TW headstamped 5.56 brass - any good?

[radford56]

Several years ago, I was given a fairly large amount of 5.56 once fired military brass. The cans I've been using were LC brass of various years, but I just opened a can that has a large amount of TW headstamped brass - mostly TW 70. I know this was from the Twin Cities plant in Minnesota, but I really haven't seen much on the quality of this brass as compared to LC brass.

If you've used it, how does it compare to LC? Is it worth reloading or better for recycling?

 

[r bose]

Shot thousands in my service rifle XTC. Very much like LC in my opinion. I'd anneal (because it's almost 50 yrs old) load and fire.

 

[Uncle Ed]

All military cases have to meet the same milspec standards whether made at Lake City or under commercial contract for the military. The 5.56 cases must be made of harder brass than commercial .223 cases.

The 5.56 cases were made harder after the 1968 Congressional hearings on the M-16 rifle jamming problems.

How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...r-brass-5-56-and-223-rem-base-hardness-tests/

 

[Prose]

I have experienced that it is not as accurate as LC and I have shot about 500 cases twice with two cracked necks and one case head separation. 1000 cases of LC x2 in the same gun has zero failures.

 

[radford56]

I have experienced that it is not as accurate as LC and I have shot about 500 cases twice with two cracked necks and one case head separation. 1000 cases of LC x2 in the same gun has zero failures.

Thanks, appreciate your answer - and the others too. I may pass on loading the TW. I have so much LC, and it's all more recent vintage, that loading the TW isn't really necessary.