Is American Eagle 223 brass as good as LC'09?

[Kimber7man]

I've got a 223AI enroute, and need to pick up some brass. My bud just ran 600 rounds of American Eagle 223 ammo through his AR, so that might work. I am just curious whether it is as good as Lake City '09 brass?

Thanks!

 

[Yeah]

There is a ton of great 223 brass out there for forming, but I can't say I've tried AE. I have a feeing it'll be fine.

LC gets contracted out and quality varies from great to just all right.

If I were you I'd try it and report back.

 

[Litlratt]

My experience with Federal brass is that it's comparably soft, resulting in the primer pockets expanding with warm loads.

 

[sloughfoot]

Post a report and let us all know. Since Federal now operates the Lake City ammo plant, I really am not sure......

 

[xring62]

My experience with Federal brass is that it's comparably soft, resulting in the primer pockets expanding with warm loads.

HighPower shooters wont use fed. brass because of what you mentioned,they most all use Lake City only . I tried to use Fed.brass and had to make all I had just plinking loads,and dont care if I pickem back up.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Has the AE ammo changed then? I thought this used to be in essence Lake City M193 that was rejected by the US military and/or rejected at the factory from internal Q.C. checks that were done before shipment. The stories I've heard range from slight cosmetic blemishes on cases, to velocity spreads being to high/low for the military contract, but in each case the ammo was perfectly safe for use.

IIRC, some of the Black Box AE ammo I shot after I first got my AR's a few years ago was LC brass. Either way, I've reloaded it a time or two already and haven't had issues.

I will also say that I have a lot of other brands of brass in my pile (probably 75% is various LC head stamps), so can't tell you anymore where my AE stuff is.

I will be sure to keep an eye on my primers though.


ETA: I found a few boxes that I hadn't shot yet, incluidng a box of AE Tactical Tracers (Red box but marked "Tactical"). Clealry marked with LC - YEAR - Nato Symbol. So, maybe the AE Tactical line is what I'm thinking about and the regular AE brand is commercial produced with FC cases.

 

[mertbl]

Pretty sure the AE223 is not XM193 rejects. The headstamp on the brass is FC 223.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Pretty sure the AE223 is not XM193 rejects. The headstamp on the brass is FC 223.

Ok...sounds like what I have checked for my post above may be older then, or perhaps it confirms my thinking that the AE "Tactical" brand is the XM193, and the regular AE223 is just that...FC 223.

 

[k12lts]

My experience with Federal brass is that it's comparably soft, resulting in the primer pockets expanding with warm loads.

This has been my experience as well. I'll reload it once or twice then just let it lay or put it in the recycle bucket.

I never pick up FC brass at the range. As far as I know rifle brass is the one with the issue, I've had no problems with FC pistol brass.

 

[YJBrian]

Got some AE223 in the normal black package and the 'AR-15' labeled package. All is headstamped FC 223

 

[c3d4b2]

+1

My experience with Federal brass is that it's comparably soft, resulting in the primer pockets expanding with warm loads.

 

[bstewrat3]

I have had very good luck with LC09 brass. I bought 1k of virgin cases online and necked them up to 6.5mm for my Contender. I had no neck splits in 1000 cases. I have loaded and shot 10 of the cases over 40 times so far with no annealing and the primer pockets are as tight as new.

 

[vick1]

brass

My experience with Federal brass is that it's comparably soft, resulting in the primer pockets expanding with warm loads.
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+ 2 Agreed.....

 

[RTDoug]

My experience with Federal brass is that it's comparably soft, resulting in the primer pockets expanding with warm loads.
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+ 2 Agreed.....

+3