300 Blackout Brass

** Update 13 November 2018 **

Another batch has been posted. 15,000 pieces of 99% Remington .223 headstamp.


** Update 04 August 2018 **

300 BLK is now posted in the EE

** Updated 27 July 2018 **

This will be the final update before everything goes into production. Optical HS sorter is a bust. So it will be of mixed HS, for now... All HS are ones that convert correctly to correct neck thickness. You will need to deburr and chamfer the or run an expander ball through the neck. This is because north of 2,000 pieces per hour anything I tried to do with neck tension started changing other dimensions significantly.

Trim length Average: 1.354" +/- 0.002"
Headspace Average (SAAMI): -0.003" +/- 0.002"
Average neck thickness (after deburr and chamfer): 0.0113"
Internal neck tension (after deburr and chamfer): 0.302"
The end user should deburr and chamfer the brass prior to loading, or you could use a Lyman M-die and crimp it

It has been a slow process, I know. However commercial loaders are my bread and butter, and they have been consuming all of my .223 / 5.56mm equipment time. I now have a bit of a break where I can get these small projects sorted out.

** Updated April 22**

The first pre-production batch is going out to testers on Monday. Once it is verified, then I will be releasing brass en-masse.

I ran into two issues that will increase the price slightly from where I had hoped. But really, we are talking like $5 per 1,000 increase at this point. Current pricing is looking like:

$90 per 500
$165 per 1,000
$160 per 1,000 for large quantities

One - I can't run as fast as I had planned. I was running around 2,500 pieces per hour, but shattered a carbide insert and destroyed a boring bar - so the actual cost of that plus the speed reduction to 1,500 parts per hour for the feed rate to reduce the thickness of the swarving to allow it to break apart for vacuum extraction.

Two - Optical sorter for brass headstamp is slower than advertised. Actually operates at 1/2 of speed advertised to achieve the level of precision I demand. I aim for 99% headstamp accuracy, and if I run it any faster, then that accuracy starts to drop off quickly.

I haven't run a complete statistical analysis yet on the production setup, however, these are the pertinent details:

OAL Length 1.360" +/-0.002" (98%)
Headspace SAAMI (-)0.003 +/- 0.001"
Neck Thickness Range 0.0105 - 0.0115"

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I will be spooling up production on converting brass from .223/5.56mm to 300 Blackout. I am hoping to have the optical sorter functioning. We shall see. I haven't set a price point as yet, it should be significantly more economical then what is available currently. I am waiting to see production rate and how quickly I burn up end mills. I usually get 150,000 pieces of .223 per end mill, they are expensive, so I do have to factor that in.

Will be available in 500's / 1,000's

Brass will be:

Camdex Processed
Formed
Trimmed to length
Cleaned
 

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I broke a couple of fingers earlier this week. Sometimes I play stupid games, so I win stupid prizes. It has set me back a week or so. Just can't really use my left hand for a couple of weeks. The guys in the shop are helping out huge, I just can't cut them loose on 300 BLK yet.
 
We are just verifying the brands that we can use for production over the next couple of days. Then I will be starting production. I have seen the lists of head stamps that will work. I just like to check myself. If you want to help out, please measure the outside diameter of loaded rounds that works in your rifles at the neck. Post the brand, if it is converted .223 or factory blackout and the measurement.
 
We are just verifying the brands that we can use for production over the next couple of days. Then I will be starting production. I have seen the lists of head stamps that will work. I just like to check myself. If you want to help out, please measure the outside diameter of loaded rounds that works in your rifles at the neck. Post the brand, if it is converted .223 or factory blackout and the measurement.

Here you go Brian
#1 Hornady 300 Black .3330
#2 Barnes 300 Black .3325
#3 R-P 300 Black .3295
#4 ADI 300 Black .3285
#5 LC .223 convert .3295
#6 FC 300 Black .3290
#7 RP .223 convert .3285 ( my favorite due to thickness of neck brass. ) Works in everything I've shot it through
#8 CBC 300 Black .3260
#9 S&B .300 lack .3310
#10 FC .223 convert .3310 (also good brass)

All loaded with 150 gr .309 FMJBT or AMAX .168 gr .308

Get ya more converted .223 #'s in a day or 2
I can also get you #'s of various brass loaded with .309 245 gr cast RNFP if you like , just have to load some .....
 
S&B has too thick of a neck if using Cast ( works if chamber is clean ) less so if dirty

Winchester brass is Ok but I have been anealing them --- also the most found with cracked necks as 223 -- also crimped primer pockets
Norinco ok but aneal

RP Great brass but on the softer side
 
I am seeing lots of FC 17 and FC .223 Rem headstamps. That will most likely be what I aim to provide.

They both seem to land 0.330 - 0.331" with my measuring tools loaded with 150gr fmj. I have fairly accurate tools that are reading to 0.0001". With maximum at 0.334" I think that should be good.
 
The first pre-production batch is going out to testers on Monday. Once it is verified, then I will be releasing brass en-masse.

I ran into two issues that will increase the price slightly from where I had hoped. But really, we are talking like $5 per 1,000 increase at this point. Current pricing is looking like:

$90 per 500
$165 per 1,000
$160 per 1,000 for large quantities

One - I can't run as fast as I had planned. I was running around 2,500 pieces per hour, but shattered a carbide insert and destroyed a boring bar - so the actual cost of that plus the speed reduction to 1,500 parts per hour for the feed rate to reduce the thickness of the swarving to allow it to break apart for vacuum extraction.

Two - Optical sorter for brass headstamp is slower than advertised. Actually operates at 1/2 of speed advertised to achieve the level of precision I demand. I aim for 99% headstamp accuracy, and if I run it any faster, then that accuracy starts to drop off quickly.

20180421_204147.jpg
 

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In all reality, they are small issues. For example, I was processing 9mm today, like every other day. A minor problem is found with the machine, a case retaining bar looked a little out of specification. Pulled it apart and it is broken, the strip of metal is USD $190. If I go a week consuming less then USD $500 in parts across the whole fleet of equipment, it is a good week in my books.

The only thing is that I have to pass on costs of specific items on that item. IE, the issues on .300 Blackout could be spread out across the whole product line, but that isn't fair. So I apply price increases against the specific setbacks.
 
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I will begin manufacture at the end of this week. I am closing out a 500,000 piece 9mm order and then I will have a bit of time to get this back into production. We are still waiting for final testing results, but should not be any issues as everything measured out within specification.
 
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