Problem with S&B brass

Winchester-1897

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I was reloading some once fired S&B 8MM Mauser brass this morning. Some of the brass was fine and fit properly and some were too tight and would not fit into my hand held primer tray using the #2 plate.

The rifle I used the brass in is a Gewehr 98 (Berlin 1918). The brass was loaded below Max according to the Hodgdon reloading data. When I used it last about 2 years ago I experience no problems and did not see any high pressure signs in fact the brass looks great after full length sizing.

Any ideas as to what is occurring?
 
The S&B brass fits really tight in my shell holder on my lee press too
I think it's just how it is and it's probably normal
 
I've had the same issue with 6.5x55 S&B brass. I turfed half of the brass I had because of this.
As for 9mm pistol brass, i've found the same thing - very tight primer pockets and thicker than usual bases for case feeding issues.

You could always try a larger shell plate, or try a different manufacturers plate (hornady comes to mind) if you want to keep the brass.
 
I've had the same issue with 6.5x55 S&B brass. I turfed half of the brass I had because of this.
As for 9mm pistol brass, i've found the same thing - very tight primer pockets and thicker than usual bases for case feeding issues.

You could always try a larger shell plate, or try a different manufacturers plate (hornady comes to mind) if you want to keep the brass.

I think I'll just make more out of 30.06 brass which I have a ton.
 
S&B as well as Privi have poor quality control as far as rim thicknesses go. Otherwise it's decent brass and lasts for many reloads. I have a #2 shell head holder that has been opened up a bit just for this stuff. I have had similar issues with GRAF. With Privi there can also be issues with the web being to thick.
 
I use s&b 9mm and as everyone has said it has tight primer pockets. Federal sp primers still manage to get in without deforming, cci's... not so much.

I have a test lot going of 50 s&b in .308 win that are on a bakers dozen of loadings out of my Remmy 700. No splits as of yet, going to see how long they can go. Very impressed.
 
My lee loadmaster didnt have issues with installing primers on the S&B brass but they are quite tight on the shell holders. The brass is good quality and not worth throwing out IMO. I haven't had any issues with Privi brass so far, the odd tipped primer and that's it
 
S&B as well as Privi have poor quality control as far as rim thicknesses go.

I use exclusively rim thickness checked and sorted S&B for handgun and Privi for rifle brass: I reject about 3-5% of the cases. However, rifle Privi properly annealed and neck sized has been lasting me forever... same with my S&B for handgun even with +p reloads.

Maybe the OP got a tough batch. Worst I have got was 5% culled out on S&B.
 
I've used a lot of S&B brass for my 8 x 64S. I'm up to about 8 reloads and only now have annealed. No problems with primer pockets, rims, split necks, anything.
 
I have to agree with other posters on the S&B brass having tight primer pockets, although my experience with it has been somewhat limited to a couple of rifle calibers. Other than that no issues with it to speak of.
As for Prvi brass, I have used 100's of them in several calibers without any problems except one batch of 6.5X55 brass developed neck cracks from being improperly annealed. Fixed that right off the bat and they are still going strong along with all the others. Top notch brass in my opinion.
 
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