Dear Mother of God: Flash Holes!$$#@

[danny]

I was just decapping some .45 Auto Brass (not attempting to go off topic of the board here) and got a real shock from what I saw. I remembered reading some postings here not long ago about the effects of flash hole size. This was all fired brass from Winchester Ball Ammunition that you can get from WalMart. I am not finished with decapping it yet. Already I have found a decent amount of it where the flash holes are so huge that there is not much room to go bigger on the flash holes and still be able to stop the primers from being pushed all the way into the case upon reseating new primers. Well, they all went bang and I notice nothing odd so far with the fired brass other than the HUGE flash holes.

Danny

 

[MrMajestic]

http://www.bullets.com/products/-45-ACP-Pistol-Brass-Cases-Small-Primer-Pocket-Bag-of-2000/BL1276

 

[watercam]

I run 4 or 5 brands of .45acp brass and the flash hole sizes are all over the place. I drill them all to the same size when I have the time. Does seem to even out the vertical but I also shoot them sorted by brand. Have not seen anything like what you are describing - how about a pic?

 

[danny]

I run 4 or 5 brands of .45acp brass and the flash hole sizes are all over the place. I drill them all to the same size when I have the time. Does seem to even out the vertical but I also shoot them sorted by brand. Have not seen anything like what you are describing - how about a pic?

I hope this works well enough.

Danny

 

[watercam]

Wow, that IS huge! Never seen anything like that before! looks like they were forced open by something - like an awl or such.

 

[spclark]

Yep, bigger than the disparity in hole dia's I noted in some Speer brass a few years ago. (I still have it, just don't shoot much pistol anymore.) Loaded the same it all shot pretty good, I couldn't tell on target which shot came from what size flash hole.

 

[danny]

Wow, that IS huge! Never seen anything like that before! looks like they were forced open by something - like an awl or such.

My first thoughts were that I did it with my decapping die, but I started looking back in the brass that I did not decap, and I was finding them there too. I might call Winchester on this. Maybe they will do something.

Danny

 

[yotehater]

Was it the white box 230 load? You have a lot number on those?

 

[ireload2]

I think you might have some Win Clean brass. At least one comment I have read says it is not intended to be reloaded.
You would need to confirm that from someone more knowledgeable than me

 

[danny]

Was it the white box 230 load? You have a lot number on those?

I tossed the boxes, so I have no load lot #. It was this ammunition, the white box 230 grain loadings, some purchased in the big round count (200?), some purchased in the small round count (100?).

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Winchester-45-Automatic-230-Grain-USA-Full-Metal-Jacket/16817298

Danny

 

[danny]

I had issues (fits) in trying to adjust my Lee Loadmaster to prime these cases to flush or below flush. It was even an issue with my hand primer. I always primer pocket uniform for rifles only to assure proper pocket depth, especially since I load mostly for semi-autos. I do not have any pistol uniformers, so I have tried to get by. It worked on my two .44 Mag. Super Blackhawks, but not for this 1911 and brass. It seems like the brass may be at minimum primer pocket depth, and maybe in some cases, just under. That may have been due to possible pocket setback from firing and may not be indicative to the dimensions when new and loaded by Winchester. I will have to get a uniformer.

Danny

 

[yotehater]

I'll look through my 45 brass as that's the practice ammo I've been using.