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Thread: 9mm Cases Acceptable?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold Bulldog71's Avatar
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    9mm Cases Acceptable?

    I have been looking all over the net about this little issue I have with some 9mm cases I had purchased awhile back. They are all mixed cases.
    It seems to me that the cases on the right have primer pockets that are "sucked in" unlike the ones on the left. Most of the "sucked in" cases are CCI Blazer and Federal. Now, is it time to cull the sucked up brass due to end of life?
    Thanks in advance for any info about this and I hope I have posted this thread in the right place being the newby that I am here.

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    9mm is so cheap that I toss about anything questionable, but if you’d rather try them I don’t think it’d hurt to load some up and see what happens. If the primers come out or pierce then you know.

    kinda looks like someone swaged the primer pockets.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Hogdaddy's Avatar
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    shove a primmer in them & see what it looks like ; )
    H/D

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold Bulldog71's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hogdaddy View Post
    shove a primmer in them & see what it looks like ; )
    H/D
    LOL, I just might and I get the feeling they would look just like a reloaded 9mm with a sucked in primer pocket.
    but seriously, I have noticed some cases of 9mm reloads I bought from Freedom Munitions having the same "sucked in" primer pocket which fired with no problems. I'm just trying to find out why and how this happens to the brass.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Boolit_Head's Avatar
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    Probably something to do with how they punched the pockets.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Tom W.'s Avatar
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    They're fine. I've been loading them for quite some time now. They look a bit strange but there's no problem with them. I believe most of my handloads are Blazer brass. It depends on what is on sale at the range.....
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boolit_Head View Post
    Probably something to do with how they punched the pockets.
    I tend to agree, has to do with how the primer pocket & flash hole were formed.
    I use the Blazer (range brass) when forming Makarov cases.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boolit_Head View Post
    Probably something to do with how they punched the pockets.
    I'll second this. /\

  9. #9
    Boolit Mold Bulldog71's Avatar
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    I can't figure this out since I have never bought new CCI Blazer Brass 9mm before. I am leaning towards the brass being stretched from the outside in due to constant reloading? Guess I'll just do as Tom said and reload em and shoot em.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Most of mine is indoor range once fired pick up brass... They shoot just fine.
    Last edited by Tom W.; 04-08-2018 at 10:50 PM.
    Tom
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    Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    You may be concerned about the appearance of the case head, but it will not likely be a problem. What you SHOULD be concerned with is a couple of makers are starting to make their cases with a reinforced web area that actually reduces the case capacity and might give a pressure excess if you are loading normal brass a bit hot. It is easy to see when looking down in the case mouth. I do not think the major makers are doing this but I do run across some in range brass. I will see if I can find the thread and add that in a few minutes. Dusty

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...tech-9mm-Brass
    Last edited by Dusty Bannister; 04-08-2018 at 07:33 PM.

  12. #12
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    If you have a caliper, measure the inside of the "sucked in" primer pockets and some pockets on different headstamps. Ther shouldn't be any problem as long as the pockets aren't stretched. If a primer will seat with enough tension to hold it in I would say it's in the manufacturing process. If the inside diameter of the pockets is OK, load and shoot and see how they perform.

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    I've bought boxes and boxes of 1x 9mm mixed brass. I sort all my brass. I've seen that Fed and CCI have this concave case head...No big deal...they are NOT that was from numerous loadings, mine were 1x. Actually Brass with numerous loadings will flatten out.

    As Dusty Bannister stated, look out for the inner "reinforced web area". When I find them, I scrap them. I've found one with a different HS then MAXXTECH...I don't remember what it was, but it wasn't that. So you have to look in the case to see.
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  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Great pictures JonB, the ones I see are not quite that abrupt. But still visible even before the cases are cleaned. I think I have seen at least two other head stamped cases with this feature so I do not even look at that end of the case when sorting. You should be looking for Berdan primed cases anyway, so you are looking in the case anyway. Can you imagine trying to seat a heavy bullet in one of those cases?

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold Bulldog71's Avatar
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    Okay, after a thorough inspection of the whole lot of more than 1,000 cases I have found these cases with the inside step. Five of the cases have a head stamp with "FM" and one has "IMT" as seen in the pics.

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  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Yes, there are not usually a whole lot in the batch, but they all have to be inspected. Just as annoying as finding those short cases made by Federal 223 or the two sizes of primers now in 45 ACP. Just could not leave well enough alone could they?

  17. #17
    Boolit Mold Bulldog71's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dusty Bannister View Post
    Yes, there are not usually a whole lot in the batch, but they all have to be inspected. Just as annoying as finding those short cases made by Federal 223 or the two sizes of primers now in 45 ACP. Just could not leave well enough alone could they?
    Yeah I know all about those short Federal 223 cases because I had to fight an online retailer to take 1000+ of them back on a return. Luckily he refunded all my money back plus return shipping. I now just stick with Lake City 556 and do all the prep myself. As far as those stepped 9mm cases well... in the scrap bucket they go.

  18. #18
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    I have some Hornady nickel plated cases in .45 Colt that are too short to even tough the crip. They are headed for the scrap bin.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master scattershot's Avatar
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    Those CCI Blazer brass cases are just cheaply made. Nothing wrong with them, I load them all the time with no issue.
    "Experience is a series of non-fatal mistakes"


    Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...

  20. #20
    Boolit Master scattershot's Avatar
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    Send ‘em to me, Charlie. I’ll pay the postage.
    "Experience is a series of non-fatal mistakes"


    Disarming is a mistake free people only get to make once...

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check