G.F.I./Fiocchi Brass

Kinman · Mar 29, 2020

I was running a couple hundred rounds of mixed headstamp,nicely cleaned once shot .44 Magnum brass through the stages today and immediately noticed that whenever I ran across a round that required additional "work" I found it to be G.F.I./Fiocchi brand.
My son asked if I would make some "plinking", range bullets for him and had furnished the mixed stamp brass which I ran through the vibrator last night. I am not fond of using mixed stamp brass unless its for one of my semi-autos that are not target grade and I don't care what happens to it. Just wondering if any of you other reloaders have run across this.

fredj338 · Mar 29, 2020

I wont load any of the foerign 9mm brass. It seems specs are all over with diff manuf. I get a bunch of rounds thst wont case gage with 147gr bullets, always a foreign case like gfl, cbc, aguila.

Dieseltech56 · Mar 29, 2020

Fiocchi is my favorite range pickup 223 brass (I’m only shooting it in a contender barrel). Some complain the flash holes aren’t always centered but at least you don’t have to deal with crimped primer pockets.

ArchAngelCD · Mar 29, 2020

I have not had any problems with Fiocchi handgun brass. What "additional work" was necessary with your brass?

Rambler42 · Mar 29, 2020

I have used and reused a lot of Fiocchi brass in .38 S&W and .357 Magnum. Never had a problem with any of it.

Kinman · Mar 29, 2020

I'm still using an old Rock Crusher single stage press and usually everything runs very smooth, without much lever pressure needed to accomplish the job. I do not reload for others and have made an exception with my son. I have kept to a standard of only using one type of brass whenever possible and never have problems with any of the "commercial" companies. He brought me a bunch of mix headstamped stuff that he has been collecting while shooting his .44 magnum. It was all over the place but quite a bit of Fiocchi/G.F.I. mixed in amongst, Winchester, Federal, PPU, etc. Whenever I ran across a piece that required more than the usual effort on the lever, I checked the headstamp and got to where I could tell if it was G.F.I. nothing else wrassled me the way that stuff did.
I just got done by putting a factory crimp on these bullets and once again, everytime I ran into extra pressure on the lever it turned out to be G.F.I. They actually stick to the point the leading edge of the brass is receiving a bit more polish than the rest where it is getting fully sized at the end stroke. I believe the stuff is thicker than normal brass.
Years ago I learned that Winchester brass was the thinnest which enabled me to get more powder in a Winchester 45/70 case than any other, the only case I could truly get 70 grns of 1-1/2 Old Eynsford Goex in.
I'm going to tell him to give that stuff to someone else and scrap out any that I have left in the bunch he dropped off. Even though brass is softer than steel it still puts an unnecessary stress on the press and is the first brass I have ever run across that didn't run smoothly. I've shot a ton of that Fiocchi .223 stuff at the range but never reloaded it, it was great range ammo for an AR.

robertrwalsh · Mar 30, 2020

I have had zero trouble with the little bit of Fiocchi brass I have used. The GFI gives me some trouble, but not that often.

Ivan the Butcher · Mar 30, 2020

My thought would be that some companies use a smaller flash hole to reduce chamber against the primer. Then in addition to that you have a large diameter decapping pin (RCBS uses 2 sizes) so you are enlarging that hole's diameter a few 1/1000ths inch.

PPC and BR brass use an even smaller flash hole for that same reason and require an extra small pin.

Ivan

fordson · Mar 30, 2020

I’ve used both GFI and Fiocchi rifle brass (7.62) without any noticeable issues. Can’t say anything about their pistol brass as I don’t bother to sort them out for reloading.

Rule3 · Mar 30, 2020

Kinman said:
I'm still using an old Rock Crusher single stage press and usually everything runs very smooth, without much lever pressure needed to accomplish the job. I do not reload for others and have made an exception with my son. I have kept to a standard of only using one type of brass whenever possible and never have problems with any of the "commercial" companies. He brought me a bunch of mix headstamped stuff that he has been collecting while shooting his .44 magnum. It was all over the place but quite a bit of Fiocchi/G.F.I. mixed in amongst, Winchester, Federal, PPU, etc. Whenever I ran across a piece that required more than the usual effort on the lever, I checked the headstamp and got to where I could tell if it was G.F.I. nothing else wrassled me the way that stuff did.
I just got done by putting a factory crimp on these bullets and once again, everytime I ran into extra pressure on the lever it turned out to be G.F.I. They actually stick to the point the leading edge of the brass is receiving a bit more polish than the rest where it is getting fully sized at the end stroke. I believe the stuff is thicker than normal brass.
Years ago I learned that Winchester brass was the thinnest which enabled me to get more powder in a Winchester 45/70 case than any other, the only case I could truly get 70 grns of 1-1/2 Old Eynsford Goex in.
I'm going to tell him to give that stuff to someone else and scrap out any that I have left in the bunch he dropped off. Even though brass is softer than steel it still puts an unnecessary stress on the press and is the first brass I have ever run across that didn't run smoothly. I've shot a ton of that Fiocchi .223 stuff at the range but never reloaded it, it was great range ammo for an AR.

That is because it is Better brass than most of the other old, worn out stuff you are used to.

H Richard · Mar 30, 2020

I have used GFI, (Fiocchi) factory loads and the brass for handloads. Mostly in my 32 Long loads. I don't recall ever having any problems loading or shooting it. The factory loads are very good.

Speedo2 · Mar 30, 2020

I believe that G.F.L. and Fiocchi are one and the same. I cannot speak to their 44 Magnum brass, but I did a quasi-scientific experiment with 9mm brass and found their brass to be a little lighter than most others, but with very decent extreme spreads and standard deviation of weight between sampled casings. I regard GFL as "good", but not as good as excellent brass such as Lapua, WIN, Starline, and a few others. -S2

Nevada Ed · Mar 30, 2020

I can't remember what non-USA brand that it was but......

one brand took a LOT MORE pressure on my single stage loader to size, de-prime, the brass, than the other mixed cases.

It might be G.F.L. or Tula.......
since I don't load or save these two any more.

typetwelve · Mar 30, 2020

Strange that this would come up...with Fiocchi brass in 44 magnum.

Here's what I ran into. Brass stamped "G.F.L" is measuring .011" thick. Brass stamped "GFL" is measuring .010". Nearly any other brand of bras I have measures .010" thick.

The G.F.L brass was giving me some headaches with lead projectiles, it will smash it down .001" more than it measures before seating. It was giving me leading issues in my Super Redhawk.

I've sorted the brass and have been using the G.F.L for .429" FMJ XTp projectiles and it works just fine. I use other brass for lead and they work just fine.

I also have GFL brass in 38 and 223 and they are not that way.

Rambler42 · Mar 30, 2020

Speedo2 said:
I believe that G.F.L. and Fiocchi are one and the same. I cannot speak to their 44 Magnum brass, but I did a quasi-scientific experiment with 9mm brass and found their brass to be a little lighter than most others, but with very decent extreme spreads and standard deviation of weight between sampled casings. I regard GFL as "good", but not as good as excellent brass such as Lapua, WIN, Starline, and a few others. -S2

they are the same. GFL stands for 'Giulio Fiocchi Lecco' according to an online headstamp guide I use.

muddocktor · Mar 30, 2020

No experience with their 44 Mag brass, but with their 357 Mag brass I find it holds up very well to repeated reloading. I have a box of GFL I have kept segregated to track how well it holds up and it's on it's 14-15th reload without issues and most of the loads have been on the hot side using Accurate #9, H110 and 2400.

Valmet · Mar 30, 2020

I reload Fiocchi brass often (.44 Spl and .45ACP mostly) and don’t recall ever having any issues myself.

dr. mordo · Mar 30, 2020

Nevada Ed said:
I can't remember what non-USA brand that it was but......

one brand took a LOT MORE pressure on my single stage loader to size, de-prime, the brass, than the other mixed cases.

It might be G.F.L. or Tula.......
since I don't load or save these two any more.

This has been exactly my experience with 44 mag and 45 ACP Fiocci brass. I have a ton of it in 44 mag, and I may need to reinforce my reloading table because of it.

crankyoldlady · Mar 30, 2020

I toss Amerc and Perfecta. No problems with Fiocchi.

SLT223 · Mar 30, 2020

I found their 357 brass to have tight primer pockets. After using them several times the problem subsided.

G.F.I./Fiocchi Brass

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