Winchester brass out of spec

[Mick Boon]

I noticed some unusual wear on the bolt face, and on searching for the reason I discovered discoloration on the bases of some of the cases and split primers.. I have since got hold of some new once fired cases and have not has a problem since..

I expected better from pricey Winchester cases.

 

[Englishmn]

Let them know they will probably send you some new for returning the defective ones.

 

[243winxb]

Defective primers?

Olin/Winchester - I had 2000 bad wspm. Win didnt replace the primers, but sent a check. Took over 6 month. Check did not cover my cost of new primers or cost of paying hazmat, shipping & 6% sales tax, again.

Avoid Olin/Win, they are to busy with there new military contracts to worry about the little guys.

 

[Mick Boon]

Let them know they will probably send you some new for returning the defective ones.

I just tried. It's impossible to contact them from Canada, their website does nor recognize my zip code and will not let me proceed without it. I can't find a phone number for them.

PS the primers are also Winchester.

 

[higgite]

Defective primers?

Olin/Winchester - I had 2000 bad wspm. Win didnt replace the primers, but sent a check. Took over 6 month. Check did not cover my cost of new primers or cost of paying hazmat, shipping & 6% sales tax, again.

Avoid Olin/Win, they are to busy with there new military contracts to worry about the little guys.

So, they make high quality military primers and poor quality little guy primers on purpose?

 

[bigpower491]

Winchester used to be my go to brass yrs ago until I got a few hundred new 22-250 cases from Midway that were scrap after the first firing. The necks split on most of them. Went to Starline for about everything after that and never looked back

 

[243winxb]

So, they make high quality military primers and poor quality little guy primers on purpose?

Appears so.​

Winchester Small Rifle 5.56mm NATO-Spec Military Primers #41​

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Winchester history on bad primers- around 2013.

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[45 long]

Just curious......did the primers seat too easily, like the primer pockets were oversized ?

 

[tightgroup tiger]

So, they make high quality military primers and poor quality little guy primers on purpose?

I had a problem a while back with Winchester small pistol primers. The one's I got were black on the anvil side instead of the traditional red.
I called Winchester because I thought I had a mixed product between magnum primers (Black on anvil side) and standard (Red on anvil side). It turned out that Military had a gripe with Winchester about whether they were getting the military or civilian primers. They wanted to be able to tell the difference.
Winchester primer dept decided to give the military the red backed primers and give us civilians the "new" black backed primers. The Black primers wouldn't run through any of my priming equipment without constant jamming .
I opened a box of red backed primers to do a comparison test and the red ones ran through all my presses with no problem.

I'm not using the Winchesters anymore. That leaves more for the rest of you.

 

[higgite]

I have since got hold of some new once fired cases and have not has a problem since..

That implies that the problem you had was with old once fired cases? Is that the case? (no pun intended)

 

[Mick Boon]

That implies that the problem you had was with old once fired cases? Is that the case? (no pun intended)

The Winchester cases were new until I loaded them.

 

[Mick Boon]

Just curious......did the primers seat too easily, like the primer pockets were oversized ?

Yes, in fact I had to check to make sure I had actually seated a primer a few times. The new ( non Winchester ) cases I have all needed a firm press to seat the primers.

I'm just going to throw the Winchester cases away, they are more trouble than they are worth.

 

[Englishmn]

So is it the primers splitting or did the primer pocket enlarge? Nvm just read previous post guess pockets were oversize to start.