Lake City 223 Ammo-where to buy?

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gifbohane

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I have been picking up a lot of Lake City 223 range brass lately. It has Military crimp so it is once fired. I cannot understand why it is being left as I think that it is good stuff. I thought that maybe it is sold cheaply someplace.
Well, twice I googled "Where to buy Lake City Ammo" and the only place that I found any for sale was at an auction for Federal/Lake City ammo. I like the ammo and would like to know where to get it. Big Mail order houses do not have it.

Maybe the best question is why is it being left behind at the range?
 
It is great brass, just not everyone reloads or knows someone who does so they leave it. At my club it's far and away the most left behind cartridge on the rifle range but eventually someone always snatches it up. I have also encountered guys who don't use it because of the extra work dealing with the primer crimp.

You won't find it under the Lake City brand as loaded ammo, most often its branded Federal or American Eagle as they currently have the .gov contract to run the Lake City ammo plant and can sell overruns and make ammo for the civilian market between runs for the .gov. I haven't purchased 5.56 ammo for ages so I don't pay as much attention but I know I used to see bulk deals quite often for Federal M193 or M855 which is almost always in LC brass or at least used to be.

Again haven't bought ammo or brass for a long time as I have a sizable stash, but you also used to be able to buy LC 5.56 cases as new unloaded brass (branded American Eagle) which eliminated having to mess with a primer crimp.
 
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It is sold under Wichester, federal, and American eagle brands
Not sure about Winchester. But I agree about the others. When I 1st started reloading for the 223, I bought a bag of 250 new brass labeled Federal. The brass itself was headstamped LC.
And I bought Anerican Eagle 556 ammo with the LC headstamp.
 
Not sure about Winchester. But I agree about the others. When I 1st started reloading for the 223, I bought a bag of 250 new brass labeled Federal. The brass itself was headstamped LC.
And I bought Anerican Eagle 556 ammo with the LC headstamp.

Thank you for the help. I have a further question. All the range brass I get has the "LC" head stamp. Do you mean that someone bought this ammo as another brand such as American Eagle.

I did buy some American Eagle 223 but it was head stamped "FC."
 
Thank you for the help. I have a further question. All the range brass I get has the "LC" head stamp. Do you mean that someone bought this ammo as another brand such as American Eagle.

I did buy some American Eagle 223 but it was head stamped "FC."
From my limited experience, the American Eagle labeled 556 has had the LC headstamp. I don't remember if the NATO symbol was present.
 
I've bought several cases from Natchez years back when they put it on sale. I get an email from them regularly selling the Federal ammo. A lot of times the LC brass brings a few cents more. All of the big online sources carry it. You will also find that they sell the new brass too.
 
You can buy it all over the place... I'm not sure where you are looking. I get my LC by the case from TargetSportsUSA. And, as was mentioned, LC is NATO 5.56, Federal and American Eagle can be 5.56 or .223... and it might be headstamped LC or FC (in 5.56...)

EDIT: I see where there might be some confusion... LC ammos is sold as Federal Ammunition, not LC. Unless the vendor actually specifies what the headstamp is, it might be LC, it might not... but it doesn't really matter, quite honestly.

People who don't reload don't pick up their brass... I'm just weird enough that I pick all of my brass up, whether or not I plan to reload it.
 
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Charlie Please note that I was looking for 223 Ammo not 5.56.

Looked at Brownell's, Midway, and Cabela's. They do not have it. All I find at the range are LC head stamps. lots of it. Very Little 5.56 at the local ranges> Will look at Target Sports, Thanks.
 
IIRC I remember a thread from arf where the guy at BLV says he stays away from LC and federal because of things like being filthy in their guns and inconsistent brass, QC.
They go through millions of rounds a year so imagine price also has something to do with it but he was saying magtech and Prvi Partisan was among the cleanest and most consistent. Also wolf gold...
I always liked LC stuff.
 
Charlie Please note that I was looking for 223 Ammo not 5.56.
LC is not a brand, it's an US Gov't arsenal operated by contractors. Overruns and 2nd quality are sold commercially as noted.

Also, LC-loaded .223 Rem does not exist. Lake City Arsenal produces ammo for the gov't, and the gov't uses NATO-spec 5.56x45.

I too value the brass, because it's exceptionally long-lived; I put a lot of time into case prep, and the LC cases live 2-3x as long as many commercial cases do.
 
Also, LC-loaded .223 Rem does not exist. Lake City Arsenal produces ammo for the gov't, and the gov't uses NATO-spec 5.56x45.

That was the point I was trying to make... LC is 5.56mm. If you want .223, Federal is your go-to, manufactured just like LC with the slight differences because of .223 SAMMI spec.
 
LC is not a brand, it's an US Gov't arsenal operated by contractors. Overruns and 2nd quality are sold commercially as noted.

Also, LC-loaded .223 Rem does not exist. Lake City Arsenal produces ammo for the gov't, and the gov't uses NATO-spec 5.56x45.

I too value the brass, because it's exceptionally long-lived; I put a lot of time into case prep, and the LC cases live 2-3x as long as many commercial cases do.

^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^. There is no Lake City 223, it is 5.56. There are two bullet types available. M-855 W/ the 62 gr. FMJ (W / NATO mark)penetrator or the XM-193 with the 55 Gr. FMJ. (won't have NATO mark) Pretty available all over. Don't know why your fixed on "223 Rem."
 
Well everything has been well covered. If you have any curiosity about the Lake City head stamp you can read about The Lake City Army Ammunition Plant here. LC manufactured ammunition will bear the LC head stamp as well as the year of manufacture such as LC 07 meaning the Lake City ammunition plant during 2007 year of manufacture. Keep in mind that as was mentioned while the plant is government owned the operations of the plant is contracted out.

Ron

 
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