Anyone with experience reloading WIN NT .223 brass?

Echo47 · Jul 6, 2018

A shooting buddy recently approached me with an offer to split a "great deal" on mil-surp once fired .223 brass he'd picked up at a gun show.
Turns out I received over a thousand pieces of WIN NT brass.
Primer pockets were crimped but tight on depriming.
No culls were found after a Dawn-LemiShine-water wash and dry session. Case weights were comparable to other .223 military brass casings I've reloaded in the past.
Researching WIN NT brass on the blogs, most responders recommended to 'get rid of them' but some have reloaded WIN NT cases with no problems, but no specific reloading data was offered.
I received a reply from Winchester indicating the primer pockets accept WSR primers, but, again, no reloading information was offered.
So, I plan to use them for short-range (100 yds or less) paper punching.
Can I use standard .223 (NOT 5.56!) reloading data (light to moderate powder charges under FMJ or hunting bullets in the 52 - 55 gr range) and leave 'em in the dirt after one shooting or continue to reload them until no-longer reloadable?
Again, I'm really interested in hearing from reloaders who HAVE reloaded WIN NT brass.
Echo47

Bkreutz · Jul 6, 2018

I'd check them with a magnet. 9mm WIN NT is brass plated steel.

Echo47 · Jul 30, 2018

Reloading WIN NT .223 brass

Sorry for my absence--work responsibilities.

I did check the WIN NT casings with a magnet, as well as dropping them on a concrete floor compared to known brass casings (LC).
The magnet had no effect on the casings (they are yellow in color and not 'dirty-gray' like Wolf steel cases) and sound like brass when dropped on the floor.
Echo47

apollo99 · Jul 30, 2018

That NT usually stand for non toxic, usually the primer. The issue with that stuff is the primer not the brass it's self. Once fired and the primer removed, de-crimped and sized, it should be good to go. I think the issues with the non toxic primers is the shelf life is not nearly as long as regular primers.

apollo99 · Jul 30, 2018

Ok just got in after checking my Winchester .223/5.56 bin. I do have some NT brass, I have reloaded it, It looks like I swaged the primer pockets on it at one time. I have it in my regular rotation and I am on my 5 reload with that batch and no issues. I weighed it and it is within the weight of non NT Win brass, and holds the same internal water capacity as my commercial Win stuff. I never culled it out, never really noticed it so I'm assuming It was good to go. If I swage the primer pockets on non military brass it's either due to some how having a crimp, a tight pocket or it got thrown in the primer pocket swage pile by accident. So I don't make any notes on PP swaging. If the brass was problematic it would have been in the scrap pile, so since I'm still using it I'm assuming I have no issues, unless I'm getting dumber as I get older.

DWalt · Aug 1, 2018

apollo99 said:
That NT usually stand for non toxic, usually the primer. The issue with that stuff is the primer not the brass it's self. Once fired and the primer removed, de-crimped and sized, it should be good to go. I think the issues with the non toxic primers is the shelf life is not nearly as long as regular primers.

That is a myth. The only drawback to primers using DDNP instead of Lead Styphnate as the sensitive component of the primer mix is that the DDNP primers are unreliable at temperatures below about -20 deg. F. I have DDNP-primed ammunition in both .223 and 9mm over 15 years old, and it still works fine. Likewise, I have experienced no difficulties in reloading military 5.56mm brass (from Federal) which was loaded with DDNP primers. I think the flash hole is slightly larger than normal, but that does not affect performance. I managed the USAF's adoption of lead-free training ammunition until I retired in 2008, and there are probably very few as familiar with it as I am.

fredj338 · Aug 1, 2018

You are over thinking it. Thriw it away, why??? It is not any diff than any other boxer primed 223 brass, actually better than. Some others. Prep it the same & load it up.

Anyone with experience reloading WIN NT .223 brass?

Echo47

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Bkreutz

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Echo47

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apollo99

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apollo99

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DWalt

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fredj338

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