strange brass

[flounderman]

I don't know where to post this, but here seemed as close as any. friend of mine came by some brass. looks like a 223 case, straight and a little longer. could be a 223 that hasn't had the shoulder and neck formed. strange part is the canalure about 1/2 inch up from the head. anybody ever see anything like this and if so, what is it?

[trooperdan]

blank case, cannalure near the head ID's it. Wonder if it was fired in something other than a .223 chamber? The 5.56 blank is so anemic I wouldn't think it would blow out straight though.

[flounderman]

does the 223 blank have a canalure just up from the extractor groove?

[GRUMPA]

flounderman,

By chance is there anyway you can post with a picture of it laying next to a ruler? Or a pair of calipers? This sounds interesting.

[Johnk454]

Yep, the military 5.56 blank has a cannelure near the extractor groove - memory says perhaps 1/4"-3/8" away.

What's the headstamp?

[flounderman]

lc 92 is the headstamp. new brass.

[runfiverun]

lc92 is definately a military headstamp.
lake city armory made in 1992.

[stubshaft]

Sounds like trooperdan nailed it. Still curious as to what it was shot in.

[mooman76]

Sounds like a 223 reformed for the 7.62x 38 Russian Nagant pistol.

[flounderman]

I think he said a 9mm just fit in it. it is just a hair longer than a 223. I don't know the process of drawing 223 brass but this could have been the start of a 223 case and the shoulder and neck were not yet formed. he said new brass, but it is hard to tell new from polished. I will have to ask him if there is any taper or if it is cylinder. m1 carbine is about .015 smaller in diameter than a .223 at the head end. this looks like an m1, but it is longer than a loaded carbine.

[Wayne Smith]

Sounds like a 223 reformed for the 7.62x 38 Russian Nagant pistol.

No, that has a definite rim. I've made some, you have to turn down the web as well as shorten it.

[Harter66]

How about a wildcatter making 357 max rimless?

[evan price]

One of those fashionable .300 Whisper or .300 Blackout calibers? Take a 223, remove the neck and taper, stuff a fat boolit in there.

[trooperdan]

I agree, likely a .300 Blackout or whisper... don't think I would use a blank case for that!

[Moonie]

300 AAC BLK and whisper is MUCH shorter than 5.56/.223 and has a slight shoulder, I have about 300 of them I've reformed since I got my upper last week. Just got my 245gr mold from Tom over at Accurate today, thing of beauty, cast up a few hundred today, can't wait to load them.

[Johnk454]

Moonie's correct, the 300 BLK is 10mm shorter than 5.56.

Way back in the 70s, we took readily available blanks, ran them into a trim die, hacksawed close, and filed. Presto, new primed brass! Never had an issue.

It does sound like brass in process to become blanks. Pure speculation, but perhaps the shoulder, neck, and crimp is formed in one pass after the case is charged?