just picked up some AE 223 55grn...or is it?

nza

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Hey, just picked up 1/2 dozen boxes of AE .223 55gn fmj
The brass was stamped with the NATO sign, and LC 05
So is this stuff Lake City fresh as of 2005? it's really 5.56 then?
 
The Lake City plant is now run by Federal's parent company. Like Winchester before them, you will find they are using the plants capacity to make brass, bullets, and possible live ammo.
 
Ah I see, so it's not going to be hot loaded like the nato ball is, it'll just give me the velocities as shown on box. It doesn't really matter, it's all going to feed an ar anyways.
 
According to Federal, if its headstamp is LC, etc., and if the product code is XM193, it is 5.56 spec.
 
Hmm, I should buy MORE and hog it all then! Unless this is a regular run for AE, and they will continue producing 556spec 223 forever. Then I won't be special anymore.
 
tiriaq said:
According to Federal, if its headstamp is LC, etc., and if the product code is XM193, it is 5.56 spec.

Unlikely they would sell 5.56 in a boc marked 223. Simple way to check is with a Chrono 3200fps out of a 20" is 5.56.
 
I asked Federal about this. They make 2 versions of hardpoint .223. Cartridges with LC cases, product code XM193 are 5.56. Those with product code AE223 are .223 spec. These cases are not LC.
 
I have purchased a few cases of AE223. They all have LC cases. Now if only they'd use LC brass for their .308 Winchester.
 
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From what I've heard from a number of people, they are, like others have said here LC brass loaded to .223 pressures. The XM193 is another story though, that is loaded to higher pressures for additional velocity and extended fragmentation range. I imagine the LC brass is more suited to reloading than the conventional AE .223 brass though. I've been noticing a lot of LC 05 cases at the range that people are just leaving and I am cleaning up on this :)
 
zut alors. oh well. Mine is the AE223 box. If I had gotten the XM boxed stuff, and threw it into a bolt action, there could of been some liability issues there...not that I would care...
Anyhow, I guess the brass is good enough to keep for RL'ing.
I got mine from gone fishin' in nanaimo
 
Not necessarily. It simply means it will function in NATO STANAG weapons. It likely is loaded to 223 specs if sold as 223. 223 will operate a NATO weapon, just not an ideal choice.
 
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