Can we create a stick on good vs bad brass to reload?

alank2 · 03-23-2008, 09:57

Hi everyone,

I recall a thread not long ago where people were talking about how hard they inspect calibers, for example 9mm was inspected very hard because it is quite a strong case for the typical 9mm loads put on it, and 40sw was inspected more carefully because it is much closer to the "edge" than 9mm for example.

Also was a list of good brass and bad brass.

Could we create a sticky that would list calibers and everyone could chime in about headstamps considered good or bad. We could just have people post their experiences and update a top level message. Obviously there could be disagreements where one person says this headstamp is decent while another says it is trash, in which case we could go with 3 categories for headstamp: Good to go, Mixed Review, Junk Brass.

Maybe a 1-5 rating on inspection necessity. 1=super strong brass, just a basic inspection down to 5=inspect it extremely well or its going to KB!.

What do you guys think?

I love to dig up all the free brass at the range, it sure would be nice to have a list of what to throw in the scrap bin right off the bat...

Any brass not actually made of brass is of course junk. This includes Wolf steel cases and CCI blazer aluminum cases.

In the format company name (headstamp [other headstamps])
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Good to go brass:
Starline (*--* Two Stars with line between them)
Winchester (Winchester, WIN, WCC?)
Norma (Norma)
Magtech (CBC)
Hornady (Hornady)
Independance (*I*)
Israeli Military Industries (TZZ)
Federal (Federal, FC that is not 40S&W)
Eldorado (ELD)
Remington (R-P, UMC)

Shootable, but not as good:
Speer (Speer)
Precision Made Cartridge (PMC)
Company? (HY)
Aguila (Aguila)
Fiocchi (Fiocchi)

Junk Brass:
American Ammunition (AMERC)
Armscorp (ACP)
Company? (NNY)
Federal (FC that is 40S&W)
Sellier & Beloit (S&B) - Mixed reviews, some ok, some bad, usually the problem is related to primer pocket size.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks,

Alan

podwich · 03-23-2008, 10:14

AMERC=bad.

mitchshrader · 03-23-2008, 10:47

Starline = Good

alank2 · 03-23-2008, 10:59

Hi guys,

Well that gets us started! After a bunch of posts I'll modify the first post to include a summary!

I'll throw another one in, Winchester = good.

Maybe we don't need to do it by caliber...

Thanks,

Alan

***Jeff82*** · 03-23-2008, 11:18

Maybe mention separating cases by weight and not mixing +p cases with non +p cases...

Rico567 · 03-23-2008, 12:00

I've shot a lot of "pickup" brass in my time, some say a bad habit, and they may be right. Nevertheless, through thousands of rounds I've had no reloading issues, except with the one headstamp that pops up in forums again and again, including this one- AMERC. Under no circumstances attempt to reload this stuff.

(Note: I'm not including in this discussion things like aluminum or steel cases. This stufff should not be reloaded, and I'm assuming people on this forum know that.)

fourrobert13 · 03-23-2008, 12:29

Stay away from FC & AD brass when it comes to rifle reloading. Some one already covered amerc.

I'll load up just about every thing else.

***Jeff82*** · 03-23-2008, 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourrobert13

Stay away from FC & AD brass when it comes to rifle reloading. Some one already covered amerc.

I'll load up just about every thing else.

Ok. I'm just guessing here:
FC=Frontier Cartridge and AD=anno Domini?

alank2 · 03-23-2008, 16:23

Hi,

If you can, please post the company and the headstamp.

What is the deal with FC is this federal cartridge or something else? Is it good in some calibers and not others?

Thanks,

Alan

alank2 · 03-23-2008, 16:37

Hi,

I found a thread with some BigSlick wisdom I included.

What is the deal on the NT marked stuff (not toxic). Does some of it work fine and others not?

Thanks,

Alan

SILVERBACK32 · 03-23-2008, 16:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by alank2

Hi everyone,

I recall a thread not long ago where people were talking about how hard they inspect calibers, for example 9mm was inspected very hard because it is quite a strong case for the typical 9mm loads put on it, and 40sw was inspected more carefully because it is much closer to the "edge" than 9mm for example.

Also was a list of good brass and bad brass.

Could we create a sticky that would list calibers and everyone could chime in about headstamps considered good or bad. We could just have people post their experiences and update a top level message. Obviously there could be disagreements where one person says this headstamp is decent while another says it is trash, in which case we could go with 3 categories for headstamp: Good to go, Mixed Review, Junk Brass.

Maybe a 1-5 rating on inspection necessity. 1=super strong brass, just a basic inspection down to 5=inspect it extremely well or its going to KB!.

What do you guys think?

I love to dig up all the free brass at the range, it sure would be nice to have a list of what to throw in the scrap bin right off the bat...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Good to go brass:
Starline (Two Stars with an arc between them)
Winchester (WIN, WCC?)
Norma (Headstamp?)
Company? (CBC)
Hornady (Headstamp?)
Company? (*I*)
Company? (TZZ)
Federal (Headstamp?)
Company? PMC? (ELD)

Shootable, but not as good:
Remington (R-P)
Speer (Headstamp?)
Company? (S&B)
Precision Metalic Something? (PMC)
Company? (HY)
Aguila (Headstamp?)
Fiocchi (Headstamp?)

Junk Brass:
AMERC (AMER?)
Armscorp (ACP)
Company? (NNY)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks,

Alan

What's wrong with Speer?

freakshow10mm · 03-23-2008, 17:32

Hornady brass is stamped Hornady.
Fiochi brass is stamped Fiochi
Norma brass is stamped Norma.
Winchester brass is stamped Winchester
Federal brass is stamped FC
ELD brass is Eldorado
PMC stands for Precision Made Cartridge
S&B is Sellier and Beloit (sp?)
*I* is Independance
Amerc is American Ammunition
Aguila is stamped Aguila
Starline is *--* but looks curved because the brass is round
UMC brass is stamped UMC and is a Remington company
Speer headstamp is Speer

fourrobert13 · 03-23-2008, 17:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff82

Ok. I'm just guessing here:
FC=Frontier Cartridge and AD=anno Domini?

AD=Adcom pistol and rifle brass is crap. Loose primer pockets and the brass is brittle.

FC=Federal rifle brass. Loose primer pockets and the brass is soft.

If I come accross either, I pitch them.

fourrobert13 · 03-23-2008, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by alank2

Hi,

I found a thread with some BigSlick wisdom I included.

What is the deal on the NT marked stuff (not toxic). Does some of it work fine and others not?

Thanks,

Alan

All of the NT stuff I came accross was 45 acp. It used small pistol primers instead of large. I didn't understand why, and I never attempted to load any of it.

sig2009 · 03-23-2008, 17:53

I think you should remove Speer from the not as good section!

alank2 · 03-23-2008, 18:36

Hi,

Speer made it into its category because of the BigSlick post I found. Honestly, I don't care for the fact that they "skip operations" according to them to produce brass more cheaply. I think these "skip operations" are responsible for the concave case head which I think looks cheap even if it works fine.

Thanks,

Alan

alank2 · 03-23-2008, 18:44

Hi,

Thanks freakshow, I've assimilated your knowledge into the top message!

Alan

alank2 · 03-23-2008, 18:45

Hi,

If anyone can find the thread about how carefully people inspect different calibers, that would be great. I recall people talking about how they inspect some calibers just lightly and other calibers in very great detail. I tried to find it earlier but didn't.

Thanks,

Alan

G10mm · 03-23-2008, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by alank2

Hi,

Speer made it into its category because of the BigSlick post I found. Honestly, I don't care for the fact that they "skip operations" according to them to produce brass more cheaply. I think these "skip operations" are responsible for the concave case head which I think looks cheap even if it works fine.

Thanks,

Alan

I saw the concave case head from speer and didn't like the look of it and scrapped them . I don't like to take chances .

freakshow10mm · 03-23-2008, 19:16

CBC is Magtech brass.

mrwilson · 03-23-2008, 20:49

Isn't GFL Fiochi too?

SILVERBACK32 · 03-25-2008, 06:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by G10mm

I saw the concave case head from speer and didn't like the look of it and scrapped them . I don't like to take chances .

Was the headstamp * SPEER* OR SPEER ?

Helms · 03-25-2008, 13:18

I just ran through a batch of sellier and beloit 9mm brass with the red goop on the primers. They were total JUNK. Did NOT want to seat primers in any way, shape or form. I had two out of about 15 actually seat primers flush, the other ones would only go about 1/2 way if that, so I junked them. I dont think I will even be trying my hand at S&B brass anymore.

FC NATO brass is finicky. I had a couple that absolutely did not want to seat primers as well, but they may have been crimped. I didnt check too closely. Might want to mark some of the older crimped 9mm NATO stuff as brass that isnt really worth the time of messing with.

Also, i really like R-P 9mm brass as it seems pretty easy to seat primers in since the primer pocket is beveled, I would rate this as good reloading brass.

OH- and before anyone asks, might want to list wolf and all aluminum "brass" as JUNK not to be reloaded.

alank2 · 03-25-2008, 19:27

Hi,

Thanks Helms, I updated with the info you provided!

Alan

goforbroke · 03-25-2008, 20:38

Top marks for Remington and Winchester.

I relegate Speer/CCI and Federal to target loads.

BTW, TZZ is made by the Israeli Military Industries - very good brass.