So I bought a bag of Winchester never fired brass from Bass Pro. I re sized them, and tumbled them. I looked them over after pulling them out of the tumbler and noticed that about 4 pieces had the flash hole in the primer pocket that was out of round. It was like it was a hole cut normally, but then it looked like it had been filed or something so that it was opened up more than normal and made out of round. The edge of the flash hole seemed slanted also like something had almost filed it or something. Is this safe to shoot or should I throw these pieces away?
Should I throw this brass away?
- Thread starter slowr1der
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DJW
Member
Just load it and shoot it. This is not rocket science. There is some variation in cases, this does not make them unsafe or faulty.
Have fun.
Dave
Have fun.
Dave
Or get a flash hole uniformer tool. Basically just a tiny center drill mounted in a handle, you just twist it in the flash hole a couple times and it's good forever. Made for removing the burrs around the hole from where it was punched. http://www.lymanproducts.com/includ...sh+hole+uniformer&hl=en&sa=G&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1
DJW
Member
If you are a bench-rest or other competitive shooter it might matter to you but small variations really do not matter for most purposes.
Best, Dave
Best, Dave
ReloaderFred
Member
Load them and set them apart from the rest of the ammunition you load from the same batch. Then when you go to the range, observe if there is any difference between the "good" brass and the "bad" brass. My bet is you won't be able to tell the difference on target. There is nothing dangerous about loading them.
Flash holes are punched, not drilled, in U.S. commercial brass, so there are going to be a few that may have a dissimilar hole punched in them. It's not really a big deal, unless as noted, you're a benchrest shooter trying for one hole groups.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Flash holes are punched, not drilled, in U.S. commercial brass, so there are going to be a few that may have a dissimilar hole punched in them. It's not really a big deal, unless as noted, you're a benchrest shooter trying for one hole groups.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Thanks guys. One other thing I noticed is some of the pieces have a piece of metal inside the case that I can't get out. It's like when they drilled the flash hole the metal they drilled away just got bent down inside of the case. It's hard to explain. I can't get it to come off. Is this going to cause pressure issues? Or is it safe too?
That is normal too. It should not cause any problems either.
DJW
Member
That's where the tool mentioned by Rondog comes in.........removes that little extra left by the manufacturing process...........
MulticalinMO
Member
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I uniform my brass flash holes with the Lyman hand tool, UNTIL I found it screws right into the RCBS Prep center, now it does the turning for me. Thanks RCBS for yet Another way to make me lasy!
Skip in Kingsville
Skip in Kingsville
ReloaderFred
Member
The flash holes aren't drilled, they're punched. The sliver of brass you're seeing is the result of the punching process.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
Maj Dad
Member
Having more time and just enough anal compulsion allows me to ream all the flash holes on new cases (I use the RCBS tool) and segregate any noticeably off center holed brass for foulers or non-critical use. I don't often find it, and it does crop from time to time, but I haven't had the problems others have commented on here. I will say that I have drilled out primer pockets for use with wax bullets powered by primers only; I segregate those & do not use them for regular loads. Other than that, Fire In The Hole!
Cosmoline
Member
See, now I'm going to have to go back to the 874 rounds of rifle brass I just got through laboriously resizing, depriming, cleaning, sorting, trimming, priming, and check their flash holes for uniformity!
Arkansas Paul
Member
I'm with Fred. Shoot em seperate and see if you can tell a difference. Betcha you can't. Something like that isn't going to affect much. Happy shooting.
ghitch75
Member
if there 45acp or 223 i'll pay ship if you throw them out...
Tim the student
Member
I'd prefer not to hear about your anal compulsion Maj Dad. This is a family site.
JK OP - load that brass up.
Maj Dad
Member
Some contemplate their navels, others, well, they contemplate... they anal-eyze...
Okay, so I tried to find a flash hole uniformer locally and I have had no luck. I was thinking of just waiting to add it to my next order from Natchezss.com whenever that is. It may be a while.
So my question is for these that have the piece of metal still attached sort of to the flash hole like I mentioned earlier. Is it safe to go ahead and re load these without the uniformer? Or do I really need to wait until I get the flash hole uniformer? I don't want to take any chances with safety.
So my question is for these that have the piece of metal still attached sort of to the flash hole like I mentioned earlier. Is it safe to go ahead and re load these without the uniformer? Or do I really need to wait until I get the flash hole uniformer? I don't want to take any chances with safety.
If, in your opinion, the flash holes are much bigger than they should be, just discard them. "When in doubt, throw them out". If they are not, a small drill bit turned by hand
may well remove the burrs in the flash hole, and a slightly larger one inserted from the neck turned by hand may well remove the inside burr as well.
may well remove the burrs in the flash hole, and a slightly larger one inserted from the neck turned by hand may well remove the inside burr as well.
ReloaderFred
Member
Cases in factory ammunition come off the same production line as the brass you bought. There is absolutely no danger whatsoever in using brass that has a burr on the flash hole from the punching process, period. The only exception would be if the burr blocked the flash hole, or there wasn't a flash hole at all.
The only reason people uniform flash holes is in an effort to attain the best possible accuracy from their ammunition, and this is just eliminating one of many variables. Load the stuff and don't worry about it.
Hope this helps.
Fred
The only reason people uniform flash holes is in an effort to attain the best possible accuracy from their ammunition, and this is just eliminating one of many variables. Load the stuff and don't worry about it.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Tallinar
Member
You may want them uniform if you're doing competitive bench rest, but otherwise, I'd use em.
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