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That is just so brilliant, check that up to the obvious i never thought of, and what i learned from a necro thread today.
Reloading Imperial or IVI Brass
- Thread starter bigbull
- Start date
That is just so brilliant, check that up to the obvious i never thought of, and what i learned from a necro thread today.
It's repeated over and over again that military brass (7.62/5.56) is thicker and heavier with a smaller internal capacity than civilian brass (.308/.223) but that isn't always the case. Pretty much all brass exists on a gradation, not a two-column chart. There are some civilian stamped cases that are thicker and heavier with a smaller internal volume than some military brass. On most of the scales I've seen where cases are put in order of capacity, the military cases are in the top 1/3 to 1/4 of the scale for smallest internal volume but aren't always right at the top. Every lot and every individual case will have some tolerance on it that can move it around. This is why it's important to work a load up with a specific set of components, including cases, and not just throw in some fixed powder charge.
All I'm trying to say is not to assume all military cases have a smaller internal capacity than all civilian cases. It's often but not always true.
What you do (or at least should) get with military brass is harder case heads that resist primer pocket loosening more than most civilian brands. The hardness requirements at different points in the case are much more stringent on military brass. You want a hard case head and a softer shoulder and neck with a gradation between the two for any cartridge. The numbers I've seen show Lapua as being the only civilian brass brand harder than Lake City and other military cases.
All I'm trying to say is not to assume all military cases have a smaller internal capacity than all civilian cases. It's often but not always true.
What you do (or at least should) get with military brass is harder case heads that resist primer pocket loosening more than most civilian brands. The hardness requirements at different points in the case are much more stringent on military brass. You want a hard case head and a softer shoulder and neck with a gradation between the two for any cartridge. The numbers I've seen show Lapua as being the only civilian brass brand harder than Lake City and other military cases.
I picked up some 223 IVI brass at the range after RCMP were doing there thing. I got 45 pieces of once fired and there was one misfired round. I pulled the bullet, a 77 grain HPBT and 25 gr of some kind of blended powder, did some research and found out it is a military sniper round. The brass are very consistent in weight, I think the biggest spread in weight was just over 1/2 grain. I think I'm on my 5th firing and no problems yet.
The only way that you are going to know for sure is to measure the brass that you actually have. No other info can be considered accurate. Lot by lot variations, manufacturer to manufacturer variations, etc.
The only thing anyone will be able to tell you truthfully and accurately, is 'it varies'.
In the past, but apparently not any more. Been a while since I have seen the requirement for tracking end use listed with the small arms brass. The artillery stuff they drill holes in to destroy before selling.
At least one of the sellers/site sponsors is listing IVI Canadian Surplus brass for sale. (Canada Ammo?)
Cheers
Trev
- Location
- On a sand bar in the Atlantic Ocean.
I just loaded some IVI 5.56 cases yesterday. For comparison, I filled two different headstamped cases to the brim with the powder I was using. The IVI 5.56 cases held .5gr less Win 748 powder than Winchester .223 cases. Both cases were sized and trimmed
- Location
- West Quebec
Same here simple methods that one never really sees..tks
Really? Seems like the most common comparison point used when looking at different brass makers, is the capacity of water, either in grains or volume, whenever I read an article arguing that one stinks less than the other for whatever reason the #### writing it seems to think is important.
I like my IVI brass. Same rules for it and every other kind of brass. Start low, work up loads for YOUR OWN rifle, because what you gonna get from someone else's recipe might not make you happy....
Cheers
Trev
