223 AI brass selection???

[MildBill]

I recently bought a new Rem 700 Varmint SF and had it re-chambered to 223 AI because I wanted to try an AI and this chambering would work well for shooting ground hogs and other varmint type critters.

So now I am curious as to what brass folks have found to be really good to work with.

I have a pretty good supply of lake city 223 brass that could be used. Are there any drawbacks with using that?

As mentioned above, this gun will be used for critter control purposes.

Thanks

 

[jpretle]

That LC brass will work just fine. You should also find accuracy quite acceptable in the fire forming phase.

 

[HillbillySniper]

You should also find accuracy quite acceptable in the fire forming phase.

Can't agree more. When I got my AI back I shot a couple of groundhog matchs as well as metal gongs out too 650 with my unfire formed loads and still shot great. You will see your groups shrink a good bit tho once you find your final load with the formed brass.

Hillbilly

 

[MildBill]

thank you for the replies

 

[KevinL]

I have win and lc brass. I have started aneling the lc brass really helps the longevity.
Good Luck you will like it.
Kevin

 

[vmthtr]

I have had my 223 AI for a while. Am still using my first 1000 rounds. IMI brass is THE brass to use, sadly not availble anymore. I must have 10 firings on them already. Barrel still shoots 3/4" groups. 50g Vmax and VV133 with a CCI BR primer.

 

[SmokinJoe]

I agree about the IMI brass. Thought I saw that Widener's was beginning to have some IMI products again. For a military type product IMI is unbelievable. Had 1600 of 2000 that weighed within 1.5 grs & had neck TIR of less than .001". I tested IMI against Wnchester, Federal & Lapua ( I think the not so good stuff from a few years ago ) and IMI was clear winner. All the rest had to be FL sized after 2-3 firings; the IMI was still going strong after 6 firings.

 

[GaCop]

I built a 223AI with 1 in 8 twist just over a month ago. I'm having good results with Winchester brass. I'm fireforming new RP brass now and will see how it performs. I guess I got lucky, my case grain weight for the RP brass has been right around 90.5 gr +/- .3 grain and 94.5 gr with the Win.

Tom

 

[vmthtr]

Being a BR shooter I FL size every time. Never have a tight case. Set up your FL die right and do it every time.

Mike

 

[Ackman]

I built a 223AI with 1 in 8 twist just over a month ago. I'm having good results with Winchester brass. I'm fireforming new RP brass now and will see how it performs. I guess I got lucky, my case grain weight for the RP brass has been right around 90.5 gr +/- .3 grain and 94.5 gr with the Win.

Tom

If Winchester brass is working ok for you it's all that matters. But case weight variation of unprepped brass is meaningless, and even with prepped brass it's no indicator of uniform internal volume. I've measured case volume against case weight for Win. and IMI .223. Winchester had much less case weight variation than IMI, but the internal case volume variation was 3X as much.

 

[GaCop]

I'm always open to new information. My brass is fully prepped and trimmed before weighing. Looks like I've been waisting my time!

Tom