LC 1962 MATCH Brass

[Cosine26]

Lake City MATCH Brass
There are differences (at least in 1962 brass) between LC Ball cases and LC Match cases. The following info was cited from an article entitled “National Match Ammunition ‘, by E. H. Harrison (NRA Staff) from the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN magazine of August 1962.
“Regular cartridge case production at Lake City is by the ‘3-draw’ process, though the plant could return to the older ‘4-draws’ or even go over to only 2-draws. MATCH cases up to the present (i.e. 1962) have been produced by the 4-draw process. Change to the standard 3-draw process is planned. Though service cases are excellent, MATCH cases are made with extra care especially as to concentricity. The heads of MATCH cases are also bumped and the primer pocket given a preliminary forming by a pocketing operation. These special operations give extra hardness and strength to the head of the case, and incidentally make it an especially good case for reloading.”
There is no difference between cases marked MATCH and NM other than the case head marking.
It should be remembered that Frankfort Arsenal in 1957 fabricated MATCH cases using the 2-draw process and it proved unsatisfactory. While the loaded ammo was satisfactory, the cases did not lend themselves to reloading. The primer pockets became enlarged and would not hold primers or held them very loosely. It was subsequently advised not to re-load FA57 MATCH cases.
I hope this information provides some factual data for those who were not around during the 50’s and 60’s when the army supported match shooting and the NRA and the DCM were cooperating closely. M72 (30-06) NM ammunition was not produced after 1966 due to the fact that the service teams were using the M14 in 7.62 caliber (M118 MATCH ammo) . The M72 furnished at the 1967 matches were left over from 1966. After 1967 the army stopped support of the National Matches and the quality and quantity of MATCH ammo and bullets suffered. I have seen 7.62 M118 ammo dated as late as 1971 but have no experience with M72 dated later than 62/63 and M118 later than 68.

Information

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[USSR]

Great post, Cosine26. 1962 appears to be the year that M72 production was switched from FA to Lake City. I don't have any info as to whether the number of draws done on LC M72 varied by year, but here is some data I do have:

YEAR HEADSTAMP VELOCITY CHARGE
1957 FA 57 Match 2640fps 48.0gr IMR4895
1958 FA 58 Match 2640fps 48.0gr IMR4895
1959 FA 59 Match 2640fps 48.0gr IMR4895
1960 FA 60 Match 2640fps 48.0gr IMR4895
1961 FA 61 Match 2640fps 48.5gr IMR4895
1962 LC 62 Match 2685fps 48.1gr IMR4895
1963 LC 63 Match 2695fps 46.7gr IMR4895
1964 LC 64 Match 2669fps 46.0gr IMR4895
1965 LC 65 Match 2708fps 46.5gr IMR4895
1966 LC 66 Match 2711fps 47.2gr IMR4895

Don

[Edward Horton]

"Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) is a 3,935-acre (15.92 km2) government-owned, contractor-operated facility in Independence, Missouri that was established by Remington Arms in 1941 to manufacture and test small caliber ammunition for the U.S. Army. The facility has remained in continuous operation except for one 5-year period following World War II. As of July 2007, the plant produced nearly 1.4 billion rounds of ammunition per year.

Remington Arms operated the plant from its inception until 1985, when operations were taken over by Olin Corporation. Since April 2001, it has been operated by Alliant Techsystems (ATK). LCAAP is the single largest producer of small arms ammunition for the United States military."

So who makes the best brass Remington, Winchester or Alliant