5.56 brass any good for 223

Elitespotter

Private
Minuteman
Feb 26, 2013
2
0
Just asking this for a friend. He works in law enforcement and could get up to 200 once fired cases of 5.56 every week.

I know there is a difference between the 5.56 and .223 case, but given the right powder load, would it be possible to make these work?
 
There's a slight difference in the chamber, or more specifically, the throating, of 5.56 and 223 Rem. The brass, however, is identical, no difference whatsoever. Take whatever he can scrounge for you and use it in good health!
 
As long as the case is full sized correctly you will not have an issue.

NATO brass firing from NATO chambers will "stretch" more than Civilian guns. NATO chambers also allow for looser headspace, therefore the brass will be stretched even more.

If you just happen to pick up brass fired from a Military gun with loose headspace, the NATO Military brass might NOT size "correctly" when putting it through the sizer, from my experience, it seems the brass bounces back a little. Fix for this I have found is to just pull down the lever twice to size the same case twice while it is sitting the shell holders.

If you are shooting your "once resized" brass through NATO chambers, it will not be an issue. But for guns with SAAMI or Wylde Chambers you might have an issue if the brass does not size "correctly".
 
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Just asking this for a friend. He works in law enforcement and could get up to 200 once fired cases of 5.56 every week.

I know there is a difference between the 5.56 and .223 case, but given the right powder load, would it be possible to make these work?

Never had a problem with it other than swaging the primer crimps. It's good stuff.