Brass issue
06-24-2019, 11:49 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,780
Brass issue
Yesterday I opened a new bag of Winchester brass to find five cases (out of fifty) that are not usable. These five pieces of brass have deep cuts in the shoulder area. One piece has the cut entirely through the brass. The forty five other cases are in great shape.
I have been loading for many years and I expect dents in bagged brass. This is the first time I have ever seen cut marks. If I had loaded these cases they certainly would have split upon firing.
I have been loading for many years and I expect dents in bagged brass. This is the first time I have ever seen cut marks. If I had loaded these cases they certainly would have split upon firing.
06-24-2019, 12:43 PM
#2
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: texas
Posts: 1,201
who supplied the new winchester brass?
lots of good sources and yeah you will occasionally receive defective cases, in and bunch
https://www.starlinebrass.com/
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
https://www.midwayusa.com/
(components for reload)
http://www.zediker.com/downloads/m14.html
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....in-full-metal-jacket-boat-tail-2-and-100-case
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2337933...?ref=related-4
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2401370...?ref=related-1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2201193...?ref=related-3
https://www.wideners.com/reloading-...308-win-bullets-308-147-grain-fmj-500-reviews
https://www.brownells.com/reloading/...rass/index.htm
https://www.wideners.com/reloading-s...ts/223-bullets
lots of good sources and yeah you will occasionally receive defective cases, in and bunch
https://www.starlinebrass.com/
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
https://www.midwayusa.com/
(components for reload)
http://www.zediker.com/downloads/m14.html
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....in-full-metal-jacket-boat-tail-2-and-100-case
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2337933...?ref=related-4
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2401370...?ref=related-1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/2201193...?ref=related-3
https://www.wideners.com/reloading-...308-win-bullets-308-147-grain-fmj-500-reviews
https://www.brownells.com/reloading/...rass/index.htm
https://www.wideners.com/reloading-s...ts/223-bullets
Last edited by hardcastonly; 06-25-2019 at 05:27 AM.
06-24-2019, 04:20 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
Winchester will replace the bag, if you send it in. I have heard they have done better in the last couple of years with warranty replacements, but I had a bag of 243win brass from them a few years ago which had bad flash hole punches in over half of the brass, I had to send them in with a paper form and a check for return shipping. You might imagine what my response to Winchester was when they told me such...
Largely, I don’t and won’t buy Winchester brass any longer for that reason. Way too many quality control issues for them, and they use an archaic means to manage customer service and warranty replacement issues - there are prettier girls to dance with.
Largely, I don’t and won’t buy Winchester brass any longer for that reason. Way too many quality control issues for them, and they use an archaic means to manage customer service and warranty replacement issues - there are prettier girls to dance with.
06-24-2019, 08:45 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,747
I just bought a bag of Sig Elite brass for my .243 and they are very nice. I also just got done trimming and chamfering a bag of Winchester brass in 270WSM and only a couple had slight dings in the neck area. I recall one time I had a bag of Winchester brass that had the flash holes off center. They worked fine anyway but I did complain to Winchester and never got a response.
I really do not like Remington brass. I try to use Starline as much as possible.
I really do not like Remington brass. I try to use Starline as much as possible.
06-25-2019, 04:53 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
This is what I found in 2 bags of Win 243win ammo a few years ago. I called Winchester and explained the issue, they did say they would replace them, but I had to mail the brass to them on my dime, including a paper warranty form and a check for return shipping on the replacements. Whole thing was supposed to take 4-6wks to process, mailing time included. And of course, cost me extra money on top... Needless to say, the experience has not elicited the most favorable reviews from me, and certainly didn’t garner my future purchases.
06-25-2019, 05:33 AM
#6
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: texas
Posts: 1,201
ditto, on preferring starline brass when I can get it!
generally in 1000 case lots for pistols
occasionally rifles when the calibers listed
once fired military brass for rifles in larger lots can be reasonably priced,
per case,
if you can get 4-6 buddies to split the cost and cases
shop carefully, call or visit 12 on line vendors and youll get 12 prices and 12 different batch volumes listed
https://www.wideners.com/reloading-s...-brass-casings
https://www.starlinebrass.com/
https://www.etsy.com/listing/6183414..._listing_top-1
https://www.evergladesammo.com/brass...ary-brass.html
http://www.diamondkbrass.com/.223-5.56-6000.html
http://www.diamondkbrass.com/NEW-7.6...rimed-100.html
generally in 1000 case lots for pistols
occasionally rifles when the calibers listed
once fired military brass for rifles in larger lots can be reasonably priced,
per case,
if you can get 4-6 buddies to split the cost and cases
shop carefully, call or visit 12 on line vendors and youll get 12 prices and 12 different batch volumes listed
https://www.wideners.com/reloading-s...-brass-casings
https://www.starlinebrass.com/
https://www.etsy.com/listing/6183414..._listing_top-1
https://www.evergladesammo.com/brass...ary-brass.html
http://www.diamondkbrass.com/.223-5.56-6000.html
http://www.diamondkbrass.com/NEW-7.6...rimed-100.html
Last edited by hardcastonly; 06-25-2019 at 05:54 AM.
06-25-2019, 06:02 AM
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,747
No Mercy Those look like they were double punched for some reason. I watched how rifle brass was made on TV one time and its really amazing how any of them come out right. They move down the line so fast then get dumped into a bag barrel at the end of the line.
06-25-2019, 07:07 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,780
I guess I have had better luck than some with Winchester brass. Other than the five culls this was one of the best bags I have opened recently. All fifty flash holes were nicely centered. I always remove the burrs on brass that has punched flash holes and the burrs on these cases were very small. The cuts on the case neck look like some hard foreign material found it's way into the machine and cut the cases. It is probably a nonrecurring event.
I keep a good bit of new brass on hand so I have no idea when and where I acquired this lot.
I keep a good bit of new brass on hand so I have no idea when and where I acquired this lot.
07-02-2019, 08:00 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,905
My photography skills are poor, and failed me in those photographs of that batch of brass. I’ve had double-punched flash holes in the past, but these were made with a bent punch. In double punches, you’ll see either two parallel punches (flash hole shaped like an 8), or the opening will be shaped like an 8, with a “smear” where the punch forced the brass centered back into the first hole. These were very clearly a triangular shaped hole, such the punch went in at an angle - just a bent tip.
I had a few bags of this myself, then checked the rest of the same lot at the Local Cabela’s where I had purchased them as well as the other nearby Cabela’s when I was traveling for business - all of the bags I saw with the same lot had this same defect. For a hunter, they’d be fine. For my use, not so much.
Defects happen, and I can accept that. The facts Winchester required paper documents and snail mail, had an excessively long internal processing time, and expected the consumer to cover shipping both ways were the issues I found ridiculous. Hornady, for example, sent me, at no cost and without return of the defective batch, a new box of 50pc of brass when I had a set of 454casull brass experience a handful of defective rims, and it arrived at my door within a week of my phone call. Every manufacturer will have failures, but not every manufacturer manages customer service activities as if it were 1950.
My original post on the bad batch:
https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/reloading/412231-bolo-bad-batch-brass-win-243-a.html
I had a few bags of this myself, then checked the rest of the same lot at the Local Cabela’s where I had purchased them as well as the other nearby Cabela’s when I was traveling for business - all of the bags I saw with the same lot had this same defect. For a hunter, they’d be fine. For my use, not so much.
Defects happen, and I can accept that. The facts Winchester required paper documents and snail mail, had an excessively long internal processing time, and expected the consumer to cover shipping both ways were the issues I found ridiculous. Hornady, for example, sent me, at no cost and without return of the defective batch, a new box of 50pc of brass when I had a set of 454casull brass experience a handful of defective rims, and it arrived at my door within a week of my phone call. Every manufacturer will have failures, but not every manufacturer manages customer service activities as if it were 1950.
My original post on the bad batch:
https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/reloading/412231-bolo-bad-batch-brass-win-243-a.html
