7.62 x 39 brass

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bender

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I bought 3 bags of 50 at Sportsman's Warehouse (Winchester brass). I've only loaded around 25 so far, but I think the brass... well, stinks.

I had to throw out 5 cases due to the necks being extremely deformed... as in folded or severly screwed up some how. To throw away 5 out of 25 seems pretty bad for the quality control.

I've also read some comments (on Midway) that the brass is thin and low-quality.

But Midway only sells 7.62x39 brass by Lapua (way too expensive for me) and winchester.

Don't other companies make it...? where's some good places to get other brands? What other brands do you recommend?

Thanks!
 
I have 500ea of Federal and Olympic that I got off eBay for about $50 each I think. Havent loaded either yet. Federal I believe is small primer, Olympic is large. No big deal to me because I stock both sizes anyway and I seperate rifle brass. It all looks pretty good though.

Randy
 
maybe my first bag was unusual, but I definately had 5 bad ones so far and I'm only half-way through the bag.

I was curious about some comments I've read about the heads being thin & weak. Comments on Midway, and in various internet forums.
 
When I became the owner of a Ruger 77 bolt-action in 7.62x39, it was intended to be a cast-bullet "project rifle", and therefore all the military/steel-case ammo was useless to me.

I bought 500 once-fired Federal cases from an Ebay seller (large primers, BTW... Remington is the sole US manufacturer of small-primer US brass I'm aware of). Just a few days back, I deep-sixed the last of the Federals, because the neck-wall thickness varies so badly that it's ridiculous. Some cases will drag HARD over the expander ball in the resizing die, while many others make absolutely no contact at all. It's difficult to expect much accuracy from such stuff.

Contrary to reports above, these days I'm using Winchester brass with considerable satisfaction, maybe just because it's so much better than the Federals! Bulk brass often has dents, etc. as mentioned, but I find that needle-nose pliers will usually cure most such flaws before the first sizing. New-unfired brass on my bench ALWAYS gets sized before the first loading.
 
I am resizing the new winchester brass (neck only) before reloading it. I have to, because the necks are mostly 'not round'. Most are just a little off. But some that I had to throw away, had actual 'folds' in them.
 
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