Loadable Brands

[Gunowner99]

I actually have two stupid questions, two of my typical stupid questions but I have heard in reloading there are no stupid questions because of safety so here goes.

The first question is I have my own personal once fired brass. Winchester white box, Perfecta, American Eagle, blazer and federal. All of them are brass case. all of them have boxer primers. I assume all of them are good to go to reload? For some reason I feel like I read in Lyman 49 that blazer brass is not reloadable but I have no idea why they would say that because it is brass cased. Are all of these good to go to clean and inspect and reload?

Actually I have three questions, my second question is I have all of the old boxes that these were in. Not antique boxes or anything like that. Is there any value to keeping them or should I just trash them? I do have the little plastic boxes for my reloads and all of that kind of jazz but not sure if there*s any value in me keeping these?

Last question, I have a Lee classic cast turret press. It*s been mounted for a while, just getting into reloading because I found some spare time as you all may know from all of my questions here. I want to head and sprayed some brake cleaner on the ram and wiped it down and then applied some light oil. For some reason, and it*s always been this way, I get a sound when I operate the press you can feel a small vibration and hear a noise because you know that the inside of the press is rubbing on the ram slightly. Like I said I have it all lubricated. It*s not a God awful noise, it*s just small hum I don*t even know how to describe it. Maybe like a whistle? I am assuming it*s because I*ve never used the press and nothing is really broken in but just making sure nothing is wrong here so I thought I would ask. I appreciate all of the help.

[57springer]

I load all my handgun calibers and have no problems with Blazer, or American eagle , these are the 2 brands you mentioned I have experience with . As far as your boxes go , if they are in good shape I would hang on to them . Old boxes are getting valuable ! Cant speak to your press question . As you say may not be broken in ?

[ROCK-IT3]

I have reloaded all the brands you mention except the Perfecta. There are a few brands I avoid, notably A-MERC. I have heard that many people have trouble with that brand, but I don't know the details. I also passed on Red Army brass, but don't really know anything about it. Starline id really good brass if you get into calibers not readily available, or too expensive to buy new ammo just to save the brass. I have Starline in 10mm, .44-40, 7.62x25, and 9x18.

Probably what you are referring to with the Blazer is aluminum cases, which aren't reloadable. The cheaper Blazer ammo is loaded in aluminum cases, which are a dull silver color, not shiny like nickel-plated brass. I have reloaded Blazer brass with no issues.

I'm not sure why you applied brake cleaner. I would be more liberal with oil, and work the ram many times to get the oil worked all the way around it. Is there a grease fitting on the press? I use grease on my Hornady progressive and RCBS single stage, and it takes a while for it to spread all around the ram. I even smear some on the shaft, it just has to be wiped away with a paper towel at the top and bottom where it accumulates. I know the sound and vibration you speak of, I hear and feel it sometimes. The machining tolerances are very tight, and sometimes oil and grease can create a vibration before it spreads out thinly and completely, because it is being forced into places to narrow for it to fit, if that makes sense. It should work itself out when the lube works itself in.

[Brick]

There's no problem with most brass cases. Like Rock-IT3, I avoid A-MERC because I've had issues with them with primer pocket hole size. Blazer aluminum cased ammo is not reloadable.

Boxes, save 'em if you have storage space, or use them to box up your reloaded ammo.

As to the press keep the ram and all the joints lubed. I like to use CRC Heavy Duty Silicone Spray on my RL550 (now a 30 year old machine). YMMV

[Yoder]

The only type of handgun brass with boxer primers that I know you can't reload is Maxxtech or similar design. The inside of the case is stepped so that the round will not set back. It makes the bottom of the case so thick that you can't resize it. I've had a few of them jam up my press. Other than that I've never had an issue. I've even loaded a couple aluminum cases to see what would happen and they worked ok (Not recommending this). For handguns I don't even look at the manufacturer. If it's brass, I use it. Nickel plated works good too but it does crack quicker than brass. Whatever I can find. .223 I've loaded about 1600 and haven't had an issue yet using random range brass. Hunting ammo is a different story.

I keep some of my boxes in case I need to ship ammo or take it on a plane. I also keep it for hunting ammo. Otherwise I use ammo cans.

[Walleye Hunter]

Can't you just toss the reloads into an ammo can like the factory stuff?

[Gunowner99]

I have reloaded all the brands you mention except the Perfecta. There are a few brands I avoid, notably A-MERC. I have heard that many people have trouble with that brand, but I don't know the details. I also passed on Red Army brass, but don't really know anything about it. Starline id really good brass if you get into calibers not readily available, or too expensive to buy new ammo just to save the brass. I have Starline in 10mm, .44-40, 7.62x25, and 9x18.

Probably what you are referring to with the Blazer is aluminum cases, which aren't reloadable. The cheaper Blazer ammo is loaded in aluminum cases, which are a dull silver color, not shiny like nickel-plated brass. I have reloaded Blazer brass with no issues.

I'm not sure why you applied brake cleaner. I would be more liberal with oil, and work the ram many times to get the oil worked all the way around it. Is there a grease fitting on the press? I use grease on my Hornady progressive and RCBS single stage, and it takes a while for it to spread all around the ram. I even smear some on the shaft, it just has to be wiped away with a paper towel at the top and bottom where it accumulates. I know the sound and vibration you speak of, I hear and feel it sometimes. The machining tolerances are very tight, and sometimes oil and grease can create a vibration before it spreads out thinly and completely, because it is being forced into places to narrow for it to fit, if that makes sense. It should work itself out when the lube works itself in.

Thanks for the response. I used brake cleaner to clean off any factory protectant. I do not have a grease fitting and have oiled up the ram and linkage pretty good. Put it on and wiped with my finger as well. It sounds like the wind through an unsealed window according to my wife. I know, strange way to describe. I think it sounds like when a robotic pick and place works with the sound or the quick movement of it, from personal experience that is. It's like when a jet makes those sounds before the let you off, not sure what they are doing sounds like moving maybe flaps? Kind of a grindy high pitch.

[frankski]

All brass cases are reloadable. Some are better than others. The differences are more important in rifle cases, where variations in case volume between brands can significantly affect pressure, accuracy, etc. Check Accurate Shooter website for some great articles on reloading by caliber, including recommended brass.

Pistol brass is not so finicky. Some stuff is total crap. Watch out for cases with a step or serration where the bullet was seated. They will separate quickly when reloaded. I’ve forgotten the website, maybe The High Road, but there was an analysis of the number of times different brands of 9mm brass could be reloaded before splitting. Most were good for at least ten, some in the twenties. I’ve reloaded Blazer brass numerous times. It’s just fine.

I toss old boxes and use plastic boxes for batches of precision loads, and Talenti Gelato containers for bulk.

I’m not familiar with your press, though, or how it should sound.

[Gunowner99]

All brass cases are reloadable. Some are better than others. The differences are more important in rifle cases, where variations in case volume between brands can significantly affect pressure, accuracy, etc. Check Accurate Shooter website for some great articles on reloading by caliber, including recommended brass.

Pistol brass is not so finicky. Some stuff is total crap. Watch out for cases with a step or serration where the bullet was seated. They will separate quickly when reloaded. I*ve forgotten the website, maybe The High Road, but there was an analysis of the number of times different brands of 9mm brass could be reloaded before splitting. Most were good for at least ten, some in the twenties. I*ve reloaded Blazer brass numerous times. It*s just fine.

I toss old boxes and use plastic boxes for batches of precision loads, and Talenti Gelato containers for bulk.

I*m not familiar with your press, though, or how it should sound.

Could not find wither article, can you help? Does one type of brass have the ability to reload more than others as far as is there better quality between manufacturers?

[Delkal]

Could not find wither article, can you help? Does one type of brass have the ability to reload more than others as far as is there better quality between manufacturers?

I don't think it matters for 9mm. As long as the case is brass and doesn't have a setback step just load them and shoot them. I started out using once fired federal cases with the same headstamp but with an autoloader it didn't take long till they got mixed with other cases or lost. It was becoming a pain to sort them each time so now its any old floorswept brass i can find plus anything I can find in the trashcan. I have no idea how many times the cases were loaded but I never split a 9mm case. Just shoot them till you lose them or the mouth gets chewed from being ejected. Same for .45 acp. .38 specials will occasionally split but when they do just toss them and reload the rest.

BUT, I only do this with target to mid power loads where you are not trying to push a max load. For max or +p loads I always use the same headstamp and develop a max load for only that headstamp. i also try and pick out the newest looking cases.

With rifle its a different story. I try and keep a record of the number of times fired and always use the same headstamp. Different cases can have different capacities. If I start having problems I will toss all of the brass and start with another lot of fresh cases.