>223 case life??

[Waylander]

The Winchester 5.56 once fired brass I have reloaded is some of the worst 5.56. Probably the worst considering the cost I paid and questionable quality of the ammo.
The primer pockets are looser than some of the .223 I've fired several times.

I'm not sure about the PMC Bronze .223 brass you have but the PMC 5.56 brass is great.

[Ryno12]

The Winchester 5.56 once fired brass I have reloaded is some of the worst 5.56. Probably the worst considering the cost I paid and questionable quality of the ammo.
The primer pockets are looser than some of the .223 I've fired several times.

I'm not sure about the PMC Bronze .223 brass you have but the PMC 5.56 brass is great.

Is that commercial Win 5.56 brass or WCC (NATO cross) brass? That LC OFB that I bought from Wideners has a bunch of WCC & TAA NATO brass mixed in with it. So far I've just been tossing it to the side to process at a later date. If it's garbage, maybe I'll just skip it all together. I have plenty of LC anyway.

[Waylander]

Is that commercial Win 5.56 brass or WCC (NATO cross) brass? That LC OFB that I bought from Wideners has a bunch of WCC & TAA NATO brass mixed in with it. So far I've just been tossing it to the side to process at a later date. If it's garbage, maybe I'll just skip it all together. I have plenty of LC anyway.

It's WCC with no NATO cross but the boxes are definitely labeled 5.56.

The TAA should be worth trying. I've heard good reports.

[Ryno12]

It's WCC with no NATO cross but the boxes are definitely labeled 5.56.

The TAA should be worth trying. I've heard good reports.

Cool, thanks.

[markm]

The Winchester 5.56 once fired brass I have reloaded is some of the worst 5.56. Probably the worst considering the cost I paid and questionable quality of the ammo.

Agreed. WIN commercial ammo brass, NATO brass, and unfired handloading brass has never failed to disappoint. Soft heads/premature loose pockets, etc. I load it, but it doesn't last long. (I just trash it for .308... that crap is useless when you're used to Lapua and LC)

[Waylander]

Agreed. WIN commercial ammo brass, NATO brass, and unfired handloading brass has never failed to disappoint. Soft heads/premature loose pockets, etc. I load it, but it doesn't last long. (I just trash it for .308... that crap is useless when you're used to Lapua and LC)

I was curious so I looked at my Win 5.56 brass from new ammo I shot. The brass is so soft the ejector left the signature mark on ALL the cases and they're deep marks. Something like you'd see if you shot hotrodded reloads. I don't see any ejector marks at all on the brass from the other 5.56 ammo I shot.

Even my PSD 5.56 brass is still going strong after a few reloads and the ammo is cheaper!

[markm]

Yep. That Win brass has always been short life stuff for me too.

[John Reno]

SixEight.....markm.....

The PMC is Bronze .223 and the Winchester is new bulk brass.I also have several hundred PPU & LC 5.56 once fired from my rifle.I believe that the low pressures I'll being loading should extend the brass life,even the Winchester.I don't need much power to kill paper out to 300 yards.

Best wishes,
John Reno

[markm]

I don't need much power to kill paper out to 300 yards.

I hear what you're saying. But I've got to where I like the same POI for practice and defense ammo. I used to run a mild 55 gr practice load, but then my SHTF/defense ammo was full power and had a higher POI...

[bigedp51]

"Winchester" is nothing more than a hollow name, and after Winchester lost the contract to produce ammunition at Lake City they fell on very hard times. They sold off their powder plant in Florida "AND" their brass making factory and they now buy their brass from the lowest bidder. And Olin is making chemicals for fertilizer and the names we grew up with as kids are gone or have been gobbled up by large conglomerates where quality control is governed by the share holders.

The difference is the milspec requirements for the brass have higher quality standards. And as another person said at the Accurate Shooter reloading forum, Lake City brass is the best brass the American taxpayer can buy.