What's the deal with W-W brass?

[gamestalker]

Yesterday I was loading a bunch of 9mm and I was using Win. head stamps, with exception to one single W-W head stamp. Twice throughout my years of reloading I've had neck tension issues with 9mm brass, both time it was W-W head stamp. Although it's not a problem for me because I check neck tension as I seat bullets, I do however wonder why WW brass has been the culprit in both instances. Oh, I did encounter a similar neck tension issue with WW 38 special a couple years ago too.

GS

 

[45lcshooter]

The neck tension to loose, to tight?

 

[BYJO4]

I've only used WW brass for both my 9MM and 45 for the last 4 years with no problems.

 

[gamestalker]

Neck tension was almost non existent with the WW brass. I just find it odd that WW is the only brass I've ever encountered this issue with?

GS

 

[GLOOB]

I've had the same problem with W-W brass in 45ACP. But I only ever had 2 of them. For all I know some guy reloaded those cases a bazillion times and left them cuz they were worn out.

Perhaps tellingly, these two cases had that "crimp" thing going around the middle of the case, behind where the base of a bullet would sit. Maybe they couldn't get enough neck tension, even at the factory?

 

[FM12]

Had the same problem with a batch of Remington brass in the 1980s.

 

[jstein650]

Now that you mention it... I've always considered the 9mm marked 'Win.' to be some of the best. Same with 'Winchester' .223, and pretty good 'WCC' in .38, but it does seem the 'W-W', at least in .38 seemed very thin at the neck, and gave up the ghost pretty quickly.

 

[hovercat]

No idea on the 9mm. In the .38, you may have a case from factory wadcutters. These have less inside taper. Could also be a difference in annealing, softer brass. Did you notice a difference in the pressure needed to resize?
Factory ammo is not made to be reloaded. If the ammo companies could come up with a safe round that the public would accept, reloading would dry up.

 

[Rule3]

Never was aware of a problem and I have a lot of it in many calibers?

 

[johnandersonoutdoors]

gamestalker,

When you say you check neck tension when seating are you just going based on feel? I am not sure if I know what you mean.

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

WCC problem

I've had some headstamped WCC that would not allow me to seat a primer. The primer pockets were burred with some device to make sure they would not back out, they deprime with much more effort. I assume they are military brass, and I put them in the recycle pile.

I am unsure if this is Winchester brass, or Western Cartridge Company. It might be old brass, sold as surplus.

 

[1SOW]

I've had some headstamped WCC that would not allow me to seat a primer. The primer pockets were burred with some device to make sure they would not back out, they deprime with much more effort.

That small circle indent around the primer hole is the "crimp". The primer hole needs to be reemed or swaged to allow normal primer seating. STURDY brass.
"Hornady" makes/sells a separate good reamer "bit" that can used on a VS Drill or drill press. A press-mounted swager is the best cure for what ails it.
I use a Hornady bit on a drill press for 9mm WCC. It's fast and consistant.

 

[Miata Mike]

Only one time did I have trouble with neck tension on Winchester 9mm brass. I got a small bag from a guy when he gave me some nice reloading boxed for free. I threw that brass in the recycle pail and never had another problem. Don't remember if the headstamp was W-W, but that kind of rings a bell.

I just looked back and on March 28, 2011 I came across ten 9mm W-W cases that were sloppy oversize. Junk'em and move on.

As a matter of fact, I prefer WIN 9mm brass for my jacketed loads.

 

[gamestalker]

Gloob, that is exactly what I'm referring to. The only one's I've ever had a problem with were the one's with the preventive set back crimp, and they were brass of unknown origin. Like you said, maybe they've been reloaded a gazillion times.

GS

 

[mstreddy]

I have also had issues with some WW brass. Some pieces in 38 Spcl and some in 38 Super. Both had insufficient neck tension. In the Super rounds I pulled the jacketed bullets and used lead in those. I just tossed the 38 special in the recycle bin. I don't recall any issues with any 9mm ones.

 

[fguffey]

I do not have a problem with neck tension, my cases have bullet hold, I want all the bullet hold I can get, I can not have too much bullet hold, there is no shortage of Winchester Western cases around here, I do not have a problem with bullet hold with my Winchester Western cases.

Western Cartridge Company acquired Winchester in about 1929, there have been millions of WW cases manufactured, I can not account for all of them, could be another one of those things that is ‘not fair’, I do not have any of the cases without bullet hold.

F. Guffey