range brass caution

**joeyj** · January 22nd, 2015, 06:25 PM

I picked up my 9mm brass & naturally got some others with it. The strange stuff drove up the de priming pin up on my Lee reloader. My first thought is I broke it until I reread the directions. The head stamp has GECO as best as I can make out. That happened about 4 or 5 times. There was also one 380. Seems now I also have to read head stamps when clean the brass, or have an extra pin on the shelf because I surely will break one.

**NathanB** · January 22nd, 2015, 06:30 PM

Did you check what kind of primer it is

**Brick** · January 22nd, 2015, 06:50 PM

These are the users of GECO headstamp.

Since both are European use a little light and look inside the cases. If you see two holes it is Berdan priming and you won't be able to decap them using our standard reloading equipment.

Geco Dynamit Nobel A/G, Troisdorf, Germany
Geco Gustav Genschow & Company, Durlach, Germany

Here's a resource for you from the International Ammunition Association Inc.
http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes#G

**Asmodeus6** · January 22nd, 2015, 07:51 PM

This is what it looks like before the bang noises.

IME, and I've only shot the 124gr 9mm. Accurate. Zero problems. I didn't fetch the brass. So I never looked inside.

Would choose it over WWB/Fed/Rem target 9mm all day every day.

**God's Country** · January 22nd, 2015, 08:19 PM

So you're angry that your free brass isn't up to snuff?

**bogey1** · January 22nd, 2015, 08:37 PM

I have broken so many pins, i started using finish nails (just for the time being)works great BTW.. I had no idea there were berdan 9mm. And wasn't berdan invented by an american, and boxer a european?

**timeisrelative** · January 22nd, 2015, 08:59 PM

I stand all my empty cases on my reloading bench and look for "nonstandard" height. I also look into them all to make sure none are berdan primed or screwed up. Keeps my press, and more importantly, myself as safe as possible!