Huge ES/SD on Last Load Workup

[5.56 Bonded SP]

Like others said, I would assume it is because you mixed brass.
I never mix brass.

[5.56 Bonded SP]

Also, for these types of bullets I use 25.5 -26 grains of TAC.
Best accuracy for me was 25.6 using cci450 primers seated to 2.25

[markm]

Like others said, I would assume it is because you mixed brass.
I never mix brass.

.223/5.56 Brass largely has the same or an insignificantly different internal capacity. There of course are exceptions. There was some internal H20 volume chart posted on the web that illustrated this.

I mix my brass without issue. And the weird thing is we've never shot our best groups when sorting brass. I don't know why... just a fluke perhaps... but I've never (in .223) realized a gain on sorted brass.

[5.56 Bonded SP]

.223/5.56 Brass largely has the same or an insignificantly different internal capacity. There of course are exceptions. There was some internal H20 volume chart posted on the web that illustrated this.

I mix my brass without issue. And the weird thing is we've never shot our best groups when sorting brass. I don't know why... just a fluke perhaps... but I've never (in .223) realized a gain on sorted brass.

I'll take your word for it, although personally I just feel safer not mixing brass.
It might just be my headspace die(rcbs single stage), but I have had experiences where adjusting my headspacing die to headspace type A of brass will not properly headspace type B brass, which is why I usually never mix brass. This happened when my die was adjusted for 223 brass, and then some 5.56 brass did not headspace all the way on the same setting.

Any thoughts on the above issue? I figured it was because the 5.56 brass was a little thicker, but I am not sure.

[markm]

Any thoughts on the above issue? I figured it was because the 5.56 brass was a little thicker, but I am not sure.

5.56 Brass (at least LC/Win) is no thicker. (7.62 X 51 is a whole different ball game) I've run what surely must be over or near 100k pieces of 223/556 brass through a Dillon Carbide sizing die without ever running into any issue on sizing between brass kinds.

Shoulder bumps always fall in between the min/max on a case gauge. Variances in bump are going to happen due to inconsistency in neck hardness (since I don't anneal). But accuracy has never suffered, so I haven't had to address anything.

I'll address ANY issue that messes up accuracy... no matter how exhausting. And sorting brass isn't that big of a deal, I just haven't found that I realize any gain from doing it.

But to go back to your issue... I'd wonder about what lube you use? or what sizing die. Dillon dies are small base sizing dies that, for me, have been set it and forget it.

[5.56 Bonded SP]

5.56 Brass (at least LC/Win) is no thicker. (7.62 X 51 is a whole different ball game) I've run what surely must be over or near 100k pieces of 223/556 brass through a Dillon Carbide sizing die without ever running into any issue on sizing between brass kinds.

Shoulder bumps always fall in between the min/max on a case gauge. Variances in bump are going to happen due to inconsistency in neck hardness (since I don't anneal). But accuracy has never suffered, so I haven't had to address anything.

I'll address ANY issue that messes up accuracy... no matter how exhausting. And sorting brass isn't that big of a deal, I just haven't found that I realize any gain from doing it.

But to go back to your issue... I'd wonder about what lube you use? or what sizing die. Dillon dies are small base sizing dies that, for me, have been set it and forget it.

I use hornady one shot case lube ( spray ) it works really well, and I use an RCBS AR series die. The lube and die work wonderfully. Most brass will all headspace the same, but some NATO spec ammo shoulders won't bump equally compared to some 223 cases. I think the main brass that I had issues with was pirv m855 cases IIRC, when I checked them on my headspace guage they were just a hair too long, but the same setting on my die was headspacing federal and wolf brass perfectly.
It's weird, but that is the main reason I don't mix brass.

[Coal Dragger]

Hornady One Shot is garbage. Sorry, but it is. If you run that shit in a progressive where your sizing die can build up some heat you’re going to stick a case using that crap. I know this because I’ve done it in my XL650 trying to use the Hornady spray lube.

I now use a spray lube (pump bottle) made by Dillon, and that stuff flat out works. Just lanolin suspended in alcohol. Cases are noticeably lubed when using it, and I clean after brass prep to get rid of it. The decrease in handle effort, and more consistent and reliable resizing are worth it. Plus one pump bottle of Dillon lube is equivalent to about 2-3 cans of the aerosol Hornady crap.

Like Markm I don’t sort brass for most range ammo and have noticed very little practical difference when I do.

[5.56 Bonded SP]

Hornady One Shot is garbage. Sorry, but it is. If you run that shit in a progressive where your sizing die can build up some heat you’re going to stick a case using that crap. I know this because I’ve done it in my XL650 trying to use the Hornady spray lube.

I now use a spray lube (pump bottle) made by Dillon, and that stuff flat out works. Just lanolin suspended in alcohol. Cases are noticeably lubed when using it, and I clean after brass prep to get rid of it. The decrease in handle effort, and more consistent and reliable resizing are worth it. Plus one pump bottle of Dillon lube is equivalent to about 2-3 cans of the aerosol Hornady crap.

Like Markm I don’t sort brass for most range ammo and have noticed very little practical difference when I do.

Thanks for the heads up, I will have to buy some.
I haven't had much trouble with it. I usually spray about 25-50 pieces of brass in a box, roll them around, spray again, let dry, size, wipe out die after all cases are sized, then repeat.

[Coal Dragger]

I never had issues with stuck cases using the Hornady One Shot while running brass through my Redding T7 doing essentially single stage speed resizing operations. Only when I got the XL650 did the volume and speed of resizing operations make the Hornady lube fail. Switched to the Dillon stuff (I think RCBS has their own version of the same pump bottle lube) and no more issues. I can easily de-cap, resize, and trim 400-500 pieces of brass an hour now (running a case feeder, and an RT1500 trimmer on a size/trim die). The effort to knock out crimped in primers is higher than the effort to resize the brass.

[bigedp51]

The real difference between .223/5.56 cases is how hard the brass is, and Lake City has the hardest brass in the base and designed for the M16 rifle.





The flash hole web is thicker on Lake City brass adding radial strength to the base of the case.





How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...ardness-tests/



Bottom line, Lake City and civilian contract 5.56 brass is made "Ford Truck Tough".