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How good is LC-LR brass ? ( once fired )
- Thread starter Metal god
- Start date
Clarks primer strikes look normal so i dont think he is experiencing over pressure issues. It looks to me like a case separation near the base. I have had several case separations and they are very random. The fact Clark had 14 of them leads me to first think of excessive headspace or pushing the shoulder too far back during resizing?
Here's a quick summary of milsurp USGI brass.
M80 brass is generally fired through M240B machine guns, with generous chambers. This brass will be labeled "LC" and a two digit year code. Other codes include WCC and a year. If it is unprocessed it will have a brass colored primer.
LC-LR is sniper ammunition. This can be fired through bolt action M24, M40, or semi auto M110 or M14 based sniper rifles. Generally the brass shot through the bolt action rifles is in the best shape, but you should always assume that once fired LR brass has gone through an M110 or M14. LR brass that is unprocessed will have a brass colored primer.
Mk316 brass is labeled "FC" and is different than LR marked brass. If you find this brass unprocessed, it will have a nickel colored primer.
No matter the headstamp, I like to anneal brass before resizing to make the job easier and my reloads a little more consistent. I would pay more for LR headstamp brass because it is more consistent than normal LC machine gun brass.
Jimro
M80 brass is generally fired through M240B machine guns, with generous chambers. This brass will be labeled "LC" and a two digit year code. Other codes include WCC and a year. If it is unprocessed it will have a brass colored primer.
LC-LR is sniper ammunition. This can be fired through bolt action M24, M40, or semi auto M110 or M14 based sniper rifles. Generally the brass shot through the bolt action rifles is in the best shape, but you should always assume that once fired LR brass has gone through an M110 or M14. LR brass that is unprocessed will have a brass colored primer.
Mk316 brass is labeled "FC" and is different than LR marked brass. If you find this brass unprocessed, it will have a nickel colored primer.
No matter the headstamp, I like to anneal brass before resizing to make the job easier and my reloads a little more consistent. I would pay more for LR headstamp brass because it is more consistent than normal LC machine gun brass.
Jimro
I can see a large head clearance in the chamber causing something like that . It's just that's not what I've understood head separation to look like . I've always thought head separation happens much higher on the cases rather then in the extractor groove . I mean that is very thick brass in that area . I'd think to blow it out like that would take a lot of pressure or some other defect in the case to start with .
And then there is the polarizing nature of the reloader, they repeat over and over and over; stay away from those soft headed Federal cases because the primer pockets get loose when fired. First off, if the primer pocket gets loose the case head also expands and the case head gets shorter etc., but me? I like that in a case, I do not want case heads that are brittle, I want them to expand when I fire them and I want the case head to increase in diameter when fired and I want the flash hole to increase in diameter when fired. And then there is work hardening, when I fire my cases the case head work hardens. I know, everyone is so confused. There comes a time when the case head stops expanding when fired.
Anyhow I am not infatuated with setting a world record for the number of times a case can be fired. I have fired new cases that just survived the first firing. After the first firing I could not get the case to fit the shell holder.
F. Guffey
Anyhow I am not infatuated with setting a world record for the number of times a case can be fired. I have fired new cases that just survived the first firing. After the first firing I could not get the case to fit the shell holder.
F. Guffey
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The Old Salt
New member
I have some LC headlamp brass. It was Lake City pull down ammo. It was primed when I bought it.
I was testing a prototype 308 barrel using the LC brass. For a recent test the brass had 4 previous firing with being annealed after the 4th firing. It was loaded with 175g SMK and IMR 4064 powder.
The LC brass survived loadings that produced 175g SMK IVs in excess of 3000 fps with no side effects except a slight bulge in the case wall 30% up the case from the head and case expansion at the shoulder to case side transition. Several had stiff bolt lifts.
My point is, it is very strong brass! It withstood pressures that produced mid 300 Win Mag IVs out of a 308! Under more standard loadings it willserve you well.
I was testing a prototype 308 barrel using the LC brass. For a recent test the brass had 4 previous firing with being annealed after the 4th firing. It was loaded with 175g SMK and IMR 4064 powder.
The LC brass survived loadings that produced 175g SMK IVs in excess of 3000 fps with no side effects except a slight bulge in the case wall 30% up the case from the head and case expansion at the shoulder to case side transition. Several had stiff bolt lifts.
My point is, it is very strong brass! It withstood pressures that produced mid 300 Win Mag IVs out of a 308! Under more standard loadings it willserve you well.
Nosler guy
New member
I totally agree with road clam. Lc is pretty darn good stuff. It's the only brass my sport rifle likes (for accuracy) and I've reloaded some up to 6 or 7 times. I used to turn my nose up at it bc of how wonky and off center the flash holes are. I always year stamp sort and sometimes weight sort for those extra special loads.