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LC Match brass-vs- the LR brass

jpretle

Silver $$ Contributor
Is it the same brass, w/ the LR noting use, or is the brass notably better quality in the LR version??
 
the LR version is QC a little better in the batch, LC just takes more culling. but with a forgiving load recipe it will shoot well.
 
Any specifics on what the better 'QC', is???
I am not finding anything that would set the LR stuff apart.
Thanks,
 
weight consistency per lot and neck thickness consistency not much after that
 
The main difference between LC MATCH & LC LR 308 brass is age. The latest date of LC MATCH I have has a head stamp showing 77, so probably 80 was the end of the LC MATCH and basically the start of the LC LR.
Is one better brass that the other, probably more differences could be found in head stamp date to head stamp date.
All depends on what you intend to use the LC brass in and for
 
I have 500 cases of '04 & '07 LC .308 brass. Its good consistent brass. I haven't ever even seen the LC match.
 
I have used a lot of it, both "Match" or what is marked "NM" and the later "LR". It works good in either configuration, but I am unable to positively nail down any difference, other than what is stamped on it, in use. As I understand it, there is no difference in the actual brass cases themselves, the designation "Match" or "LR" had to do with the load and the bullet. The fact that there is no discernible difference at all between brass so marked and regular or standard LC brass seems to support this. However, there was a time when Lake City "Match" brass was available for purchase as new empty brass. This fact would seem to imply that it was something "special" for some unknown reason.
This will no doubt make a lot of people cry, but again, I cannot find one thing any different either physically or dynamically to suggest that brass marked match or LR or NM is any different than regular or standard year marked cases other than the stamping itself. it has been implied that cases which bear the NATO mark are somehow different. Other than that little crosshair mark I cant find it.
 
The big difference between brass available from brass wholesalers head stamped LC and LC LR is the LC is almost always fired in some from of "machine gun" and thus, if nothing else will be a real PITA to FL resize, plus they have crimped in primers . The LC LR's primers are not crimped in and they are fired in "sniper rifles" with closer chamber tolerances than the difference machine guns in use.
I have a cast bullet shooting buddy that retired from Lack City in the late 90's, I asked him about the differences between normal LC and LC LR brass, his reply was that while he worked there LC had many machines turning out normal LC brass, and had only one machine making LC LR brass.
 
For a very long time, the relevant JAG offices were very circumspect regarding the Hague conventions on use of expanding bullets, even the very small open tips that you see in Sierra OTM bullets. The LC stuff with the MATCH designation was delivered in a box marked prominently that it was not for combat use; the case would often also have a series of marks around the case near the case head, about in the spot where you normally see case head separations, to further identify it as not to be used for combat. The JAG offices later revised their rulings to allow use of OTM bullets in combat, so you don't see the combat prohibition or MATCH markings now; they're just marked LR.
 
The main difference between LC MATCH & LC LR 308 brass is age. The latest date of LC MATCH I have has a head stamp showing 77, so probably 80 was the end of the LC MATCH and basically the start of the LC LR.
Is one better brass that the other, probably more differences could be found in head stamp date to head stamp date.
All depends on what you intend to use the LC brass in and for
I have some newer than 80. I have some that is LC 96 MATCH and maybe newer if I took the time to look.
 
The only difference is the head stamp.

from my personal experience with the brass i have on hand 08 LR and LC 13. the weight spread with LR is closer and LC is much bigger spread. But i am not here to prove you wrong in your assessment that maybe the case for your particular situation.
 
Last edited:
from my personal experience with the brass i have on hand 08 LR and LC 13. the weight spread with LR is closer and LC is much bigger spread. But i am not here to prove you wrong in your assessment that maybe the case for your particular situation.
I weighed some many years ago and found that some years would be a little different from other years but nothing statistically significant. I always keep my LC brass separated by year. The military teams all shot M118 and then later M852 and for many years they would leave it for us civilians to pick up on the range. Then there came a time when they were required to turn it back in and then they would trade their once fired LC Match brass for our wore out brass and they would turn that in.
 

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