Enlarged 9mm Flash Hole

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dragonfly157

dragonfly157

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Hey all,
I was cleaning some 1x fired 9mm Winchester brass for reloading today and I noticed that the flash hole on a number of the cases was enlarged, in an oblong shape (see photo). Any ideas on what causes this (especially on only 1x fired brass)? Would you consider this safe to reload? Thanks.

win2.jpg
 
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Is this once-fired by you (that you deprimed yourself) or purchased? I've seen flash holes from range brass that was obviously enlarged, presumably for use with wax bullets or plastic projectiles for training. I typically toss these. However, those I found are concentric and not oblong like yours.
I do recall reading on a reloading forum of something like this with new Winchester brass, with the belief it was simply a manufacturing defect, perhaps with machinery needing calibration.
 
...the belief it was simply a manufacturing defect, perhaps with machinery needing calibration.
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That's what I was thinking. Something in the punching/drilling process is messed up and that's the result.

I feel like it's not really going to cause any problems but it isn't the way a flash hole should look.
 
Thanks for your responses. This is once-fired brass that I fired (which is all I reload, never random range brass). I loaded it from a bag of Winchester unprimed brass which I purchased sealed from Cabelas. It was a starting load which I have used many times (on other brands of brass as well) without anything like this resulting. I think you may be right that it is some type of manufacturing defect. I was mainly concerned that the enlarged hole might result in a pressure variance (e.g. increase) if I used it for future reloads.
 
Winchester ammo has been disappointing me for 30 years and is on my 'don't buy' list.

It's the little things, like seating a bullet backwards, duty ammo with extraordinary flash, and JHPs that caused FTFe in a rifle that was 100% with all other ammo.

BSW
 
My sons and I have experienced frequent jams with the 9mm Winchester white box ammo. Only purchase it as a last resort at this point.
 
Walkalong said:
Safe yes, check your decapping pin on the sizer to see if it is off center.
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That, and make sure you get the case all the way into the shell holder. Not thats likely the issue above.

Looks like they have something going on with their machinery.

I bought a number of cases worth of WWB 100 round "value packs" from Walmart over a couple of years. Case lot prices without shipping, how could you not? :)

I shoot it now and then when I need some new brass. Never really had any problems with it, other than its a bit dirty.
 
Clearly a punch alignment issue. I am sure Quality Assurance brought it up to management and was told that it was not a safety critical parameter. Scrapping the brass would have cost profit, so they balance out these things, and since no one complained, they won their gamble.
 
Now that you mention it, I had a few cases that didn't go into the die on the first try (~ hard stop) and had to nurse them a bit to get them in. I am careful to place the case all the way into the shell holder so I thought perhaps something else was slightly out of alignment preventing the case from entering the die. The decapping stem is slightly bent and perhaps that is enough to cause the issue. I'll install a new one and see how it goes. The funny thing is I was de-priming / re-sizing Winchester and Federal brass at the same time and only had the issue with the Winchester brass. No problems with the Federal brass.
 
If your decapping pin is off-center or bent, then something is likely amiss on your end and it wont get better until you straighten the pin, or maybe even the rod out.

One other thing to check here, is if the shell holder itself is fully in the ram. I use an old RCBS Rock Chucker, and from time to time, I have to clean out the shell holder slot or it wont fully seat. Sometimes canned air works, other times, I have to reach in with a small screwdriver and give it a scrape.
 
Good advice, everyone. Thanks!
I have a lot of 9mm brass, so no big concern if I have to toss these few cases, but for curiosity's sake wondering if it is safe to use with the enlarged flash hole.
 
trackskippy said:
If your decapping pin is off-center or bent, then something is likely amiss on your end and it wont get better until you straighten the pin, or maybe even the rod out.

One other thing to check here, is if the shell holder itself is fully in the ram. I use an old RCBS Rock Chucker, and from time to time, I have to clean out the shell holder slot or it wont fully seat. Sometimes canned air works, other times, I have to reach in with a small screwdriver and give it a scrape.
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Also verifying the shell holder is clean matters. I have had to clean my 38/357 shell holder several times.
 
I would think if it was a manufacturing issue the oblong part of the hole would be the same diameter as the flash hole. It isn’t in the pictures.
A decapping pin is smaller. That’s where I’d look.
 
dragonfly157 said:
Good advice, everyone. Thanks!
I have a lot of 9mm brass, so no big concern if I have to toss these few cases, but for curiosity's sake wondering if it is safe to use with the enlarged flash hole.
Click to expand...
You may not notice depending on your ability. If your in any type of sport toss it and move on.
 
A old toothbrush works well for cleaning out the shellholder slot too. I keep one by my press all the time
 
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