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  #1  
Old 08-30-2018, 11:30 AM
mrdaputer mrdaputer is offline
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Default Herters 44 mag cases

i bought a box from Cabela's shot them up just fine. After I deprimed and tumbled them clean they are about impossible to put new primers in. All the other head stamp cases I have are no problem at all. Has anyone else had this problem with the Hertz cases?
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Old 08-30-2018, 11:43 AM
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Herters at Cabelas is typically just Sellier & Bellot ammo rebranded.

I've never reloaded any of their 44 Mag cases though.
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Old 08-30-2018, 12:35 PM
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If you have a case chamfering tool, try using the inside chamferring side of the tool on the mouth of the primer pocket. I've never loaded S&B 44 brass but have loaded their 9MM and 357 Mag brass and I've found that the pocket edge on the S&B brass to be on the sharp side. Taking a few swipes at the primer pocket with my chamferring tool makes for a little more rounded edge which lets primers start much easier.
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Old 08-30-2018, 12:51 PM
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I have found the S&B cases to have very little if any chamfer on the primer pocket mouth and a bit tighter than other brass. I normally just chamfer the pocket mouth, just like I would to remove a military crimp, and that helps seating quite a bit...

I have found Herter's brass that normally use large primers to be made for small primers (I have a 45 Colt case w/Herters headstamp and a small primer pocket here on my desk). Not sure which calibers as I don't purchase factory ammo any more...
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Old 08-30-2018, 03:14 PM
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I have some range pickup S&B .45 ACP cases. Same story. Very tight primer pockets. Guess that is the reason someone left them at the range. I trashed them after almost flattening the primer trying to get them to get them to seat flush.
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Old 08-30-2018, 06:29 PM
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.38 and .45 S&B brass is notorious for being difficult to prime. I don't like it much for that reason.
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Old 08-30-2018, 09:35 PM
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Darn, I hope their 10mm brass isn't that way.
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Old 08-30-2018, 10:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 27 Man View Post
I have some range pickup S&B .45 ACP cases. Same story. Very tight primer pockets. Guess that is the reason someone left them at the range. I trashed them after almost flattening the primer trying to get them to get them to seat flush.
You can reload them with small pistol primers. Save them for the times you can't get large pistol primers , they will keep you going during primer shortages .

Ream and uniform the primer pockets and they will be just fine.

Last edited by gwpercle; 08-30-2018 at 10:11 PM.
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Old 08-31-2018, 05:50 AM
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Thank you all for your suggestions I will try some of your guy's tricks. If I have to I have a scrap bag I can toss them into. Not going to buy those again LOL
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Old 08-31-2018, 01:16 PM
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I use the Lee hand primer. With S&B brass, I usually have to wiggle the case around a little to get the primer centered in the primer pocket before I apply much pressure. Even then, somewhat more than the normal amount of thumb force is required to seat the primer.
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Old 09-01-2018, 01:06 AM
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All my new brass gets the edge burrs removed from the inside of the case mouth, then the primer pocket mouth edge chamfered using a chamfering tool. That seems to smooth things out.

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Old 09-01-2018, 12:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BLUEDOT37 View Post
All my new brass gets the edge burrs removed from the inside of the case mouth, then the primer pocket mouth edge chamfered using a chamfering tool. That seems to smooth things out.

.
Yep, agree. It's no big deal to lightly chamfer a case mouth and/or a primer pocket mouth and normally only needs to be done once. Just the other day I had some brand new Starline brass that had fairly sharp case mouths, so I put a countersink in my drill and lightly chamfered the case mouth and while I was at it I chamfered some primer pocket mouths, just a few thousandths, that were a bit tight. No big deal mainly because I am not a "production" reloader and a few seconds of prep is fine with me...

Last edited by mikld; 09-01-2018 at 12:03 PM.
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Old 09-01-2018, 12:45 PM
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Default Hard priming

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikld View Post
Yep, agree. It's no big deal to lightly chamfer a case mouth and/or a primer pocket mouth and normally only needs to be done once. Just the other day I had some brand new Starline brass that had fairly sharp case mouths, so I put a countersink in my drill and lightly chamfered the case mouth and while I was at it I chamfered some primer pocket mouths, just a few thousandths, that were a bit tight. No big deal mainly because I am not a "production" reloader and a few seconds of prep is fine with me...
Ditto - both with S&B and new Starline have experienced hard to prime with a Lee Autoprime. Definitely S&B needs very small chamfer. The new Starline after it was fired once was easier second priming but did not need chambering from new. as a BTW - *-* is 455 and it will be interesting to see how many reloadings it will do as I only load light loads for all my 455s so will be keeping a close eye on this new brass.

Keep all this good info coming:-)
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Old 09-01-2018, 02:04 PM
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I have Herters brass from 60s, bought as brass. Good stuff. I
have 222, 303 Brit, 44mg and 30/06. This new stuff is not up
to standards of old Herter Co.
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Old 09-01-2018, 05:07 PM
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Have had more problems with Herter and Amerc brass than any other brands.
Both go straight to the scrap bucket as they are more problems than they are worth.
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Old 09-02-2018, 07:58 PM
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I put a uniflute in my drill and then swagged it a bit. I have them all primed. thanks again for the suggestions
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Old 09-10-2018, 06:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oink View Post
Darn, I hope their 10mm brass isn't that way.
It is. We found out that sorting out Herter's and S&B brass is a critical step in the reloading process. Tight primer pockets, too small???, is a real issue.
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Old 09-10-2018, 07:29 PM
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I normally discard any S&B brass I happen to pick up. It isn't worth the effort to fight them.
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Old 09-10-2018, 08:11 PM
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Quote:
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I normally discard any S&B brass I happen to pick up. It isn't worth the effort to fight them.
If you bevel the mouth of the primer pocket with a chamfering tool, they load well. The primer pocket is a bit tight also, but after you reload it the first time they open up a hair and from then on they are no problem to reprime. I've found that S&B brass actually holds up very well under many reloads too.
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Old 09-10-2018, 08:20 PM
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Quote:
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I normally discard any S&B brass I happen to pick up. It isn't worth the effort to fight them.
They are my favorite brass because of the tight primer pocket.
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Old 09-10-2018, 11:36 PM
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A countersink bit on a drill works wonders.
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  #22  
Old 09-10-2018, 11:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by muddocktor View Post
If you bevel the mouth of the primer pocket with a chamfering tool, they load well. The primer pocket is a bit tight also, but after you reload it the first time they open up a hair and from then on they are no problem to reprime. I've found that S&B brass actually holds up very well under many reloads too.
Ditto. I was skeptical about S&B brass when I first acquired some but after giving them a "chamfer treatment" I like them.

And for some reason their primer pockets clean up great (I tumble de-primed) & look cleaner/shinier than most others afterwards. I am pleasantly surprised with them.

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Last edited by BLUEDOT37; 09-10-2018 at 11:56 PM. Reason: .
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