5.56 primed brass

Caveman Jim · Aug 4, 2013

Wanting to buy 500 rounds. I have some Remington PCA (Polymer Cased Ammo) .223 ammo that I want to pull down & put into 5.56 cases.
Anyone have any? I don't have the means to do this (yet) so need someone willing to help me out, can ad $$$, river fishing trips and my labor to Get-R-Done.
Jim Sr. text 360-470-two475. Thanks for looking and have a great day

lcb97269 · Aug 6, 2013

5.56 cases don't have as much room for powder as 223 cases for so if you are planning to use the same powder from the 223, it will create excess pressure and possibly damage your gun and you.

American Rifleman - .223 Remington Vs. 5.56: What's in a Name?

bellarum · Aug 8, 2013

I would only reload the projectiles. Even if you think you know what powder was used in the PCA it would be safer to just develop a new load with new powder.

Caveman Jim · Aug 9, 2013

lcb97269 said:
5.56 cases don't have as much room for powder as 223 cases for so if you are planning to use the same powder from the 223, it will create excess pressure and possibly damage your gun and you.

American Rifleman - .223 Remington Vs. 5.56: What's in a Name?

I was planning to put all the powder in a tub and re measure the correct load for the 5.56 round. Thanks for the link although I have reviewed it before.

"I would only reload the projectiles. Even if you think you know what powder was used in the PCA it would be safer to just develop a new load with new powder."

And waste good powder? They shot accurately but the cases were the problem. Thanks for the concern Bellarum.

lcb97269 · Aug 10, 2013

If you pull powder that is unknown, how do you figure out how it works in a different case? And if the ammo shot accurately, why mess with it? Just asking. I have loaded about a half million rounds over the last 40 years and would never consider trying to do what you are considering. Seems dangerous and more.

Caveman Jim · Aug 10, 2013

If that's the case then, would it work if I used .223 cases? Just asking. I appreciate your knowledge in the reloading field

lcb97269 · Aug 11, 2013

223 cases are if using 223 loads. But am still not understand why you would pull apart what works for reuse in what might not. Personally, I only use virgin components on rifle ammo loads - I am picky that way. Magnum revolvers too. Pistol ammo, not so much as it is not so critical for short range defense practice. Some feel comfortable with 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards. I have replaced guns that wouldn't do under an inch and some that wouldn't do 1/2 inch at that range. True 556 brass is made to military specs, which is thick and doesn't require better than 2 MOA accuracy are 200 yards, or about 4" groups. Plenty good for people who are an average of 16" wide and 5'9" tall, if disabling them is the goal - military standards. Not so much so for the typical squirrel hunt where the target is maybe 1 1/2" wide x 5" tall at the same distance which makes for 60% or more misses at the same range.

I recommend shooting the ammo as is, if, as you said, it already has acceptable accuracy for you.

Buy new brass, bullets, powder and primers and work up a load that works in your rifle. Nothing else will ever work better. Federal GMM ammo is about the best out there, but hand loads tuned to a specific rifle work better for less than half the price. Pulled bullets and unknown powder in the wrong primed case could be a disaster at worst, and chasing tale at best, because you will never know how to duplicate the load even if you find it works first time out, once you run out of existing pulled components. Most factory loads are not the same from one lot to another because of powder lot variances and much more. And if your pulled bullets have exposed lead bases, odds are that you will never get beyond mil-spec accuracy because the pressure produces heat which melts a bit off of the lead base which distorts accuracy. The base of the bullet is the most critical part for consistency in accuracy. Some think it is the point. They are wrong and because of the PC Geneva convention, mil-spec bullets are generally wrong for accuracy. There are a few exceptions, but not many.