Just curious because while loading 9x19 this weekend I noticed a piece marked WCC 43. That has to be the oldest piece in my regular mix. I have brass that is older, but I've retired it from the reloading rotation.
Whats the oldest piece of brass in your regular mix?
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Just curious because while loading 9x19 this weekend I noticed a piece marked WCC 43. That has to be the oldest piece in my regular mix. I have brass that is older, but I've retired it from the reloading rotation.
Sgt Preston
Member
Sgt Preston here. I have brass that dates back to the 70's. Lots of it was given to me by "oldtimers". I've bought some at local gun shows. Still others were simply picked up off the ground & floor. The caveat here is that I inspect each & every piece under a lighted magnifying glass BEFORE I reload. I discard any that are cracked, show signs of being overpressured or having loose primers. AND I don't load past the mid point of the reloading charts. Hope this helps. Preston
john traveler
Member
That WCC 43 9mm stuff was loaded for use by British Commonwealth troops in Sten submachine guns and the Browning High Power pistols of the era. It commonly was packaged in plain white boxes labeled "For Use in Submachine Guns", meaning that it was loaded to european pressure standards and deemed reliable in subguns whereas the pre-war stuff was not. I've fired lots of it in WWII era pistols as well as some several hundred of the 9 MM 44 headstamped stuff reputed to be of Canadian manufacture. The cases reloaded okay too, which is surprising for 60-something year old brass.
bmcgilvray
Member
I'm still circulating some E C '43 steel .45 ACP cases through. I reworked the especially sized primer pockets on the .45s to accept large rifle. Just as an experiment. I've lost track of how many times they've been loaded.
I have a single WRA .38 Special cases that shows up now and again that uses a large pistol primer. Don't know when it was produced.
Still keep some 1930s .405 cases for use.
I have a single WRA .38 Special cases that shows up now and again that uses a large pistol primer. Don't know when it was produced.
Still keep some 1930s .405 cases for use.
Beans
Member
LC 1957 30-06 Match brass.
This brass is been designated Proprietary for the 03A3 and I am neck sizing only.
Since I am using cast bullets only in my 03A3 I expect it to last forever.
This brass is been designated Proprietary for the 03A3 and I am neck sizing only.
Since I am using cast bullets only in my 03A3 I expect it to last forever.
WW2 Denver Arsenal 30-06 brass that I shot up the original loaded M2 rounds in my Garand. Approx 100rds that have been though the press perhaps another 4 times & shot in an '03 sporter. I've annealed the case necks and haven't lost any cases yet.
Have some WW2 'WCC' 30-06 too that keeps going. Some has been reformed to 35Whelen and is going on their 5th loading.
WW2 45acp & 9mm pieces of brass in the mix.
A few boxes of balloon head 38S&W & 44 Special brass. Not sure of the age but it can't be too new.
I also keep my loads in the lower to mid range of the spectrum.
Have some WW2 'WCC' 30-06 too that keeps going. Some has been reformed to 35Whelen and is going on their 5th loading.
WW2 45acp & 9mm pieces of brass in the mix.
A few boxes of balloon head 38S&W & 44 Special brass. Not sure of the age but it can't be too new.
I also keep my loads in the lower to mid range of the spectrum.
whelenshooter
Member
Because of the relatively low pressure at which the .45 ACP operates, you can reload its brass almost forever without it stretching or wearing out. I have cases I've been reloading since 1977 that have been hit by the ejector of a 1911 so many times that you can no longer read the headstamp! What WILL wear it out, however, is if you bell the case mouth more than just enough to get the bullet started in the case. If you bell them excessively, the repeated belling and taper crimping will cause the case mouths to split, then you must throw out the case.
bmcgilvray
Member
I guess I like to walk on the ragged edge, using some of the old stuff but there can be a down side.
A particular lot of pre-war Franfort Arsenal ('33 I believe) was known to be possessing of soft case heads. Can you say blow up?!
Some wartime '06 brass was less than high quality too though I've used lots of it over the years and still have some that is available to load. I have a friend that had a factory WWII production Frankfort Arsenal cartridge that let go because of a soft case head and wrecked a complete and original M1. Well, the stock anyway. Blew the side out of it when the M1's excellent gas handling system vented into the clip well. The primer went to the "unknown zone" and the case was cracked from the flash hole, through the case head and up the case side about half way to the shoulder. Was ugly. Both of us were unhurt though I was sprayed with splinters because I was standing eighteen inches to his left and looking at the rifle when it happened. I was wearing shooting glasses. The incident was quite spectacular.
The low pressure .38 Special, .45 ACP, and other cartridge cases I've used from ancient times just generally fade away with mouth cracks. A bit more care might be taken with high pressure rounds, especially if the cases could be weakened by early priming compounds.
My early .405 cases have a few loadings under their belts and were manufactured after noncorrosive priming compounds were introduced. Still, I hold them in reserve or else use them for mild powder puff loads using .41 Magnum pistol bullets. They've been handloaded with full power loads but might be getting brittle. They could be annealed but that's a lot of bother for uneven results. I used them back before the return of newly made .405 brass.
"I have cases I've been reloading since 1977 that have been hit by the ejector of a 1911 so many times that you can no longer read the headstamp!"
I started loading .45 ACP in 1978 and have cases like that that are still going strong. No way to know how many times they've been loaded. I still recognize some of the headstamps of old cases I've been using since that time.
A particular lot of pre-war Franfort Arsenal ('33 I believe) was known to be possessing of soft case heads. Can you say blow up?!
Some wartime '06 brass was less than high quality too though I've used lots of it over the years and still have some that is available to load. I have a friend that had a factory WWII production Frankfort Arsenal cartridge that let go because of a soft case head and wrecked a complete and original M1. Well, the stock anyway. Blew the side out of it when the M1's excellent gas handling system vented into the clip well. The primer went to the "unknown zone" and the case was cracked from the flash hole, through the case head and up the case side about half way to the shoulder. Was ugly. Both of us were unhurt though I was sprayed with splinters because I was standing eighteen inches to his left and looking at the rifle when it happened. I was wearing shooting glasses. The incident was quite spectacular.
The low pressure .38 Special, .45 ACP, and other cartridge cases I've used from ancient times just generally fade away with mouth cracks. A bit more care might be taken with high pressure rounds, especially if the cases could be weakened by early priming compounds.
My early .405 cases have a few loadings under their belts and were manufactured after noncorrosive priming compounds were introduced. Still, I hold them in reserve or else use them for mild powder puff loads using .41 Magnum pistol bullets. They've been handloaded with full power loads but might be getting brittle. They could be annealed but that's a lot of bother for uneven results. I used them back before the return of newly made .405 brass.
"I have cases I've been reloading since 1977 that have been hit by the ejector of a 1911 so many times that you can no longer read the headstamp!"
I started loading .45 ACP in 1978 and have cases like that that are still going strong. No way to know how many times they've been loaded. I still recognize some of the headstamps of old cases I've been using since that time.
About 10 years ago I bought 2 boxes of primed Remington .44 Special brass on eBay (when they still allowed dangerous stuff like that). I believe they date to the late 1940's or early 1950's. The boxes and contents were in perfect condition - the boxes are the same as those used for .44 Special ammo, but with a white wrapper label indicating they are primed cases.
The headstamp is REM-UMC and they are the old balloon-head design. I've kept one box intact as a collector's item and used the other box for reloads. All the original primers worked and I've reloaded them 8-9 times with no neck splits. I only use lead bullets at standard velocity and usually shoot them in a 1913 Triple Lock.
The headstamp is REM-UMC and they are the old balloon-head design. I've kept one box intact as a collector's item and used the other box for reloads. All the original primers worked and I've reloaded them 8-9 times with no neck splits. I only use lead bullets at standard velocity and usually shoot them in a 1913 Triple Lock.
I have hundreds of early 1950 headstamped 45 ACP cases that I am still reloading. Also been reloading since 1974 and reload some of the original 44 Special cases that I bought new in '74!
Frank237
Absent Comrade
FA 27
Frankfort Arsenal 1927 mfg. I was given a 1911a1 back in 1977 or so by the original owners Widow. He was a WW2 Arty Officer,though the gun showed very little use.
Also got a WOODEN ammo can full of loose .45 acp. Most of them FA headstamped,with various years but mostly 27.
I still have a few dozen of them in my light target 200 gr SWC brass. Have a lot of FC 52, FC 62 as well.
The FA ammo was corrosive, or so I thought anyway. As I fired them I would then clean them in hot, soapy water,then let dry.
I had very few misfires with the old ammo. Unfortunately one of them was a squib load, while firing a buddies M-1 Thomson. Bulged the barrel about half way down!!
FN in MT
Frankfort Arsenal 1927 mfg. I was given a 1911a1 back in 1977 or so by the original owners Widow. He was a WW2 Arty Officer,though the gun showed very little use.
Also got a WOODEN ammo can full of loose .45 acp. Most of them FA headstamped,with various years but mostly 27.
I still have a few dozen of them in my light target 200 gr SWC brass. Have a lot of FC 52, FC 62 as well.
The FA ammo was corrosive, or so I thought anyway. As I fired them I would then clean them in hot, soapy water,then let dry.
I had very few misfires with the old ammo. Unfortunately one of them was a squib load, while firing a buddies M-1 Thomson. Bulged the barrel about half way down!!
FN in MT
Paul5388
US Veteran
I'm using a little bit of ECS 42 .45 ACP that has a strange primer pocket, very tight even after reaming. If the original corrosive primers on it and the WWII .30-06 had any effect on it, I can't tell it.
I too have some oldies in the mix...every time I clean brass and see one with unreadable markings I grin...talk about going "green"
I have never bought a single piece of .45, .38, .357 Mag, .380 brass...all is either brass from ammo I shot up years ago, range pick-up stuff, or brass given to me by fellow shooters...all has been re-used so many times!!!
Considering this...when I was in Cabela's yesterday and saw the price of factory ammo...wow, I'm real happy to be a reloader!
Bob
I have never bought a single piece of .45, .38, .357 Mag, .380 brass...all is either brass from ammo I shot up years ago, range pick-up stuff, or brass given to me by fellow shooters...all has been re-used so many times!!!
Considering this...when I was in Cabela's yesterday and saw the price of factory ammo...wow, I'm real happy to be a reloader!
Bob
Long time ago bought a 1000 round case of 45 acp reloads. The oldest brass from that batch still being used is early 1940's (think it's 1942, but would have to check). This batch of brass only sees light target loads.
imashooter2
Member
I've got a whole bunch of 40s head stamp .45ACP that my Grampa picked up at Perry.
m657
Member
I recycle some old cases I started with 30 years ago, in 38/357 and 44/45 calibers. No way to tell what's left from then, as I've add to them over the years.
I do have a batch from the mid 90s I've used on SASS loads manyManyMANY reloads for the low/moderate loads there. I put away a stash of 45LC cases "to use when the others gave out"....still have them tucked away.
Although this past week end in about 220 rounds, I **did** have 3 or 4 split cases to toss.....
Had an interesting talk with a fellow at the range last week.....he had bought some reloads at a gun show several months back.....got around to using some of them....showed me his stash....primary concern was a number of them splitting/jamming his wonder 40....and they were BAD!!! A lot of rusted cases I wouldn't have reloaded in the first place. Told him it looked to me like 'junk brass' someone had used in error...he was going to dump the several hundred remaining...they were that bad.
I do have a batch from the mid 90s I've used on SASS loads manyManyMANY reloads for the low/moderate loads there. I put away a stash of 45LC cases "to use when the others gave out"....still have them tucked away.
Although this past week end in about 220 rounds, I **did** have 3 or 4 split cases to toss.....
Had an interesting talk with a fellow at the range last week.....he had bought some reloads at a gun show several months back.....got around to using some of them....showed me his stash....primary concern was a number of them splitting/jamming his wonder 40....and they were BAD!!! A lot of rusted cases I wouldn't have reloaded in the first place. Told him it looked to me like 'junk brass' someone had used in error...he was going to dump the several hundred remaining...they were that bad.
jaysouth
US Veteran
1936 Frankford Arsenal National Match in .30-06.
I still have about a thousand in good shape. Should last me another 30 years or so.
I have GI .45 brass from the mid 50s. Great stuff.
I still have about a thousand in good shape. Should last me another 30 years or so.
I have GI .45 brass from the mid 50s. Great stuff.
David Sinko
Member
I routinely load a few .45 ACPs that are marked '41 and '42 and I've never had any problems with them.
I have a few older looking .45 ACP cases that have no headstamp whatsoever and were clearly made that way. I'm not sure how common this is or if it would've been a manufacturing oversight.
Oldest loaded round I have is from 1918. Anybody think it would fire?
Dave Sinko
I have a few older looking .45 ACP cases that have no headstamp whatsoever and were clearly made that way. I'm not sure how common this is or if it would've been a manufacturing oversight.
Oldest loaded round I have is from 1918. Anybody think it would fire?
Dave Sinko
