Head Up---Keep an Eye Out For These Brass

ajgunner · Apr 12, 2021

Just thought I would share so you might keep your eyes out for some of these odd ball types of brass, especially if you are currently buying over priced "range pickup" brass.

The piece on the left appears to be perfectly normal except it is magnetic. No idea if they are using a mix of some sort or plating steel. Also no idea how it would work for reloading.

The piece in the center has a step on the inside that is way down low. Again, no idea how this might effect your reloading it, but I would guess your sizing die is NOT going to like it.

The piece on the right has a very obvious step on the inside about center. No idea how this will effect reloading but I would guess a sizing die is definitely NOT going to like it, and if you can get it sized it could certainly effect your bullet seating depth.

If you happen to be buying factory ammo with any of these head stamps because you want the brass for reloading, you might not want to over pay thinking the brass has value.

po18guy · Apr 12, 2021

Interesting observation. 9 is undoutedly the worst offender and ammo from locations never thought of before are now hitting the market. The case with the internal step I can envision was egineered so as to prevent bullet set-back. It may have been a problem in certain machine guns, perhaps those which fire from a heavy, open bolt. I wonder if a 147gr could be seated without exceeding overall maximum length. As well, that step could be a problem for the expander, but that would have to be tested.

Is that X-TREME XT case boxer primed? Hard to tell from the pics. There are a few with the fortitude to reload Bedan cases, but they will quickly wreck a deprimer punch unless you are using LEE, which is engineered to slide up if no flash hole is present. But, it must be re-set or the following cases will not be de-pried.

DizzyJ · Apr 12, 2021

Somebody always got to be effing stuff up for us reloaders......

ajgunner · Apr 12, 2021

None are berdan primed. They are in the tumbler now, so I will try better pics later.

Josh89 · Apr 12, 2021

The biggest issue I think would be case capacity. Most of the steps are low enough to seat a bullet a a normal oal. But some of those you lose 1/3 - 1/2 capacity. I assume That would make a normal load have exceed recommended pressure.

ageingstudent · Apr 12, 2021

Josh89 said:
The biggest issue I think would be case capacity. Most of the steps are low enough to seat a bullet a a normal oal. But some of those you lose 1/3 - 1/2 capacity. I assume That would make a normal load have exceed recommended pressure.

You have learned well grasshopper :s0112:

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Member 34319 · Apr 12, 2021

I've sized both of the two on the right. No issues. Loaded up fine using typical polymer coated 115s and a tiny charge of titegroup. No clue if the lack of internal space creates higher pressures. Shoots fine.

ajgunner · Apr 12, 2021

But did you collect the brass or leave it on the ground for the next guy?

po18guy · Apr 12, 2021

Free cases are like free advice. Both come with a money-back guarantee.

CLT65 · Apr 12, 2021

I've ran into all of those. The brass-plated steel you'd never know the difference unless you get them close to a magnet or wet tumble them. I toss them in the trash when I find them, though they'd probably load just fine. If they go through the wet tumbler with a little Lemishine, they turn orange.

I've heard that the stepped cases work fine too, but I pick them out whenever I see them. I actually don't scrap them, as I have another purpose for them. They work very well for trimming down to 9x18 because above the step the cases don't taper, plus it makes separating 9mm from 9mm Makarov brass easier after shooting.

I inspect and cull my brass much closer now than I use to.