classes, and was one of 2 people that were keeping the brass at each class. We split it up and I now have about 10k cases, 90% of it is LC. I have no need to worry about case life. The ammo is so cheap anymore, and abundant (finally) that unless you can get the components locally and avoid the HazMat fees, it is not cost effective to reload 5.56.

Half of it is to improve quality, the other part of it is for SHTF prepping.. so its worth it to me. But I hear ya. And yeah finally it's back! ; ) Also Sounds like a carbine course is money well spent! Lol.

[Sticks]

Not sure what quality there is to improve on with M855 or M193. Minute of Man out to 400 with factory loads, and by then it's getting pretty anemic out of a 16" energy wise.

[diddlyv]

The cheap American Eagle shit shoots Sub MOA out of 2 of my ARs 24 inch DPMS HBar and RR NM)and about 1.5 out of the 3rd. pretty (much as milspec A2 as one can make commercially). Not sure it is worth my effort to try to tune a better load. Have yet to shoot it or anything else out of my 4th an 18 incher

[NugginFutz]

For SHTF or just plain plinking, steel cased Tulammo works for 5.56 as well as anything I have shot in a very cost effective way. At one of LRRPF52's DM classes, I used it in conjunction with a 16" Midway barreled 5.56, topped with an Aimpoint H2 to finish 3rd overall in the culmination exercise. This meant I was making hits on plates out to 400 yards with a red dot, shooting ammo which cost me under $6 a box. (I believe I might have finished better than 3rd, had I not shot the hostage - Mr. X.)

Having said that, for reloading, I only use LC brass. I found PMC shoots well, but the primer pockets loosen more quickly than with LC. I've managed as many as 10 reloads on a given batch of LC cases, with 2-3% loss due to split necks after the first 7-8 loadings. These will easily deliver 1/2 MOA or better from my bull barreled BHW 20" varmint rifle.