defective brass

[griz]

I've read advice that once fired brass is more reliable than brand new brass because any defects in the new brass would be revealed with the first firing. That makes sense to me, but I wonder how common it is. Does anybody know of a failure of new brass (rifle or pistol, factory or handloads, but with no visible flaws) that failed from a factory defect on the first firing?

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

not that I recall but I've seen some cheapo brass that I wondered how it got loaded to begin with. amerc one example.

 

[243winxb]

Not Common>New Fuji factory ammo in 3006, have vertical splits in the neck/shoulder area after firing,not dangerous like a case head seperation. Some once fired brass 223/5.56 , 308 militay can be unsafe.IMO. The bulged web area is rolled back to factory specifications, some say this can cause case head failures. Photos 2 different guns, different lots of ammo, both LC brass. Possible overload, to hot.

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[Randy1911]

I have been shooting most of my 47 years and can't remember ever having a brass related failure of factory ammo. That said I have never found a new piece of reloading brass that was bad either.

 

[griz]

Forgot to mention I have seen one myself. It was 9mm surplus. Don't remember the brand but it was foreign made. The primer backed out a bit when "fired". Kinda scared me because the sealant around the primer was bubbling when I picked it up. Later disassembly showed there was no flash hole.

 

[rcmodel]

Me too.

No flash hole in a GI issue LC 68 5.56mm on the range at Ft. Carson CO in 1969.

But brass defects per say in factory ammo is rare.
I have found rolled edges on the case mouth from bullet seating that wouldn't chamber.
And primers seated upside down or sideways though.

rc

 

[ReloaderFred]

I've seen pistol brass split on the first firing, and attributed it to a flaw in the raw material. An occasional rolled case mouth in a factory round also shows up, but they're rare.

The most flaws I've seen in new brass was with Bertram Brass, from Australia. He doesn't do the final inspection as well as he could. I also had one batch that the webs of the cases were too thin and the primer pockets blew all the way through on the first loading. He did replace those, but the cases he sent to replace them also had two cases with creases that went all the way through the brass, making a manufactured crack in the case. These were .45 Basic cases, and cost right around $2.50 each.

I don't use Bertram Brass anymore and told Mr. Bertram why at the last SHOT Show I attended.

When you consider the millions of rounds of factory ammunition that are produced monthly, it's amazing that we don't see more flaws leave the factory..........

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[MMCSRET]

I purchased 500 pieces of new Winchester 32-40 to load for a Marlin 1893 in that caliber. I had 14 pieces that were not formed fully, cavities and folds over vacancies, flash hole punched twice in one case. New cases in the new Winchester sealed plastic bags. I've still got 2 bags unopened so there may be more.
Not a big deal as I load on a single station press and process each case by hand with several visual and touchy-feely inspections.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Failure rate...

Griz--IMHO, the failure rate of brass from a reputable source (i.e. NOT Amerc, for example) be it brand-new brass or once-fired brass, is so low as to be not worth considering.

The once-fired brass would, as you suggest, reveal flaws in the new brass, but they'd be so rare that it would hardly count as a means of inspecting/qualifying the new brass.

And the once-fired brass has the disadvantage of having been fired once, thus shortening its future useful life, so this whole question of virgin vs. once-fired brass, is a two-edged sword.

Bottom line: Use virgin brass when you get a deal on it. Use once-fired brass when you get a deal on it. The overall quality of the brass is more important than whether it is virgin or once-fired.

 

[jak67429]

Just got 1000 new 6.8 spc rem brass. 1 case had a cracked neck and 1 was .25" to long. Only problems with new brass I have seen in 20 + years reloding.