Sellier and Bellot handgun brass... good to go or avoid?

[CanuckShooter]

I'm trying to stick to buying ammo (9mm & .45ACP) that uses quality, reloading friendly brass. I've read a ton of threads all over the net about people having problems with Sellier & Bellot handgun calibre brass. Most of the complaints are about the primer pocket being too tight, crimped, or both, and well as the sealing compound around the primer messing up their machine. So many people seem to toss this brand in the scrap pile.

Anyone have experience reloading S&B brass in 9mm and .45ACP? Any opinions you care to share?

Of all the popular brands of commercial handgun ammo we can get here in Canada (CCI Blazer, American Eagle, S&B, Fiocchi, PMC, Magtech, etc), are there any that stand out as "lesser" from a reloading standpoint?

Thanks

 

[Snider shooter]

Excellent brass with tight pockets. I take my chamber tool to the pockets which solves the problem.

 

[Paul_T]

Excellent brass with tight pockets. I take my chamfer tool to the pockets which solves the problem.

This ^

I have swaged all of my S&B brass pockets. The issue is the pocket is straight walled with no chamfer.

 

[DiMP]

I've reloaded a couple hundred. It is doable without chamfering the primer pocket, but definitely easier if you take a couple minutes to do it. At the ranges I shoot and not being in any competition, I don't worry about sorting my 9mm brass. I just reload everything until it cracks

 

[Butcherbill]

I prefer it to be honest, I reload S&B brass for 9mm, .45auto and 10mm. I like the tighter pockets, I don’t swage or chamfer and have no problems seating primers on the press.

 

[redbirddog]

S&B brass I toss. I prefer Winchester. There is high quality brass and there is discount junk brass.

 

[FarmerDanz]

I load it all the time with my regular brass pickups and can't say they are the problem. Usually it's wma brass that rejects primers.

 

[Fox]

I have some 44 mag brass that just has a very small primer pocket, needs to be reamed. It is not a small pistol pocket it is just a small large pistol pocket.

The 7.62x25 S&B that I have seems to have a small flash hole, but again a quick twist with the primer tool and done.

Would I choose to fix any of these issues with 9mm? No, but for things like tokarev loads or any of the more expensive or rare brass, yes.

 

[CV32]

Its good brass.

 

[sixp5]

I find it hardens too fast in .44 mag

I avoid it now.

Primer seating is a pain. NFG.

 

[.30/06 FTW]

My friend and I have noticed that it seems to be a bit harder to resize, as in it takes a bit more effort to the point where it's noticeable. I usually sell/trade the 9mm, but keep the .45 and .38. I ream and uniform the primer pockets.

I load it all the time with my regular brass pickups and can't say they are the problem. Usually it's wma brass that rejects primers.

That's because WMA has crimped primer pockets.

 

[FarmerDanz]

My friend and I have noticed that it seems to be a bit harder to resize, as in it takes a bit more effort to the point where it's noticeable. I usually sell/trade the 9mm, but keep the .45 and .38. I ream and uniform the primer pockets.



That's because WMA has crimped primer pockets.

Yep and even then it's maybe 1 in 100 wma crimped pockets that fold over an edge of the primer case.

 

[CanuckShooter]

Thanks for all replies. So it sounds like it's good brass, but lots of people pass on it due to it often requiring an extra step to swage the primer pocket (depending on your press).

Does swaging the primer pocket weaken the case at all?

 

[DOUGLAS D]

I have some 44 mag brass that just has a very small primer pocket, needs to be reamed. It is not a small pistol pocket it is just a small large pistol pocket.

I found the same problem with 44 Mag S&B brass. I had a couple cases mixed in with my Winchester brass and found I couldnt begin to seat a large pistol primer in either.
I turf every 44 case I find now.

 

[medvedqc]

were considered the low end brass back in the days but as of today it is hard to find something, so use them while you can then toss them.

 

[m777]

Flash holes in 45 Colt were too small for my Square Deal. But 9mm, 357 and 44 mag have never been a problem. Seems odd only the 1 caliber

Clint