9 Major Brass Question

[gary2232]

So I heard guys at the range warn against picking up used 9mm cases that have been loaded at a 9 major factor.

My questions

1. Can you tell from a spent case if it was loaded as a major round?

2. Are cases once used as a major able to be reloaded at all?

3. Why should I stay away from these used cases?

I reload to a PF of 125 and use range brass. To this date I have not had any problems. But I have just started loading.

[AWLAZS]

I reload my 9 major brass all the time. If the brass passes a visual inspection use it.

[al503]

1. Sometimes you can tell by looking at the primer. If the shooter was using a faster powder, the primer might show some flattening, flow, etc.

2. Yes. I've loaded once fired brass up to 6-7 times and they could probably take a couple few more. No breech face erosion or anything else.

3. I use the slowest powders available to keep the initial pressure spike down as much as possible. Some use faster powders that may wear down the brass faster. I have no experience loading the faster powders so I have no first hand knowledge what if anything, this does to the brass.

I usually load my brass anywhere from 3-5 times for practice and then once more for a match and let them lay. The only risk that I see if someone is loading them 10-15 times and they're starting to split at the mouth. You might get worn out case that doesn't have enough tension to keep the bullet from setting back when it chambers. That could lead to a kaboom. I'll pick up 9's in a match if I'm positive it's new. You can usually tell. Any doubts and I don't bother.

[Desmo412]

I have loaded Win, FC, and RP brass up to 6 times at a 176PF with HS6. Occasionally I will find a split case in my batch of brass or on the ground at the range, but this is rare. I agree with AWLAZS...if it passes a visual inspection, use it

[Sarge]

I reload my 9 major brass all the time. If the brass passes a visual inspection use it.

Same here.

[robot]

Do you guys pick to reload only one or a few types of brass or anything would do as long as it's not split?

[al503]

Do you guys pick to reload only one or a few types of brass or anything would do as long as it's not split?

I use anything but Amerc and steel (gotta run a magnet through them) S&B.

[Foxbat]

After reloading random mixed brass several times, very few cases develop slight bulge. It is still fine in some guns, but others, with tighter chambers, might refuse it.

Fortunately, after you reload, such cases are easy to spot. When you start having 1-2 such cases per hundred, it is time, in my view, to relegate that brass to regular 9mm reloading.

[robot]

I don't intend to pick them up and reload. I'm just loading them once and leaving them on the range. I assume all brass would work except for the steel S&B and Amerc?

Is that ok or must I sort out all the brass brands and stick to one?

[Hi-Power Jack]

So I heard guys warn against picking up used 9mm cases loaded at 9 major factor.

Gary, don't tell anyone, but I use range brass and load

it to major

And, then I reload it again & again, until it splits

I'm not recommending this to anyone, but I feel comfortable

doing it for 25,000 rounds.

Loading it to pf130 is definitely NOT a problem, for me IMHO.

The right way to do it is to use once fired 9mm minor brass, and

then you can load it 5-10 times.

What kind of gun are you using the ammo in?

[norbs007]

I reload my 9 major brass all the time. If the brass passes a visual inspection use it.

Same here, if it looks good use it. I do add an extra step by running them all through a U-die on a Single Stage press. I can actually feel the bad ones (over bulged, loose primer pockets, NT) and just toss them.

[RH45]

For 9mm major, I only use once-fired, Winchester brass. Any matches that I consider important, I use once- fired Winchester.

For 9mm minor, as long as it measures long enough, and passes visual inspection, I'll run any commercial brass. Anything that has a nato headstamp, amrec, goes in the recycle bin.

Life is too short to screw around with junk brass, when you can usually buy once-fired for $30-$40K.

[T.McDevitt]

I started with a 38 Super, just got tired of chasing brass.. went to (9mm major) and as we have all read post upon post that it's cheaper to shoot 38 super or 38 SC because they last longer Ba Ba Ba... (So as as test that I used just for practice) I started with 100 reloads over a year ago that original 100 rounds 50 FED..50 Win bras now down to down to 87 rounds lost a few (2 ROUNDS CASE HAD SPLIT DID NOT EFFECT DRILL) PF of 173...I have loaded then 10 times got bored playing that silly game the remaining 87 rounds look fine if I get bored again, I will load them some more.. and post update.