WCC 9mm brass

[strat81]

I have a bunch of WCC headstamp 9mm brass from my Walmart WWB. Depriming is easy, but priming is a little tougher than other brands of brass I have (R-P, FC, Hornady, Win, S&B). Is it crimped? How do I know for sure? If so, how do I remove the crimp? Is it unsafe to prime without removing the crimp?

I'm using a Lee Cast Turret Press and CCI small pistol primers.

 

[The Bushmaster]

If your brass has a crimped primer it's easy to see, it'll be quite obvious. Just compare the WCC brass with the other stuff you have. If you want to have an easier time priming that brass go to Winchester primers (WSP) They tend to either be just a bit smaller or they are a bit softer and easier to seat. CCI tends to be a tighter fitting primer...

 

[RustyFN]

Western Cartridge Company (Olin), East Alton, IL
It's made at the same place as the Win headstamp brass. I have used CCI and Winchester primers on the Win brass and the CCI did seem like it took a little more effort to seat. I can't tell you if it because of size or hardness but they both seemed to work fine.
Rusty

 

[TonyT]

WCC brass is excellent.

 

[cheygriz]

A couple of years ago, I acquired 5,000 pieces of 9MM WCC brass. I removed the crimp in the primer pocket with the Dillon Swag-O-Matic tool, and I've been using the brass for +P+ loads ever since. It's some of the best brass I've ever used, and it's well worth the effort to remove the crimp.

 

[P0832177]

Remove the crimp and reload to your hearts content!
Never try to reprime a crimped primer pocket as you will probably crush the primer.

 

[tlish]

i didn't know that this was something i had to watch out for - crimped primers?

If your brass has a crimped primer it's easy to see, it'll be quite obvious.

is there a picture anywhere of the difference? i plan on reloading a lot of wwb brass, but haven't started yet. now i'm worried.

help! thanks!

 

[RustyFN]

tlish, you won't have to worry with WWB. The only brass that will have crimped primer pockets that I know of is military surplus ammo.
Rusty

 

[donttellthewife]

Crimped primers is what the military does to make sure the primers don't back out/fall out under trying conditions ( machine pistols MP5 and such ). Generally a sign that it's crimped is a NATO marking ( circle with a X in it ) and or a date. The same holds true for rifle brass. Most of the handgun brass that is crimped, is done with a rolled crimp that goes around the entire ridge of the primer pocket and is difficult to see ( you can use your calibers and compare the opening size to a non crimped primer ). The other type is a pin type crimp that has three obvious marks around the primer locking it in place.You can remove the crimp by cutting it away or swaging it, I prefer swaging but crimp cutters ( looks like a chamfer tool ) are far cheaper if you don't have to many to do. As to being unsafe, I've smashed a couple of primers when I've missed a crimped case, but I've never had a detonation, but this seems like when it could happen. Wear safety glasses when reloading
Hope this helps

 

[ReloaderFred]

When the Coast Guard was still shooting their M-9's, I was able to get loads and loads of their 9mm brass. It was split pretty evenly between WCC and FC, both of which are excellent brass. It's heavier than commercial and will handle hot loads better. I prefer it for all my 9mm shooting, since it's such good brass. You only have to remove the crimp once and then it's good to go.

Now that the Coast Guard is shooting their Sigs in .40 S&W, I'm guarding my stash of WCC and FC 9mm brass.

Hope this helps.

Fred