Are you picky about your brass?

[RKJ]

I don't sort my pistol brass unless I'm using it for a hunting load. I don't sort for the autos usually, just clean em and load em. I do sort for rifle brass as I don't load that many for hunting, it just makes me feel a little better. Also, I've found when using military brass (9mm/45) that I don't have to clean up the primer pocket very much. I'm using LEE and RCBS dies and when depriming and the majority of them pop out the crimp along with the primer. When I hit one that won't prime I just pull it off the press and toss it for later. It is a little more time consuming but not as much as depriming a bunch of brass.

[Big Boomer]

Yesterday I sorted a few thousand pieces of "once-fired" 9mm brass purchased from a member of this forum at a very reasonable price. However, it was not all once-fired. Some brass had very flat primers and had been obviously overloaded. I will see how loose the primer pockets are when I de-prime them by hand and toss those too easily de-primed . I sorted the brass into FC, R-P, WIN, Blazer and "other" categories. However, since Speer is the same as Blazer and showed up frequently, I will probably put those into the same batch. PMC and S&B showed up frequently, too. Some complain about S&B but I have always found it very useable as well as CBC. I clean them with a vibratory tumbler by separate batches and will load Sierra's fine 115 gr. JHP bullet in my carry ammo for a Sig P938. Something I never saw before showed up in some of the "other" brass ... a "ledge" down toward the head of the inside of the cases of some odd brass that would prevent a bullet from being seated too deeply. Also would make the head of the brass stronger. Will have to separate them out and test regarding head strength. Had never seen that before. I practice using a lead 125 gr. Lee boolit in whatever "other" brass is handy, though if I am wanting best accuracy I use same headstamp for uniformity. Big Boomer

[jwber]

Something I never saw before showed up in some of the "other" brass ... a "ledge" down toward the head of the inside of the cases of some odd brass that would prevent a bullet from being seated too deeply. Also would make the head of the brass stronger. Will have to separate them out and test regarding head strength. Had never seen that before.

AMMOLOAD, IMT have those ledges...they hit the scrap bucket right away. I've seen multiple pictures of those cases separating at the ledge.

[lobowolf761]

If you have unneeded brass for the Mosin, Swiss, or British 303 I would be interested in buying some. I will keep a watch on the proper threads.

Check out Powder Valley for brass. I have bought from them for my Swiss,Moisin and 7.7 Jap. I have been using the Privi brass in those calibers and others including 8x57. This outfit in out of Kansas.

[fatelk]

AMMOLOAD, IMT have those ledges...they hit the scrap bucket right away. I've seen multiple pictures of those cases separating at the ledge.

I've been using any that I get to trim to 9x18 Makarov. My theory is that it's a thicker base, thinner neck, and a lower pressure round. I haven't shot enough of them yet to know if it's a good theory. Any trouble and they go in the scrap bucket.

[jsizemore]

My first wildcat was a 25 Bullberry in my Contender. That's a 30-30 case necked to 25 caliber. An article in Handloader magazine (Nov-Dec 1989/ #142) said that if I used W-W brass I wouldn't have to ream or turn the necks on my brass. Guess what? Necks were too thick so I had to learn how to ream and turn necks. It's been a long slippery slope since. So, If it's an accurate round then it should be brass from the same Lot and for the rest, whatever you got. By the way, the 25BB still shoots minute of turkey head at 150 meters with cast and hole in the horn at 200.

[therealhitman]

Is the mouth cracked? No? Ream the pocket and use it!

[popper]

I was surprised when I first saw those stepped cases. SIL gets range reloads with that stuff, it works fine. I load a heavier boolit and they don't fit. The ones I tried didn't have the 9mm hourglass shape, easier to 'chamber check'.

[Motor]

Big Boomer. Just because primers are flat it doesn't necessarily mean a hot load.I've been a brass scavenger for over 30 years and have found many factory loaded casings that "look" like they were loaded way too hot. It has a lot to do with what they were fired in.

When inspecting brass I look at 2 key things to determine if its once fired or not. 1) Primer color. Most factory ammo has brass colored primers not all but most. 2) Marks on the case body indicating that the case has been resized. Combining 1) and 2) will usually tell you if it's once fired or not.

Also knowing what brands use silver primers helps a lot too. I know you can get brass colored primers I use some myself but I find it rare to pick up reloaded brass with brass colored primers. Unless it's my own. LOL
Motor

[Hondo 60]

Picky? Maybe.

I use the MTM plastic ammo boxes & try like the dickens to keep, what was originally one box, all together.
Most of my brass was once factory ammo.
Partial boxes drive me nuts.

[bangerjim]

If it is round, made of brass, and not cracked.......I shoot it in all pistols.

I take more care with bottlenecks.

banger

[lobowolf761]

Just what banger said but I do sort by head stamp.

[Mauser48]

I dont care for rifle or pistol. Unless I'm loading match ammo for rifle or I'm doing 223. I only sort out military from commercial in 223 but dont separate every manufacture.

[Big Boomer]

Motor: That's why I de-prime by hand any case primers that have the appearance of being overloads, which means that instead of just dumping brass into the Dillon XL 650 auto case dispenser, I examine each one by hand. If the primer is equally difficult to exit the primer pocket with the tap of a little brass hammer, then I am reasonably assured that it was not an overload. Anyway, that's the methodology I employ. Anything suspicious goes into the recycle bucket. I value all the firearms I possess and give them their just due. Big Boomer