9mm with a ridge where the sizing die stops
- Thread starter joeseabee
- Start date
mrawesome22
New member
I think I've read a bunch of posts about AMERC brass being good for nothing other than scrap. That second picture is just scary!
Either the head of the case is extremely under sized, or the die is extremely over sized.
Either the head of the case is extremely under sized, or the die is extremely over sized.I'm pretty fond of keeping and reusing brass....except A-Merc.
Save yourself a TON of trouble and send any A-Merc brass right into the recycle bin!
See here http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196605
Save yourself a TON of trouble and send any A-Merc brass right into the recycle bin!
See here http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196605
A-MERC
I didn't think of searching the forums for the manufacturer. I just started reloading and thought I was doing something wrong. I've de-capped and sized about 500 cases now, and just got into a btch of these. Looks like I will be going through the rest of my brass to get rid of them.
Thanks!
I didn't think of searching the forums for the manufacturer. I just started reloading and thought I was doing something wrong. I've de-capped and sized about 500 cases now, and just got into a btch of these. Looks like I will be going through the rest of my brass to get rid of them.
Thanks!
bullspotter
New member
Yeah toss the A-MERC for sure.......
Fullthrottle
New member
Without ever using or reloading that brand, your last pic was not very reassuring(flash hole off to one side), do not want!
Ignoring the other issues with that particular brand of brass, those ridges are not that uncommon in 9mm.
I am seeing them in some of my resized cases in Winchester and Norma brass as well so I don't think it is a brass problem specifically.
It seems to happen with Glocked brass and with several die brands.
I am still trying to narrow down how it happens and have seen it with Hornady and Redding dies so far. Hasn't happened with an old Lee or a new Lyman (yet). Looking at the contour of the Hornady (TiN) or Redding (TiC) doesn't offer any clues, both are very smooth and contoured.
A friend who is a commercial reloader using Dillon dies is also seeing these ridges more often now.
Lee does say that his carbide dies are designed to prevent ridges forming in cases like the 9mm so obviously it's a known problem.
Once these ridges form the cases can't be used as usually the slide won't go into battery. Most of these cases will not pass a chamber gauge either.
I am stockpiling mine that are like that and hopefully when Lee releases his BulgeBuster in 9mm I may try to resurrect them though I would hesitate to use them in anything but low pressure target loads.
I am seeing them in some of my resized cases in Winchester and Norma brass as well so I don't think it is a brass problem specifically.
It seems to happen with Glocked brass and with several die brands.
I am still trying to narrow down how it happens and have seen it with Hornady and Redding dies so far. Hasn't happened with an old Lee or a new Lyman (yet). Looking at the contour of the Hornady (TiN) or Redding (TiC) doesn't offer any clues, both are very smooth and contoured.
A friend who is a commercial reloader using Dillon dies is also seeing these ridges more often now.
Lee does say that his carbide dies are designed to prevent ridges forming in cases like the 9mm so obviously it's a known problem.
Once these ridges form the cases can't be used as usually the slide won't go into battery. Most of these cases will not pass a chamber gauge either.
I am stockpiling mine that are like that and hopefully when Lee releases his BulgeBuster in 9mm I may try to resurrect them though I would hesitate to use them in anything but low pressure target loads.
Uncle Buck
New member
Is this a die problem or a gun chamber problem?
I have never owned or shot a Glock, but people talk about the "un-supported Chamber" when trying to resize the brass from these types of guns. Is it possible it is from a gun that uses this type of chamber?
I use S&B Brass for both my .38 Special and .45 LC and do not have any problems with it. I do not have any A-Merc brass on hand. Maybe it is something only found on small, high pressure cartridge cases?
I have never owned or shot a Glock, but people talk about the "un-supported Chamber" when trying to resize the brass from these types of guns. Is it possible it is from a gun that uses this type of chamber?
I use S&B Brass for both my .38 Special and .45 LC and do not have any problems with it. I do not have any A-Merc brass on hand. Maybe it is something only found on small, high pressure cartridge cases?
WOW
Certainly looks like low standard (crappy) brass.... the flash hole pic really takes the cake
A tiny ridge on good quality brass would (should) be acceptable, but that brass is too crappy to bother with IMO, like the others said.... toss it!
Just a thought, could rimless brass like that be pushed thru a sizing die (right thru & out the other side, similar to sizing a projectile) to avoid the wrinkle? Obviously not on an automated press.... but maybe something is available or could be made to push the case right thru backwards, then can be processed as usual (including fls) on a manual or automated setup.
If the brass was good quality to begin with, of course
Certainly looks like low standard (crappy) brass.... the flash hole pic really takes the cake
A tiny ridge on good quality brass would (should) be acceptable, but that brass is too crappy to bother with IMO, like the others said.... toss it!
Just a thought, could rimless brass like that be pushed thru a sizing die (right thru & out the other side, similar to sizing a projectile) to avoid the wrinkle? Obviously not on an automated press.... but maybe something is available or could be made to push the case right thru backwards, then can be processed as usual (including fls) on a manual or automated setup.
If the brass was good quality to begin with, of course
Sorted all my brass
Well, I went through and sorted all of the brass I had de-capped and sized. Out of 500 cases, I found about 30 A-Merc. It's surprising how uniformally they went through the sizing process. Every single one of them had a large ridge and off center flash hole (on one, the flash hole touched the primer pocket wall).
During the process, I found three from other manufacturers that had ridges around the base, but no where near what the Amerc had.
Some of the brass had a small ridge only on part of the base, say 1/4 of the way around (from a small bulge in the wall?). Is the result of glock type chambers?
Well, I went through and sorted all of the brass I had de-capped and sized. Out of 500 cases, I found about 30 A-Merc. It's surprising how uniformally they went through the sizing process. Every single one of them had a large ridge and off center flash hole (on one, the flash hole touched the primer pocket wall).
During the process, I found three from other manufacturers that had ridges around the base, but no where near what the Amerc had.
Some of the brass had a small ridge only on part of the base, say 1/4 of the way around (from a small bulge in the wall?). Is the result of glock type chambers?
chris in va
New member
Do yourself a favor and get a magnet to sort out the brass impostors. You'll be surprised.