Uses for FC .223 brass?

[Cmm_3940]

I have about 500 rounds of FC headstamp .223 range brass that i cleaned, sized, and primed before I knew any better. This brass is all short, so I have no control over case length. I've since learned that many people don't even bother reloading Federal FC brass. I don't like the idea of wasting the primers. I really don't like the idea of trying to decap and reuse the primers. Is it worth it to try to do anything with this brass? I have enough trouble getting .223 boolits to group using good brass thats been carefully trimmed, and jacketed is kind of expensive these days to be making plinker ammo.

[plainsman456]

I use them all the time with no problems.

That said how much short are they?

[mikeym1a]

I have decapped a few cases, for various reasons. I did it slowly, with my glasses on, and with extended arms. No bangs. If you don't want to use the brass, perhaps we could reach an agreement, as I am in the midst of an AR build, and could use the brass. :bigsmyl2:

[Cmm_3940]

Random handful:

1.745
1.747
1.7485
1.746
1.744
1.747
1.748
1.745
1.750
1.749
1.746
1.732
1.752
1.750
1.747
1.749
1.750
1.748

[rockshooter]

load 'em, shoot 'em- they're just fine
Loren

[Jeff H]

It would be useful for forming 300 BLK brass.

[rondog]

I'd use 'em, but that's just me. And FWIW, I recently had to deprime 500 .303 cases, with absolutely no problems (long story). Just go slow and punch 'em out.

[Shepherd2]

I really don't think you have a problem.

[marvelshooter]

load 'em, shoot 'em- they're just fine
Loren
What he says. The only ones that will create a problem are ones that are over the maximum length. And if you are using them in a rifle with a 5.56 chamber you have even more leeway.

[Lights]

There is no problem with it being short. I load it all the time and both of my guns shoot it at sub MOA.

[cbrick]

I've since learned that many people don't even bother reloading Federal FC brass.

Really? I seek out Federal brass. Not only have I never had the slightest problem with it in any caliber I have never even heard of anyone not reloading Federal brass. I have shot up thousands of rounds of Federal American Eagle 223 just to get the brass for wildcatting.

Rick

[Tatume]

Really? I seek out Federal brass. Not only have I never had the slightest problem with it in any caliber I have never even heard of anyone not reloading Federal brass. I have shot up thousands of rounds of Federal American Eagle 223 just to get the brass for wildcatting.Rick

+1, Federal brass has been good for me. Load them, shoot them, enjoy them. Clean them and load them again.

Also, besides the danger from decapping live primers, you also deform the primers. They will still go bang, but are likely to be inconsistent. So if you decap the cases and throw them away, and the primers are now defective, what have you gained?

Take care, Tom

[Cmm_3940]

From the responses here, it looks like I'll load them up and not worry about it. I guess a roll crimp is disrecommended as there is no way to get a consistent crimp. If a crimp groove is present, I like to gently turn the case mouth into the groove. Otherwise, I don't crimp.

As for not loading Federal, what I read made it sound like it was a problem specific to Federal .223 with the FC headstamp, not Federal in general.

In addition to being short, several people claimed the FC brass was only good for a couple reloads because the brass was thin/soft compared to lake city. I guess I'll find out. :)

All of the new Federal .223 that I have bought has been loaded in LC brass. It makes sense that Federal uses LC brass nowadays since Federal (ATK) has run the Lake City plant since 2001.

[btroj]

Federal brass isn't highly regarded by some high power shooters. It tends to be softer than Win or LC brass, doesn't hold up as well.

I never used it so I can't say for certain.

[bikerbeans]

I just went through a couple thousand "FC" and "LC" 1x crimped PP brass. Almost all the FC was like yours, on the short side and the majority of the LC was over 1.76". I have both 5.56 & 300 AAC platform ARs so no big deal, loaded the short ones for the 5.56 & convert the longs ones to 300 blkout.


BB

[cbrick]

I have used many, many hundreds of Federal 223 brass & turned them into rounds such as 7mm TCU, 6.5mm TCU, 6.5 Ugalde etc. Reloaded them many dozens of times & never had the slightest issue with any. From my experience Federal brass is more consistent in case weight and primer pocket depth than most.

If you need to crimp simply length trim to the shortest average length of your lot of brass and crimp away just as I do with any given lot of new revolver brass.

Rick

[xringshutr]

Federal brass in 5.56/.223 tends to be very soft. With top end loads, the primer pockets loosen up very quickly. Usually you only get about 2 firings from a case. All other calibers do just fine. I use Federal 30-06 brass to neck up for my 35 Whelen. Works wonderful. So, if you keep the loads well below max, the brass will last longer. Probably 4-6 firings. Don't worry too much about the those overall lengths. They are well within acceptable range and will not be a problem. Load without crimp and shoot. What weight of bullet are you shooting?

[btroj]

The pressures Rick was working with weren't high enough to enlarge the primer pockets. Some of the loads HP shooter use will certainly loosen them, particularly the 600 yard loads.

A great example of a specific shooting discipline having a "rule" that doesn't extrapolate well to other disciplines.

The context in which some of these things are said makes a huge difference.

[bhn22]

I segregate FC 223 brass and run it through my "Case Saver" as time permits, to tighten the primer pockets. I've had the same issue with .308 brass, and the biggest offender seems to be "Gold Medal" cases. There's apparently a reason the Federal crimps the primer in GM cases. Right now, I have a bucket full of FC cases to process, and no inclination to fuss with them.

That said, I do agree that there's no reason to not use the cases described. Function should be just fine.

[Reloader06]

"The context in which some of these things are said makes a huge difference."

Amen!

[xringshutr]

My comments are not a "rule" that doesn't extrapolate well to other disciplines. It is just my simple observation of what I have seen with Federal brass. I've used a lot of it.

Yes, I am a highpower shooter....and yes our 600 loads are close to the top end to minimize wind drift at 600 yds. Certainly nothing dangerous. BUT, the trend with Federal brass, all other things equal, with a specific load, is that the primer pockets loosen quickly. You can also feel that the brass is softer when you run it through the sizer die.

No offense taken, just wanted to clarify.

BLUF, use the brass. It's fine.

[dudel]

Not had a problem with Federal brass. I rather like it. Shoots fine for me.

[cwheel]

I got some Fed .223 brass that got fired in by the prison guards in Mini 14's back in the 80's. These 3000+ cases have been reloaded more than 10 times and are still going strong. No loose primer pockets. I trim every time. Very few get rejected each run. Federal quality might have slipped over the years, but these are still fine. Now fired in several AR's and a Mini 14. Match quality, don't think so, but I'm not asking for that. Quality is at least as good as LC brass.
Chris

[cheetah]

Beyond 1.76" there creeps in the unacceptable chance for pinching the bullet at the case mouth. Ordinarily and arbitrarily, cases are trimmed to .010" undersize. It wouldn't affect safety or operation if they were 1.700".
A large discrepancy will affect the ability to crimp the bullets in place since the short ones won't crimp and the longer ones will neckbulge to a diameter that won't chamber.

[Bigslug]

Swage them into jackets for .375 H&H bullets? :bigsmyl2:

[Firebricker]

Cmm, If you concerned with crimping I would give the Lee Factory Crimp die a try one of the big benefits of it are case length is not critical. Set it to your shortest cases and you should be fine. FB