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Are dented 5.56 and 7.62x39 brass reloadable?
- Thread starter noshow
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MixmodelA
Member
Usually. Dented cases will straighten rather quickly when reloaded and fired again! I straighten dented case mouths, by hand, with a tapered tool. Needle nose pliers work well. Serious dents or kinks is another story. But they do scrap well. And, I have seen hand loaders use unusable 223 brass to create 380 casings buy cutting them to proper length. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mick
Tex1001
Member
Who in your club shoots brass cased 7.62x39?
I swear all I ever see is steel empties (Some brass plated), and I've really looked.
I swear all I ever see is steel empties (Some brass plated), and I've really looked.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
On 223/5.56 cases, they all have value! The cases are 45mm long, 300 Black Out is 33mm long, 30 Mauser is 25mm long. I prefer to make these cases from 223's with questionable necks and shoulders, rather than waste good cases. Remember scrap brass can be any length!
Ivan
Ivan
rockquarry
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Unless the dents are severe, they pose no problem. I've seen few dented .223 / 5.56 cases in comparison with 7.62x39. I bought new Remington 7.62x39 brass about 1992 when I bought a couple of SKSs. Many cases suffered dents after firing them in these junker guns. I have no idea how many time this brass has been reloaded, but I'm still using it in a Ruger bolt-action.
gregintenn
Member
The dents that the sizing die doesn't remove will disappear upon firing.
I would discard any bad enough that the structural integrity of the case might be in question however.
I would discard any bad enough that the structural integrity of the case might be in question however.
M E Morrison
Member
I use a Lee decapping tool to round out dented case mouths - as mentioned creased metal will shorten case life so I usually toss them into the recycle barrel
What I'm seeing are cases that appear to be brass, but I can't prove it. The headstamps seem to be mostly GECO with some PPU and Winchester mixed in. I'll try to check them more thoroughly.
Some are brass plated, Always use a magnet to determine if they are steel, Also check what type of primer. (the 7.62 stuff)
For brass that is why you resize them.
Those three should be brass. I just bought a case of Geco 7.62x39 strictly to have the cases for reloading.
And all my AK’s ding the cases. Believe it’s the case hitting the edge of the dust cover on extraction. Usually just a light ding that’s not a problem.
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trapper9260
Member
For brass that is dented make sure they are not split or crack on the inside . Use a paper clip and make a small 90 degree bend on one end that it file to a point and then slid it inside the case and if the point get stuck and not smooth like the rest of the inside of the case then it can be split or crack. Then do not use it.But if there is not any then use them I do.You will also get some dents when you over lube some bottle neck cases to resize and deprime, beside when they are fired in a semi auto.
gregintenn
Member
Brass 7.62x39 cases used to be treasured. I don't know if that is still the case.
It's still pretty expensive but available. I've bought once fired from big online vendor (about $0.20 each) and at least 30% of it were dinged.
DWalt
Member
Unless they are nearly crushed, dented brass cases are usable. A pass through the FL resizing die will usually straighten the mashed neck of a bottlenecked case and ensure it will chamber. The first firing will straighten out any body and shoulder dents. Even though I have probably over 100# of mixed brass (mainly range pickups) I still pick up any brass I might need now or later. The way things are going, it is a wise idea to have whatever reloading supplies are needed to allow you to keep shooting for at least five years, and that includes brass. I was overjoyed to find a bag of 100 fired .357 cases at the local gun show last weekend for $1.00, even though I have at least 500 such cases already. Along with two full one-pound containers of H4895 for $10 each, even though I already about 8 pounds of IMR 4895. There are not many rifle calibers that you can't load 4895 in, very flexible stuff. Same could be said for IMR 3031. Now if I could just find 5 pounds of cheap Unique.
Fishslayer
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
Most steel is painted but occasionally you might see brass washed steel. A magnet will sort those.
Quick look-see; Jagemenn, Nosler and Hornady offer new brass, boxer primed in 7.62x39. S&B, Prvi Partisan, American Eagle and OMC offer brass, boxer primed ammo. Also found some "once fired" brass At Coastline Metals...
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