Got about 30 of these in a 1000 round batch of fired 223/556 brass and I can say I won't be reloading them. Annealed, sized, and trimmed as I always do and A-USA brass just doesn't size like other brands. I use a Giraud trimmer and all other brands of brass trim fine. It's almost like they are springing back a good bit after resizing. The Giraud trimmer locates off of the shoulder and A-USA brass won't even touch the cutter but still measures around 1.760=1.770. All other brands measure 1.750-1.752 after trimming. I am going with it's a low quality brass and not worth worrying with. What say ya'll?
Gudaki
Never messed with the USA stamp, but have different bunches of different calibers separated by that stamp. That's good to know, and I'll keep it in mind. My gripe is with Aguila, several problems with their stuff. Funny, you can sometimes buy nice new Starline for less than what we pay to clean up someone else's mess! : )
I've also had problems with A-USA pistol caliber brass. All other brands come out great but not the A-USA. Seems really soft/thin and bulges very easily. I no longer use it.
I recently picked up a Frankford arsenal case trimmer that registers off the shoulder as opposed to the case head - I think for one fired brass, it's a better solution. That said, it sounds as though someone else fired these cases; in fact it may have been a bunch of someone else's. I would guess that whomever fired those A-USA cases had a loose chamber or badly headspaced bolt. I could see a case "kinda" springing back after a FL sizing, but not after a trimming.
Fun to figure why, but I'd just make 300 BO cases out of them or throw them away
Fun to figure why, but I'd just make 300 BO cases out of them or throw them away
LC, Win, Rem, FC, Hornady, and Starline are about the only brands I reload. PMC, S&B, and etc... All go in the back bin for just in case nothing else can be had later use. All Aguila go in the trash can - think that is one of the worst.
I also reload tulla 45acp metal cases - I like those also but they are hard to see to pick up. I don't know if their bottle neck cases would work out as well but the low pressure pistol cases work fine for resizing. It has enough carbon in it to rust but I think its aluminized and annealed similar to car exhaust tubing so is easily reworked.
You can generally tell pooh brass when you full size it - it doesn't feel the same as good brass and even each case within the same group can come out irregular.
I also reload tulla 45acp metal cases - I like those also but they are hard to see to pick up. I don't know if their bottle neck cases would work out as well but the low pressure pistol cases work fine for resizing. It has enough carbon in it to rust but I think its aluminized and annealed similar to car exhaust tubing so is easily reworked.
You can generally tell pooh brass when you full size it - it doesn't feel the same as good brass and even each case within the same group can come out irregular.
I didn't notice it until I tried trimming them. It's like the shoulder sprung back after sizing.
A few years ago, I bought 500 rounds of bulk packed .45 ACP ammo with the A-USA head stamp on them. What I shot of it, shot fine but when I attempted to reload them, the primer pockets were strange. They were not crimped but the primers would not fit into the pocket. The primers that I did get in were too tall for the pocket. I threw the brass in my scrap brass bucket and gave away the remaining 200-250 rounds of ammo. I have read quite a few threads over the years about the sorry A-USA brass.
When I was uniforming the primer pockets I noticed the go-no go gage would start but wouldn't go to the bottom of the primer pocket. Almost like the pockets were tapered. I won't be attempting to use any A-USA brass in the future.
Scrap them!!! Both the A-USA and A-MERC brass was made with improper alloy and then drawn incorrectly in the manufacturing process. I took samples from
each of 7 pallets of that stuff, mixed calibers. I advised the client to get rid of all of it. There was not a sample that passed any type of examination. The company
is long gone, I think (and hope) I have never found out where the brass was coming from, but believe it was from somewhere on the Caribbean rim. We get it
in sometimes in mixed loads of brass. The pistol stuff is passible, but usually has the primer holes punched way off center. The rifle stuff is dangerous due to the
higher pressure. I spoke with the A-USA people several times and was not impressed by their knowledge of what they were doing.
each of 7 pallets of that stuff, mixed calibers. I advised the client to get rid of all of it. There was not a sample that passed any type of examination. The company
is long gone, I think (and hope) I have never found out where the brass was coming from, but believe it was from somewhere on the Caribbean rim. We get it
in sometimes in mixed loads of brass. The pistol stuff is passible, but usually has the primer holes punched way off center. The rifle stuff is dangerous due to the
higher pressure. I spoke with the A-USA people several times and was not impressed by their knowledge of what they were doing.
My understanding is that at one time they sold ammo, not brass. I do not think that they are still around. When you are a
Class 06 manufacturer, you need to mind your p's and q's with the ATF as they do not joke around. They have the power and
the ability to do harm to those who don't obey the rules. The people that I spoke with at A-MERC give off signs to me that after
several phone conversations convinced me that I did not want to have anything to do with them. When a client requested that
we examine stuff they had taken in, it confirmed my suspicion that we would not have anything to do with them. The brass still
shows up from time to time, but we scrap all of it or return it. The A-USA and the A-MERC stuff LOOKS as though it all comes from
the same source.
Class 06 manufacturer, you need to mind your p's and q's with the ATF as they do not joke around. They have the power and
the ability to do harm to those who don't obey the rules. The people that I spoke with at A-MERC give off signs to me that after
several phone conversations convinced me that I did not want to have anything to do with them. When a client requested that
we examine stuff they had taken in, it confirmed my suspicion that we would not have anything to do with them. The brass still
shows up from time to time, but we scrap all of it or return it. The A-USA and the A-MERC stuff LOOKS as though it all comes from
the same source.
Hmm, I just loaded some 9mm A-USA...but light practice stuff. I will scrap it with A-Merc from now on, and be careful with the ones I already have loaded.
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