what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time - The Firearms Forum

cycloneman · 03-14-2012, 04:56 PM

getting into the shell holder. I purchase some once fired brass here and there. I notice that allmost 10% of the brass gives me a hard time fitting in the shell holder. I just throw them out. What do you guys do?

steve4102 · 03-14-2012, 06:29 PM

More details, please.

ryan42 · 03-14-2012, 06:47 PM

If I get one like that i usually work it back and forth or I turn it 180 degrees and it comes right out.I think some ejectors can put a burr on them now and then or atleast thats what I figured it was from.

cycloneman · 03-14-2012, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan42

If I get one like that i usually work it back and forth or I turn it 180 degrees and it comes right out.I think some ejectors can put a burr on them now and then or atleast thats what I figured it was from.

i have done the same. I also figure since i am buying military brass they are probably shot out of full auto weapons and tend to ruff them up. Any that give me a real hard time i toss. I guess there is no way to reform the rim.
It ends up being about 10% of my brass that i cull out because of this. So if there is no correcting the problem i think it behooves me to buy processed brass from now on.

gdmoody · 03-14-2012, 07:23 PM

I usually throw them away, too.

LDBennett · 03-15-2012, 07:22 AM

I have a Hakim semi-auto in 8mm. It is a very unique gun but manhandles the brass something terrible. It beats up the cases on exit by hitting the ejection port edge and the bolt handle as well as bends up the rim.

The problem on this gun was the gas pressure which is adjustable has to be set to allow reliable extraction yet has to be low enough to delay the bolt opening until the chamber pressure has dropped sufficiently. This gun seems impossible to get perfectly adjusted and the bolt starts opening too soon and the case has not yet fully released itself from the cylinder walls. The result is the extractor pulls on the stuck case distorting the rim before it is totally extracted.

The end result typically is that the rim is bent up such that it will not fit reliably into shell holder during reloading. I gave up and purchased a bunch of surplus 8mm ammo and only shoot that stuff. It is Berdan primed, as is most cheap surplus 8mm ammo, so it is not reload able by me. It is also corrosive so I have to be sure to immediately clean the bore of this gun with the correct solvent. The bore is not all that great anyway so no harm done. The gun shoots well regardless of these problems.

So.... if you get the brass cheap enough just throw away any with beat up rims. That will put you ahead of frustration both in reloading and feeding ammo into the gun.

LDBennett

DixieLandMan · 03-15-2012, 08:31 AM

I throw mine in an empty coffee can for recycling later.

LDBennett · 03-15-2012, 08:37 AM

My daughter recycles all the surplus and non-reloadable brass that I and my son-in-law generate. My son-in-law does not reload and almost all of his ammo is surplus. My daughter makes a killing on the recycling of this brass! (she does cans, too).

LDBennett

Dirtypacman · 03-15-2012, 09:00 AM

I will give it two times through my deprimer - resizer die - If it does not want to go properly after an adjustment in the seating in the press it gets tossed in a bin of "problem" brass to be emptied later.

carver · 03-15-2012, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan42

If I get one like that i usually work it back and forth or I turn it 180 degrees and it comes right out.I think some ejectors can put a burr on them now and then or atleast thats what I figured it was from.

Same here.

gun-nut · 03-15-2012, 09:20 AM

sometimes just finding another shell holder thats close. i have some S&B 7x57 brass that the diamitor is just a fuzz too big for it to slip in the holder.

Claudius Valarium · 03-15-2012, 09:48 AM

Try another shell holder. It may be slightly larger and will accept all cases.

When priming, I use the RCBS hand priming tool and an RCBS No. 3 shell holder for 45acp. It shouldn't happen, but one shell holder sets the primers flush and one sets it just below flush. I noticed this when I was getting inconsistent depths and just happened to change out the shell holder.

cpttango30 · 03-15-2012, 10:59 AM

Me I threw away the CHEAP LEE Crapppy shell holders. I replaced them all with RCBS shell holders and now all my brass fits even the "BAD BRASS" that didn't fit in the Lee shell holders.

I didn't buy the lee junk someone sent it to me as a gift.

pickenup · 03-15-2012, 12:54 PM

If I can't make it work, I recycle it.

JLA · 03-15-2012, 06:44 PM

deburring flash holes makes my fingers hurt.

Annealing rifle brass gets me burned sometimes.

Thats about it.

03-14-2012, 04:56 PM	#1
cycloneman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 7,407	what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time getting into the shell holder. I purchase some once fired brass here and there. I notice that allmost 10% of the brass gives me a hard time fitting in the shell holder. I just throw them out. What do you guys do? __________________ Who are you going to serve today? -->

03-14-2012, 06:29 PM	#2
steve4102 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota Contributor Posts: 2,760	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time More details, please.

03-14-2012, 06:47 PM	#3
ryan42 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: marion indiana Contributor Posts: 1,549	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time If I get one like that i usually work it back and forth or I turn it 180 degrees and it comes right out.I think some ejectors can put a burr on them now and then or atleast thats what I figured it was from.

03-14-2012, 07:23 PM	#5
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,354	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time I usually throw them away, too. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

03-15-2012, 07:22 AM	#6
LDBennett Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hesperia, CA Posts: 5,718	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time I have a Hakim semi-auto in 8mm. It is a very unique gun but manhandles the brass something terrible. It beats up the cases on exit by hitting the ejection port edge and the bolt handle as well as bends up the rim. The problem on this gun was the gas pressure which is adjustable has to be set to allow reliable extraction yet has to be low enough to delay the bolt opening until the chamber pressure has dropped sufficiently. This gun seems impossible to get perfectly adjusted and the bolt starts opening too soon and the case has not yet fully released itself from the cylinder walls. The result is the extractor pulls on the stuck case distorting the rim before it is totally extracted. The end result typically is that the rim is bent up such that it will not fit reliably into shell holder during reloading. I gave up and purchased a bunch of surplus 8mm ammo and only shoot that stuff. It is Berdan primed, as is most cheap surplus 8mm ammo, so it is not reload able by me. It is also corrosive so I have to be sure to immediately clean the bore of this gun with the correct solvent. The bore is not all that great anyway so no harm done. The gun shoots well regardless of these problems. So.... if you get the brass cheap enough just throw away any with beat up rims. That will put you ahead of frustration both in reloading and feeding ammo into the gun. LDBennett

03-15-2012, 08:31 AM	#7
DixieLandMan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 607	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time I throw mine in an empty coffee can for recycling later.

03-15-2012, 08:37 AM	#8
LDBennett Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hesperia, CA Posts: 5,718	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time My daughter recycles all the surplus and non-reloadable brass that I and my son-in-law generate. My son-in-law does not reload and almost all of his ammo is surplus. My daughter makes a killing on the recycling of this brass! (she does cans, too). LDBennett

03-15-2012, 09:00 AM	#9
Dirtypacman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Merrimac Valley, MA Posts: 908	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time I will give it two times through my deprimer - resizer die - If it does not want to go properly after an adjustment in the seating in the press it gets tossed in a bin of "problem" brass to be emptied later. __________________ Member HHRG and HSC, NRA Life Member, GOAL Member LTC-A

03-15-2012, 09:20 AM	#11
gun-nut Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: ohio Contributor Posts: 931	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time sometimes just finding another shell holder thats close. i have some S&B 7x57 brass that the diamitor is just a fuzz too big for it to slip in the holder. __________________ Don't retreat just reload.

03-15-2012, 09:48 AM	#12
Claudius Valarium V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: South Central Texas, AKA the Middle of Flyover Country Posts: 459	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time Try another shell holder. It may be slightly larger and will accept all cases. When priming, I use the RCBS hand priming tool and an RCBS No. 3 shell holder for 45acp. It shouldn't happen, but one shell holder sets the primers flush and one sets it just below flush. I noticed this when I was getting inconsistent depths and just happened to change out the shell holder. __________________ CV "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." Patrick Henry, 1788

03-15-2012, 10:59 AM	#13
cpttango30 Former Guest Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stafford, VA Contributor Posts: 3,071	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time Me I threw away the CHEAP LEE Crapppy shell holders. I replaced them all with RCBS shell holders and now all my brass fits even the "BAD BRASS" that didn't fit in the Lee shell holders. I didn't buy the lee junk someone sent it to me as a gift.

03-15-2012, 12:54 PM	#14
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,838	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time If I can't make it work, I recycle it. __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

03-15-2012, 06:44 PM	#15
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,319	Re: what do you do with your brass that gives you a hard time deburring flash holes makes my fingers hurt. Annealing rifle brass gets me burned sometimes. Thats about it. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!