New brass or range brass for open pistols?

[chgofirefighter]

Normally, I purchase once fired range brass, clean and processed but at times I also get some range brass, clean and inspect each casing before loading for major ammo. I don't have a rollsizer, but I resize my range brass multiple times, 2x times using my processing toolhead and 1x using my main loading tool head.  Yes a bit overkill, but it has been working for me. For loading minor ammo  I'm not very picky but I do clean my brass quite extensively to the point of ocd, wet tumble, media pins, the works.  

 

For those that shoot exclusively open pistols, do you prefer new brass or are you using range brass, processing it and loading it or purchasing fully process brass? There's a video from Atlas gun works, indicating that new brass is highly recommended but I don't own an Atlas but a Honcho~  Would like to know what's the consensus out there in the world of open shooters...

 

Thanks~ 

[zdali]

Range brass. Wet tumble without media. Rollsize (this piece of kit is well worth it IMHO). Lee factory crimp die. Shoot it until it splits. And I'm too lazy to have "match" and "practice" ammo 

[Rnlinebacker]

5 hours ago, chgofirefighter said:

Normally, I purchase once fired range brass, clean and processed but at times I also get some range brass, clean and inspect each casing before loading for major ammo. I don't have a rollsizer, but I resize my range brass multiple times, 2x times using my processing toolhead and 1x using my main loading tool head.  Yes a bit overkill, but it has been working for me. For loading minor ammo  I'm not very picky but I do clean my brass quite extensively to the point of ocd, wet tumble, media pins, the works.  

 

For those that shoot exclusively open pistols, do you prefer new brass or are you using range brass, processing it and loading it or purchasing fully process brass? There's a video from Atlas gun works, indicating that new brass is highly recommended but I don't own an Atlas but a Honcho~  Would like to know what's the consensus out there in the world of open shooters...

 

Thanks~ 

Yes, new starline brass for major matches exclusively. The ejection is more consistent as well as feeding. No  issues the last six months doing it this way

[Silent]

My first open gun which was 9mm major, I used once fired brass because it was free (also all the same headstamp). Never reloaded it again just left it for someone else. My new gun is .38 SC so I bought a bunch of brand new Starline for it. I’m picking that up and reloading it multiple times. 
 

Both ways have worked just fine. 

[StefVanHauwe]

I always use new brass, both for training and match ammo. I do pick up my own shot brass, which I regularly deprime, clean and rollsize, but I keep this brass as an ultimate backup in case of running empty on new brass or supply issues.

[36873687]

Shoot new brass every match is very costly. Invest in roll sizer

[chgofirefighter]

4 hours ago, 36873687 said:

Shoot new brass every match is very costly. Invest in roll sizer

True, I have a friend that averaging almost .45/50 and that gets expensive

[chgofirefighter]

10 hours ago, Rnlinebacker said:

Yes, new starline brass for major matches exclusively. The ejection is more consistent as well as feeding. No  issues the last six months doing it this way

What kind of issues were you having with range brass?  

[Amra86]

I use range brass. Dillon die for sizing. I don't roll size. 9major in a Czechmate.

[caspian guy]

If you are running a 9mm in a 2011 style pistol (that doesn't have a pivioting extractor)   same headstamp is my preference as the ejection is generally more uniform and predictable (this is part of the benefit of 38 supercomp in my opinion as Starline is about the only manufacturer these days and their brass is extremely consistent l) .. I prefer to rollsize (as I have done that since the days I shot 38super) and find it seems to help with predictable feeding and reduces my reject rate when gaging.

 There are plenty of folks who shoot mixed headstamp range brass and claim not to have issues.  In the early days of major 9 I tried that and found I got a few to many malfunctions to suit me (1 every 400 rounds or so.) However in fairness we all used full sized upright cmore in those days as well which are less tolerant of erratic ejection than the current trend to smaller dots.

Edited January 24, 2022 by caspian guy

[chgofirefighter]

33 minutes ago, caspian guy said:

If you are running a 9mm in a 2011 style pistol (that doesn't have a pivioting extractor)   same headstamp is my preference as the ejection is generally more uniform and predictable (this is part of the benefit of 38 supercomp in my opinion as Starline is about the only manufacturer these days and their brass is extremely consistent l) .. I prefer to rollsize (as I have done that since the days I shot 38super) and find it seems to help with predictable feeding and reduces my reject rate when gaging.

 There are plenty of folks who shoot mixed headstamp range brass and claim not to have issues.  In the early days of major 9 I tried that and found I got a few to many malfunctions to suit me (1 every 400 rounds or so.) However in fairness we all used full sized upright cmore in those days as well which are less tolerant of erratic ejection than the current trend to smaller dots.

I don't have a roll sizer, maybe in the future it would be best to purchase one but for now I've been known to encounter just a few piece of brass/ammo that don't pass case guage.  I case gauge all of my ammo and I've loaded major/minor and thus far no issues.  But I noticed one thing that speaks volumes of fully process brass works best in my press and passes case gauge 99.9% of the time.  Buying fully process brass isn't cheap anymore~ 

[caspian guy]

31 minutes ago, chgofirefighter said:

I don't have a roll sizer, maybe in the future it would be best to purchase one but for now I've been known to encounter just a few piece of brass/ammo that don't pass case guage.  I case gauge all of my ammo and I've loaded major/minor and thus far no issues.  But I noticed one thing that speaks volumes of fully process brass works best in my press and passes case gauge 99.9% of the time.  Buying fully process brass isn't cheap anymore~ 

Yep that's one of the reasons I use one (I use an old fashioned case pro which also uniforms the rim and groove to some extent which may help some too)

Edited January 24, 2022 by caspian guy

[zzt]

I buy fully processed, (sized, decapped, primer pocket swages, cleaned, waxed and roll sized) same head stamp brass for 5 cents each.  I load them once and leave them.  They run 100%.  At practice I do police my brass, because it is club policy.  I load it to minor for Steel Challenge Open.  I use all range brass for PCC and 9mm minor  No issues.  I leave all the minor brass on the ground, except for practice.  I will reuse the practice brass.

 

I hear the talk about new brass feeding better and extracting better.  I don't buy it.  Using both Aftec (old) and EGW HD extractors my extraction is 100%.  So is feeding with MBX and modified STI Gen2 mags with TTI pad and guts.  I don't see how much better than 100% you can get with new brass.  If new floats your boat, go for it.

[chgofirefighter]

20 minutes ago, zzt said:

I buy fully processed, (sized, decapped, primer pocket swages, cleaned, waxed and roll sized) same head stamp brass for 5 cents each.  I load them once and leave them.  They run 100%.  At practice I do police my brass, because it is club policy.  I load it to minor for Steel Challenge Open.  I use all range brass for PCC and 9mm minor  No issues.  I leave all the minor brass on the ground, except for practice.  I will reuse the practice brass.

 

I hear the talk about new brass feeding better and extracting better.  I don't buy it.  Using both Aftec (old) and EGW HD extractors my extraction is 100%.  So is feeding with MBX and modified STI Gen2 mags with TTI pad and guts.  I don't see how much better than 100% you can get with new brass.  If new floats your boat, go for it.

Check your pm~  Thanks

[chgofirefighter]

25 minutes ago, caspian guy said:

Yep that's one of the reasons I use one (I use an old fashioned case pro which also uniforms the rim and groove to some extent which may help some too)

 

Rollsizer is next in the future "purchase" program~   this game isn't cheap! 

[shred]

Watch out for 'stepped' 9mm brass for Major.  Seen a couple tear in half leaving the front half stuck in the chamber and a zero on the stage.

 

I shoot 38SC in Open, but same for any division; it's loaded as many times as I can before it cracks for practice and local matches, new brass for Nationals and big majors.  The extra $40 or whatever is negligible in the total match cost.  With a hundo gauge, testing range-brass ammo is quick and easy  

[Rnlinebacker]

1 hour ago, chgofirefighter said:

I don't have a roll sizer, maybe in the future it would be best to purchase one but for now I've been known to encounter just a few piece of brass/ammo that don't pass case guage.  I case gauge all of my ammo and I've loaded major/minor and thus far no issues.  But I noticed one thing that speaks volumes of fully process brass works best in my press and passes case gauge 99.9% of the time.  Buying fully process brass isn't cheap anymore~ 

The occasional piece of brass getting caught under the mount, bullet separation, worn out primer pockets. 

 

38sc people shoot one headstamp and have very few if any problems. I shoot a major match almost monthly so the cost is minimal given what I spend already. If you don't compete in many majors, you don't need new. 

 

You'll read many anecdotes about no failures with range brass. New brass is 100% in spec. Do what's best for you

[outerlimits]

i never do new brass for big matches.  all my new brass gets shot once, that way i know the primer pockets are good.  had my share of issues with new brass over the years.  it all goes in a big tub for future big match use.

[NMBOpen]

New 38 Super brass when I run short of used for local matches for better recovery/reuse.  Other than Starline headstamps range brass are set aside for lost-brass matches.

[iflyskyhigh]

Shot em till the primers fall out

[BRuss]

21 hours ago, shred said:

Watch out for 'stepped' 9mm brass for Major.  Seen a couple tear in half leaving the front half stuck in the chamber and a zero on the stage.

 

I shoot 38SC in Open, but same for any division; it's loaded as many times as I can before it cracks for practice and local matches, new brass for Nationals and big majors.  The extra $40 or whatever is negligible in the total match cost.

 

To help with sorting for this I've found the technique of using a .40sw ammo tray to do 100 at a time useful. Lets you easily put them all case head down to look inside for stepped brass. Also helps spot .380 and 9mm Mak.

 

So far Czechmate hasn't had issues with range brass.

[zdali]

2 hours ago, BRuss said:

So far Czechmate hasn't had issues with range brass.

 

Czechmates are far less picky about 9mm ammo than 2011s IME. They do come with their own set of problems tho.

[ChuckS]

2 minutes ago, zdali said:

 

Czechmates are far less picky about 9mm ammo than 2011s IME. They do come with their own set of problems tho.

Less picky than my strict criteria of "not stepped" and "not cracked" that I used for my 2011?

[zdali]

1 hour ago, ChuckS said:

Less picky than my strict criteria of "not stepped" and "not cracked" that I used for my 2011?

Nah, less picky in terms of bullet shape. I couldn't get plated flat point bullets to run reliably in a 2011 big stick no matter what I tried  

 

I have exactly the same criteria for brass tho 

[ChuckS]

8 minutes ago, zdali said:

Nah, less picky in terms of bullet shape. I couldn't get plated flat point bullets to run reliably in a 2011 big stick no matter what I tried  

 

I have exactly the same criteria for brass tho 

Funny thing is that I had good luck with Frontier 121's  until my source retired. It was MG 121 IFPs after that.