Grade 3 brass

[volshooter]

Decided to reload some .9mm to see if I could beat the price of bulk ammo. Bought 1000 grade 3 for $30. I tumbled for a day, resized and deprimed then tumbled for another day. After close inspection I am pleased with the purchase. Alot of mixed cases but my experience shows little difference for blasting ammo. (all my prime/mag ammo is of the same lot, Starline and kept together)

My question is does anyone else buy grade 3 brass for blasting ammo? I trimmed each one and found many rounds needed trimmed and not necessarly evenly trimmed. Does that sound right? Some of the cases were to tight for the trimmer. Some cases did not needed resizing. Firing pin marks were so varied i am surprised the fired.

Not whining cause of the price and I expected the work.
Just wanting any input if you bought any grade 3 brass.

 

[Govols46]

Hi volshooter - I live just up the road in Jefferson City. New to this forum, like to shoot & reload, but mostly long gun. I have had a GP100 for 4 or 5 yrs, but just pulled it out of the safe a week or so ago & stumbled onto this forum while looking for info on cleaning & tuning it up to shoot.
I have some Lee dies (3 die set) for 38/357, but have never reloaded for handgun. Forster Co Ax press. If you don't mind, I may contact you for set up advice when I start loading. I have to go out & turn some factory ammo into empty cases first.

Eli Matijevich

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Having apparently lived a sheltered life, I have never heard of "grading" cartridge brass, in spite of reloading for many, many years.

Can you explain this a little more or provide a link to a site that covers it?

I'm serious. This is totally new to me.

 

[mattsbox99]

I've seen it, but never purchased any. As noted, case length is very important to proper functioning in a semi auto. My M&P is very sensitive to that.

 

[revhigh]

I trimmed each one and found many rounds needed trimmed and not necessarly evenly trimmed. Does that sound right?

I've never trimmed a handgun caliber case in my life and have never had an issue .... EVER. Revolver OR auto .... can't hurt ... just no need.

REV

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Having apparently lived a sheltered life, I have never heard of "grading" cartridge brass, in spite of reloading for many, many years.

Can you explain this a little more or provide a link to a site that covers it?

I'm serious. This is totally new to me.

I have seen this when looking at once fired brass.
I believe 'grade 1' sometimes refers to a single headstamp as well as de-primed and polished.

http://headstampfinebrass.com/about.html

quote> YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE SAFETY OF ANY CASE YOU RELOAD PRIOR TO RELOADING!!! OK...Now on to the grades. There is no consensus among recreational reloaders as to a single grading system. In the 1-2-3 system, Grade 1 brass is mixed head stamp brass that has been cleaned, polished, deprimed and the military primer crimp removed (if applicable). Grade 3 is mixed head stamp brass that has not been cleaned, polished or deprimed. Grade 2 is everything in between. Because of the ambiguity in this system we wanted you to know our definition of brass grades. <end quote

...Jimbo

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Understand, it's sort of a "vendor specific" grading system.

"Cheaper Than Dirt" has a similar system for "grading" US surplus stuff . . .

Grade I . . . essentially new

Grade II . . . used, but pretty darn nice

Grade III . . . functional, but used and perhaps kinda "beat" with rust, dents, etc.

Thanks.

 

[volshooter]

I will try to link next post. Basically grade 3 brass is mixed head stamped, uncleaned as it is picked up from the range. It all reloadable brass with a occasionial odd casing of a different cal.

As far as trimming, I have always trimmed auto cartrages since they seat on the case mouth. I also use a "cricket" to trim/smooth any burrs inside and out.

 

[volshooter]

Looked back and found my order was from Midway under once fired brass, just grade 3.

 

[44shootist]

I have never trimmed any of my revolver brass and have not had any problems, but it is out of lazyness, it would make rounds more accurate, and it really is a good idea to trim when you have different head stamps, trimming gives you a more consistent crimp a hair short not enough crimp and hair long to much crimp.
most of my brass in the same brand and I buy new brass for loading so I have never really run into a length problem, and I do check them.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

Not to take any business away from MidwayUSA but I live about 5 minutes from these guys and the once fired brass is matched headstamp and cleaned in the store. I would guess a call would get you more info on getting them that way. I pay $30 for cleaned and matched headstamp 9mm/1000. I know they have .357 and .38SPL brass also.

http://www.midwestguns.com/once-fired-brass/

 

[Sgt Garcia]

If I understand it correctly this would be “range brass” or mixed head stamp of unknown lineage. Years ago I bought 3 – 4 thousand like 45 ACP brass in one lot. IIRC there are 13 or more different head stamps in this bunch of brass. I’ve used it for IPSC practice brass and all informal shooting and am still using most of it. Like some others here I never trim straight wall handgun brass and none of those 45s have ever been trimmed and have been loaded many many times. The only culls or failures with ammo loaded with this brass is finding a few high primers and that’s the fault of the guy doing the loading.

Sounds like a good plan but I’d keep an eye out for a better deal on the brass, $30 @ thousand seems a little high for this quality 9mm brass……


Dennis.

 

[volshooter]

Checked my bench today and I found that I have trimmers for ever cartridge I load. I found, as others, that case length really matters if you are loading mag loads and need to hit the crimp grove. I also hunt with a Browning BLR in .308 that along with a pump Remmy will not 100% cycle unless trimmed back. I'm sure most don't need to trim but I am going to. More work but what the hey, it's cold outside.

BTW the grade 3 brass I got looked about 75% S&B.