• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Black-X

Major Hide Member
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 19, 2006
1,004
19
Kentucky
I bought 200 new pieces of Winchester .300wm brass from Midway and they showed up today. 43 of the 200 have rough, nasty, and oblong primer flash holes. The tool that drills those must have been having a TERRIBLE freaking day. I kept the bags with the brass to keep track of the lot numbers.

Will Winchester exchange these or do I try to go to Midway (who will probably send more brass that's the same..)? How bad will this affect accuracy?

-X

1004487w.jpg


1004485d.jpg


1004488.jpg


1004489.jpg
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Win does not drill the holes, they punch them out much like a paper puncher. AFAIK Lapua is the only company that drills the holes, maybe NORMA too, but not 100% on that.

This is very common with Win brass. But 95% of it goes away when you uniform the primer pocket since the oblong portion, as you call it, is only a couple thousands deep.

Uniform the primer pockets, deburr the flash holes, load and shoot!
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Win does not drill the holes, they punch them out much like a paper puncher. AFAIK Lapua is the only company that drills the holes, maybe NORMA too, but not 100% on that.

This is very common with Win brass. But 95% of it goes away when you uniform the primer pocket since the oblong portion, as you call it, is only a couple thousands deep.

Uniform the primer pockets, deburr the flash holes, load and shoot! </div></div>

Ok, I'm going to post pics in just a few.

-X
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

make sure you use macro setting.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

That's par for Win brass, but that comes with the territory. Match prep the brass and you'll be good to go for anything but bench-rest shooting.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">make sure you use macro setting. </div></div>

You don't like blurry pics?
wink.gif


-X
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Winchester will replace it and has a great customer service dept. Replaced a case of 10ga shotgun shells for me a couple of month ago with split brass and even included a extra 5 boxes for my wait on return. 1-800-356-2666 ext 3300 ask for Cheryl
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

unless they are going to replace the whole lot, that wouldnt be too good of an idea. I hate using mixed lots of brass. Especially mixed Win brass.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Wow, I just saw the pic, thats the worst lot I have ever seen. I take back what I said, e-mail that pic to Winchester and have them replace the entire lot for a new one.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Looks like bent punches (see how there's a little ramp on each one)or a misaligned press.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

The Quickload program only has one entry for case weight in the library for each cartridged, except 300WM. It offers some options:
Quickload: Maximum Case Capacity, overflow Grains H2O
[@] 91.50
[F] 92.00
[N] 95.50
[R] 88.00
[W] 93.8



But when I measure the water capacity of 300WM cases:
[@] na
[F ]87.7
[N] na
[R] 89.4
[W] 91.2

What does it all mean?
Quality control is not good.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass


P8182427.jpg

It took one (1) year to find more Winchester .220 Swift brass after recieving this lot.I called this one "floor sweepings".

Check the inside of the necks as some lots are quite scratched from the last neck expanding step.

After uniforming I find that the case weights are not that close in comparison to older stuff.

Lapua or Norma brass is much better to buy even with the inital cost .....

Glenn
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Yep, Winchester brass can be a peach fresh from the factory.

DSCN1841.jpg


Flash holes were GTG as was this brass after a size and trim. I'd send that brass back if it were up to me.

hangunnr
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

I will call Winchester on Monday about an exchange.

-X
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

And if you can, anneal them before 1st use and after every 3-4th firing, they will last a lot longer.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Wow, I have had some issues with thier brass as well. They always took care of me and made it right.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Yikes !!! Ive always used Lapua, so ive never encountered anything like that before

Those bent necks look like a major pain in the ass
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

bent necks can be fixed, rather easily. Fucked up flash holes cant.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Again, send me that junky ass winchester brass.

photo2.jpg
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Wait a minute, i made a mistake. The groups above are lapua brass. The groups below are winchester.
photo.jpg
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

I think it's Midway buying seconds in bulk and counting them out in boxes themselvs to make money. I bought some .260 remington brass and they showed up in cardboard boxes 100 in each with packing tape keping them closed. When I opened them they were the most beat up,off center punched primer, bent and beat up mouths I have EVER seen. When I called Midway they said they buy them in bulk and package them in 100 round boxes themselves.

I have used Remmy brass before and never seen anything packaged by them look that way. I wonder if Midway is buying blemished or seconds in bulk and then selling it?

Send it back,

JamieD
Wolf Precision
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Powdervalleyinc.com and grafs.com is cheaper than midway anyway. Why spend more money than you have to?
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Powdervalleyinc.com and grafs.com is cheaper than midway anyway. Why spend more money than you have to? </div></div>

$25/50 sale plus I had the SH coupon for $10 off. Lot of good that did.
crazy.gif


Brass came in sealed Winchester bags like normal..

-X
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Winchester issued a UPS call tag and they are supposed to pick up the brass tomorrow. The lady on the phone said she'd be happy to take it all back and send a full replacement. So far this is the easiest exchange/return I've ever had to deal with!

-X
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: avd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wait a minute, i made a mistake. The groups above are lapua brass. The groups below are winchester. </div></div>

The internet problem of posting about things that may effect a accuracy, without quantifying the effect on accuracy, is unending.

What does it all mean?
Life is more about fear, ignorance, and appearances than engineering.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Good to hear black, I would be interested to see what the replacement batch looks like.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Remington isn't much better. I've got some 7mm STW brass that I bought a while back and the case heads are all cut up. I just started using it and now noticed it. If that stuff wasn't about impossible to find, I'd consider sending it back. I'll see if I can get a good pic of it to post up.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JamieD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think it's Midway buying seconds in bulk and counting them out in boxes themselvs to make money. ....... </div></div>

I don't think an upstanding company like Midway would buy seconds and sell them as "firsts". That is not a fair statement to make.

Also, I have bought top quality Norma brass from companies that repackage them in 100 count lots, and yes, those necks also get beat up, but are an easy fix.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Big +plus on that also. Anneal right off the bat on the new Win. Brass .
Last 1-k of Win. .300wm brass I got all looked great not many dents & all primer pockets were GTG also. Only thing was I had Real Shitty Groups going with them . When I was Seating the bullets 'ALL' the Neck Tension felt different and shitty on every press push .
So I Annealed all 1-k of them brand new and all the groups shrunk sub-moa . And ALL the next neck sizing on the reloads were Fantastic on the Tension . I still like Win. Brass and is usually my next choice past Lapua .
.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hangunnr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yep, Winchester brass can be a peach fresh from the factory.

DSCN1841.jpg


Flash holes were GTG as was this brass after a size and trim. I'd send that brass back if it were up to me.

hangunnr </div></div>

That is funny shit, I had the same problem as all of you. I would love to tour there facility I think they have Monkeys drawing brass through 18th century machines to come out with this quaility.

I raised hell with them and they took my whole lot # of 7wsm 200 rounds back and shipped me new along with 100 free casings. So there customer service is good there quality sucks when is someone else going to make WSM BRASS!!!!!!
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

A flat spot in the neck that goes away with a neck size is the norm, but I've never seen a lot as bad as what you posted.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

Before the mad rush of late 2008 I would get a out of norm piece of barss every now and then in a bag of 100 pieces. The last 2 bags of Winchester I ordered was pure trash and were returned.

I am wondering if QC is going down the tubes due to the companies running 24/7 trying to recover inventory and in doing so they have put new employees less experienced at the process. And I am sure they are running the equipment into a ragged state of repair with only enough required maintenance to keep it running. Hopefully this quality issue with recover and not remain the standard once the companies catch up.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

I received 200 pcs of winchester 284 brass from Cabela's (they were on sale) a couple of weeks ago. One flash hole looked like the original post top right pic and another one wasn't punched all the way through. I consider 99 percent acceptable for the price I paid.
 
Re: HOLY SMOKES! New .300WM Winchester Brass

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: softcock</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Big +plus on that also. Anneal right off the bat on the new Win.</div></div>

It's been my experience with fresh Win brass that it's way too soft when new. I've had to be very careful not to deform the necks when seating. After the first firing and resizing they were then fine.

hangunnr