Problem with S&B Brass CCI Primers

[mugsie]

I'm using a Dillon 550B to reload .38 cal, range brass and CCI 500 SP primers. Tonight I ran a few hundred rounds through and virtually every time I came acorss an S&B brass, the primer was a bear to seat. On a couple of em' I had to swap out the brass for another make and it would seat just fine. I've noticed the S&B headstamp gives me all kinds of problems. Has anyone else had this issue using S&B brass? Rem, Federal, Win - they all seat exceptionally well. S&B - aughhhh! :banghead:

 

[mugsie]

That's what I thought

Medula - that's exactly what I thought - it's crap. Period. Every one was a problem. MAybe I'll use the empty cases for little stand up targets down range - it'll be good for em'!

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

I have had good success with S&B brass loaded it for years. Once you remove the primer crimp it is loaded like standard brass from then on.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

CCI primers appear to me to be just a bit bigger then other makes. This is just part of the game of using cci primers. It can be an advantage if you are adventurous. When you primer pockets expend with say winchester and very hot loads you just switch to cci and keep shooting.

Not that I was crazy enough to do that many years ago..... (with age comes wisdom or experience. It just depends on your perspective).

 

[Bottom Gun]

S&B brass and CCI primers are a bad combination. Try using a softer primer such as Winchester or Federal. Things will go much easier for you.

FWIW, years ago I started using small rifle primers for pistol loads. They are slightly harder than small pistol primers and I have found they work better for higher pressure loads.
Note: This will only work with small primers. Large rifle primers are slightly higher than large pistol primers.

 

[wally]

I quit using CCI primers a long time ago for a variety of reasons. They seem to be much harder to seat in a variety of brass. I don't notice the S&B that's mixed in now that I use Winchester, Remmington, or MagTech primers.

--wally.

 

[ReloaderFred]

S&B is good brass and seems to last quite well. CCI primers are just the wrong primers to use with it. As noted, use Remington, Federal or Winchester and they will seat just fine.

Wally,

What has your experience been with the Magtech primers? I'm curious how they stack up for sensitivity against the domestic primers? CCI have proven to be too hard for any of my Cowboy guns, and my Marlin Carbine gives me an occasional misfire with Winchester primers. Remington and Federal are dead bang (pun intended) reliable. I'm debating trying Magtech for the price, but was wondering how they do?

Fred

 

[Ben Shepherd]

S&B brass in 357 is OK. I ran into the same problem with thier 38 brass though. Tried winchester, federal, and CCI primers in it. The primer pockets are an odd too small size.

As cheap/easy as 38 brass is to come by- Throw 'em out and be done with it.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I reload 7.62x25mm S&B brass for use in a Broomhandle Mauser.
The S&B brass works well for me with CCI primers.
I am using a low end Lee Loader (with mallets toward all)
and seat primers with the lemon squeezer hand capper.

 

[Gewehr98]

I'll gladly take all the S&B brass...

That others would call crap. I find it better than most thin, non-uniform domestic RemFedChester stuff, truthfully. It approaches mil-spec dimensions and thicknesses, something I find quite nice when dealing with old warhorse firearms.

I've been using S&B .303 British, 8x57 Mauser, and 7.62x25 Tokarev brass for many years now, my Tokarev brass alone is on it's 10th reloading. CCI primers are just a smidgen oversized, but will indeed work with proper case prep. I've loaded the CCI #34 primers for an FN-49 in 8mm, and am quite pleased with the combination.

As for the primer pockets, it's much like U.S. military brass, and needs some coaxing for best results. Nobody calls Lake City .30-06 brass crap, and they're well aware that those primer pockets need swaged. It's just that some people are afraid to roll up their sleeves and do a little work. Myself, I've got one of the primer pocket uniforming tools, and use it all of one time on each piece of S&B brass. That's it. One pass with the uniformer and you're done.

We're not talking A-Merc brass here. This is good stuff, and this coming from a guy who usually works with Norma, RWS, and Lapua brass.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Guys I agree that as a general rule S&B is good stuff, the 38 special(and only 38 special in the calibers I've used S&B in) has a wierd size primer.

Everything else S&B I've used has normal sized pockets, but 38 is smaller than normal.

 

[sargenv]

I'll say that I've heard people have trouble with S&B, CBC (Magtech), and even Speer Brass over the years (in different calibers). I've even heard people bad mouth Starline brass. Personally, I've really not had any issues with any of these. I found out real quick that the 9mm Fed NT brass has a smaller primer pocket and I ditched all of it since I didn't want to deal with enlarging the pockets on those. If it were for a rarer caliber, I probably would have done so on one afternoon. Overall though, I've used a lot of S&B brass and not had any trouble with it.

I've found in general that CCI primers are a bit larger than the others. They are generally harder to ignite as well. I tend to use Remington or Winchester in my standard ammunition for 32 S&W long, 38/357, 40/10mm, 45 acp, and 9mm. When I load for my competition revolver, I change up to Federal small or large pistol, they are the softest, but also more expensive primers. I know a lot of people who choose to use Small rifle primers for their hotter pistol loads in 357 magnum, 38 super, 357 maximum, and the like, but having used small pistol primers, I've not found the need nor seen cratering or flattening in my handloads. YMMV. I was told by someone in the know that besides a slightly thicker primer cup, the amount of priming mixture in the winchester small rifle primer is the same as in the small pistol primer.

Vince

 

[spencerhut]

S&B is okay to use. I usually have to clean up the primers pockets with an RCBS Small Pistol Primer Pocket Uniformer. But once that is done they reload just fine. Besides . . . don't most of you folks b!tch about loose primer pockets? Yeah thought so . . .

 

[raz-0]

My personal experience using winchester primers:

.45ACP.. S&B brass is a bit stiff to seat the first loading, but breaks in by the 2nd or 3rd loading. No unusual early wear even when reloading many times. It's not real friendly with moonclips from whatI understand (used to swap non S&B brasss for S&B with some wheelgun shooters).

.40S&W S&B brass is pretty darn tight, but not that military crimp feel. have a big enough pile of brass for .40 I ahven't gone through any more than once yet.

9mm S&B brass feels almost exactly like military crimped brass with the exception that you CAN force one in if you REALLY try whereas military crimped stuff will crush or otherwise deform the primer. the extractor groove is also quite tight making it play less well with some shellplates/holders.


Bassically, for .45 i'll take people's S&B brass if they don't want it. For 40 S&W, I'll take it, but the jury is still out. For 9mm, I chuck it in the recycle pile if i notice it when separating brass.

I also ditch any S&B rifle brass. It's just too brittle to rely on as far as i can tell.

 

[TonyT]

I have had a similar experience with S&B brass and tight primer pockets. At one time CCI primers had a reputation for lack of dimensional uniformity. I have not heard this lately and many people are devoted users of CCI primers. Personally I prefer Remington and Winchester in my pistol loads and federal in my revolver loads.

 

[Vitamin G]

I actually use alot of S&B brass when reloading .45acp. Sure, its a little tighter, but i have no complaints. I bought it at a Cabela's grand opening sale for $7.99/50. (Maybe it was mismarked, in retrospect) I think I still have some left, but im too busy reloading.