FC Headstamp Brass Question

[66PonyCar]

I'm getting ready to reload a batch of 9mm Luger. I found some FC NT brass and it is pretty obvious the primers are crimped. But I'm wondering about other FC brass which doesn't have NT or a date code or a NATO circle/cross. Does plain FC stamped brass have a crimped primer? I don't want to spend time swaging primer pockets. Below is a picture of the brass. Sorry about the quality but it's the best I could do with a camera phone.

Read More

 

[po18guy]

Crimped primers "generally" indicate military contract. My only concern is that they might have been loaded to higher pressures, which shortens the life of the brass. Here is an article on the pressures of Winchester military contract 9mm loads. It is good to remember that the military does not reload and pressure damage to the cases is not a concern.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | M1152 & M1153: The Army’s New 9 mm Luger Loads

While much ink has been spilled on the “kinetic platform” (what most of us would call a “pistol”), when it comes to the adoption of the M17 MHS, there is one aspect that has not received much attention—the ammunition.

www.americanrifleman.org

 

[Mikej]

I haven't loaded thousands of 9mm, but I load single stage and inspect alot of it more than once. I've seen o lot of FC 9mm brass and never come upon a crimped FC 9mm case. Or I guess I should say never had a primer feel like the pocket was crimped.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I haven't loaded thousands of 9mm, but I load single stage and inspect alot of it more than once. I've seen o lot of FC 9mm brass and never come upon a crimped FC 9mm case. Or I guess I should say never had a primer feel like the pocket was crimped.

Yea and that blurry picture doesn't even look like it's crimped.

What was the question anyway?

 

[Pepe-lepew]

Plain FC brass is not crimped. The brass in your photo does not look crimped.

Any crimped 9mm goes in my scrap bucket.

 

[po18guy]

A remote(?) possibility:

 

[msgriff]

NT stands for "Non-Toxic" ammo (lead-free primers). The brass can be problematic for reloading with a couple of issues. Generally not worth the hassle. The factory says not to reload, but some do. I'd scrap them.

 

[matts]

Only thing "crimped" about it is the glock firing pin strike mark.....

 

[DizzyJ]

Plain Federal brass shouldn't have any crimp.

 

[Dr Prepper]

NT stands for "Non-Toxic" ammo (lead-free primers). The brass can be problematic for reloading with a couple of issues. Generally not worth the hassle. The factory says not to reload, but some do. I'd scrap them.

I wasn't supposed to reload those?? Hmm.. Worked fine for me at least for one reload. Mine weren't crimped BTW...pretty sure. I think I'd remember trying to swage those tint little cartridges, or chamfer them. (BTW after swaging thousands of rounds and breaking my rcbs swager I just use the case mouth deburring tool on the primer pocket, WAY quicker & easier)
Mine were loaded up with a bunch of frangible 9mm I bought probably 10 years ago. Always kinda wondered why the NT but this makes perfect sense.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

NT had something in it that would corrode the brass making them hard to clean. I ran a bunch of SP NT 45 ACP brass for awhile. The staining never came completely off after multiple cleaning and reloading.
I seem to recall the NT primers were crimped because they could back out more easily when fired.