S&B .308 brass

[klink1983]

I read online from an American reloading resource that S&B brass has large irregularities with its primer pockets, causing primer seating issues, or not being able to fit a primer in at all.

Does anyone here reload S&B brass or does it go to the bucket to bring to the scrap metal guy?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Trinimon]

I've reloaded a few S&B 308 cases. I've had to swage the primer pockets on 'em 'cause they were pretty snug with CCI primers. Maybe they were crimped pockets. I found the brass to be pretty hard as well and stiff to extract when fired. I meant to try annealing a few to see if that will make a difference.

I just set them aside for now to be used in a semi-auto when I get one.

 

[SoylentD]

I have had 5 or 6 S&B 308 and 6.5x55 brass that would not seat a large primer. I just swage it out and it's fine, of course. I agree there are irregularities in the S&B brass but I only own 2-300 S&B brass so it may be just the batches I have.
And yes, the brass is pretty hard.

 

[yomomma]

I use a primer pocket uniforming tool...not a big issue.

 

[cr5]

Almost all my 308 reloads are S&B brass, none of it had crimped primer pockets and I've had no issues with sizing it or priming it.
I think I have around 1200 pieces and around half of it is 1F that's only been tumbled. I think I'm only at about 2F or maybe 3F on a few batches of 100 so I can't comment on it's lifespan but so far so good.
I have found that their 338 Lapua brass has some irregularities though, many of them won't fit into the shell holder so I use my 45/70 the shell holder for those ones.

 

[Rod B]

I too had issues with primer pockets on S&B .308 brass. Rather than trashing it I left the brass at the range for someone with more patience than I.

 

[LUTNIT]

I've never had issues and quite like all the S&B brass I've ever used but don't have any experience with their .308win stuff. Is it that different from their other brass? Does anyone know if they make all their own brass or contract portions of it out like Hornady does?

I've got nothing but good things to say about S&B brass for 7.62x54R, 7.62x39, 6.5x55, .44 mag, .357 mag, .38 special, .45ACP, and others. I'd call the primer pockets tight as it is noticeably stiffer to seat a primer (but nothing close to the difficulty with crimped pockets) but I've never had an issue with them other than that.