Major issues with S&B 9mm brass

[rgkeller]

But you won't be wasting powder, primers and bullets by inserting them into bad brass.

[Vlad]

Hey guys, quit throwing away your S&B brass, I'll pay for the shipping, just send it my way.

[Iha]

It is little more complicated with S&B brass. I'm writing only about ammo which they are selling in our country. Many people buy it here because they are "patriots". So there is good response about their quality.

9mm brass:

They are doing normal, nontox and safe range ammo. All have non corrosive primers.

Normal - probably they have more than one press for creating the cartridges. The lead core is plated with tombac coated steel. So the magnet love them . There are many discussions about damaging the barrels (mostly flames). Cartridge is made from brass.

Nontox - it is without toxic primers and with TFMJ bullet. After shot the cartridge is clean, but be aware from them during reloading. The hole in the primer pocket is too small for most decaping pins and they don't last very long. So it is good ammo for shooting but bad brass for reloading.

safe range ammo - a piece of sh.t. It is steel case with same bullet as normal. Most people here hate this ammo. You can shoot with it but some guns have problem with it. With magnet you can separate these cases from normal. S&B say that you can once reload the cases, but I knew only one man that realy did it (he do not separate it from normal cases) and even he says that you know when you have this case in the press. Other people throw it to the trash. Finaly the S&B do not sell it on our market (probably very low pickup rate).

.45 ACP:

There is no problem with this ammo. I have no problem to reload this cases and some people prefer to buy this cases after first shot, because they have red painted primers and you can easily check if they are firstly shot. I have also seen sold this ammunition under Remington trademark and on the box was written that it was manufactured in S&B .

What I like on S&B ammo is packaging. It has the smallest boxes I have seen.

Edited March 5, 2010 by Iha

[njl]

It just occurred to me, I've been adjusting the seating die improperly. I've been adjusting it and snugging the lock ring with the shell plate down. I'm guessing this results in "screwed up" concentricity of the brass and the seater. Is it possible the combination of that + thick brass ( S&B ) = cartridges with bulges/the bullet seated off center that won't gage/chamber?

Now that I realize I was doing it wrong, I may try again with the S&B brass and see how things go.

Rereading the instructions, it seems all the dies, with the possible exception of the sizer (though even that seems questionable) should be locked down with the shell plate up and a case in that position to help guarantee concentricity.

I guess this is what happens when you setup the press, load one type of ammo for a year on it, and then start making adjustments without rereading the instructions.

Edited March 19, 2010 by njl

[bbbean]

The only problem I've ever had with S&B brass or with Wolf Primers is when I combine the two. I go from a 1 in 400-500 high/sideways/difficult primer rate to a 1 in 75 or so with S&B + Wolf. Maybe its a Russian/Slavic thing, but its still pretty manageable.

[sidnal]

S&B ammo is OK for the $$ but the brass isn't good for reloading.