Winchester brass.. the Best and Worst at the same time

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J

JLDickmon

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putting up some.45 Auto loads this morning.. I love how I can feel the primers press in this Winchester brass.. however..
about a third of them I have to put back on the primer punch and squeeze like the Hulk because they came to a stop short of fully seated..

anyone else see/have seen this?
 
Nope, but I use a priming die so it's really not a big deal as to how rough they go in, as long as they go in. I have noticed that Winchester brass does have some pretty tight pockets though, but I rather like that aspect.

GS
 
gamestalker said:
Nope, but I use a priming die so it's really not a big deal as to how rough they go in, as long as they go in. I have noticed that Winchester brass does have some pretty tight pockets though, but I rather like that aspect.

GS
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that's what I'm sayin'.. I felt like running out and buying a pocket swage..
 
I have noticed (bought a bag of new brass the other day) that after dropping powder and pulling the case out of the die that the die holds it very tightly and I have to use a bit more force to get it to release. I suspect that this unfired brass is just needing a break in. All of my previously fired brass goes in and out of the powder die very smoothly. My son commented that it might be a tad thicker. When we get back to the bench today I will weigh some of each and compare.
 
uniform all your primer pockets, or use starline brass. problem solved.

murf
 
I hate win brass for 38. About 10/50 have high riding primers and I have to run them through the press again with all my strength to seat properly.
 
Please send all that horrible Winchester brass to me. It's the least I can do to help out. :D

I have not had any trouble with Winchester brass in .38 Spl or .45 ACP, but I am hand priming. Perhaps your press doesn't have the needed leverage to seat primers in tight pockets. How are you priming?
 
I like Win brass. I seat primers with a RCBS hand primer, but don't have any that require a heavy grip to get seated deep enough. Only a few S&B once in a while. I use CCI primers mostly with some Fed mixed in. Are you using Tula by chance?
 
Primer pocket uniforming can save you from the vagaries of mass produced brass.

I have many issues with win brass, but its still the best that isn't norma or lapua priced.

I still get one or two reject pieces in brand new bags- I've gotten tired of asking them about it, and just consider it part of the expense.
 
I recently bought some new Winchester 30-06 brass. I had the same problem you described. May have to swage the primer pockets when I load them again. Didn't like this problem at all.
 
For me it's head stamp dependent. The win brass with thinly stamped letters (Walmart white box) is fairly loose. The ones with thick letters (range pickups) are tighter but not a problem with federal primers and the rcbs priming tool.

J.
 
I have some Winchester primers that is a tight fit in some fired brass. I like a tight fit primer. When the primer goes in very easy I smash them and junk them. I do not want a primer backing OUT.
 
FWIW, I've encountered the same issue with new Winchester .357 brass. I've found that rotating the case in the shell holder 180° then giving another pull to the handle seems to get things seated better. But they definitely run a bit tight on the pockets.
 
walkalong: haha, I cant let a piece of brass go, even if I hate it :) I usually sort out all winchester brass and put it in a box for days I dont mind my back hurting and the palm of my hand going sore from seating the suckers. Ive used cci and winchester small pistol and small rifle along with tula small rifle. they are all just as difficult to seat in the problem cases. Im priming using the lee turret press priming system.
 
From the factory Winchester brass is the most beat up brass I have ever used and I won't ever buy it new again, rough necks, bent shoulders.....etc. However once it has been fired one time it is great stuff, that is why I buy it in bulk "once fired" at the local range. Win brass is real easy to work with.
 
That Sinclair primer pocket uniformer is
Click to expand...
Designed to uniform the depth and square the bottom of the primer pocket, not do anything with the ID. I used a Whitetail Design carbide uniformer to do 6PPC brass. I have never uniformed any other primer pockets.
 
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