Off-center flash holes

Bill Hebert · June 22, 1999, 03:00 PM

This is my first experience reloading brass from a company named "A-MERC" The cases I'm loading are 38SPL and about 10% of the brass have off-centered flash holes. Some holes even touch the edge of the primer pocket. Will this present a problem? The brass obviously worked at least once (I'm reloading it). Will it cause accuracy probs? What do you all think - and who is this A_MERC company anyway?

HankL · June 22, 1999, 07:08 PM

Bill, Off center is one thing and usually won't make a lot of difference. What you are talking about is total lack of quality control! I don't know a thing about the company but I wouldn't play with this brass any longer.
Safe Shooting, Hank

flatlander · June 25, 1999, 07:35 PM

Bill: I've been loading everything from 22 Hornet to 40-65 WCF for over 30 years, and I've never seen brass with that big a quality problem. I second HankL's suggestion to toss it. There's really no telling what other defects it may have. I absolutely hate to throw anything that might be OK away, but in this case, I believe it would be a wise move. I've never heard of A_MERC.

Ed · June 27, 1999, 05:25 PM

About 1960 or so , I bought a couple of boxes of W-W SuperX Match.45ACP jacketed SWC ammo to try out for accuracy in a S&W 1917 revolver I had just aquired. The ammo was aptly named. It gave super accuracy in the old Smith, better than anything I had tried. When I went to reload the cases, I found that all the flash holes were off center about the same amount that you described here. Since I was on a very tight shooting budget, I went ahead and reloaded them anyway, and although my lead bullet reloads weren't as accurate as the factory loads, they were ok.

I must have reloaded that old brass 25 0r 30 times over the years, and never had a problem with it. In fact, I still have over half of it somewhere, but I don't load it anymore.

Having said all that, I think I would go along with Hank L's suggestion though. Back in '60 most shooters didn't reload, so WW probably knew about the off center holes, but figured no one would ever know as long as it shot OK. Today I don't think any reputable company would sell brass with an obvious defect like this, so the company may short cut quality in other, more serious areas as well.

I still find it hard to believe that W-W put out a lot of MATCH ammo in cases like I had though. Every other batch of W-W ammo or components I have used since have been excellent quality.

Bullmoose · June 29, 1999, 11:46 AM

Wouldn't you have problems depriming cases with primer holes that far off center? I know that the quickest way to bust primer decapper
pins is to use one on a Berdan case. Jim

flatlander · July 1, 1999, 09:50 AM

JimDee: I bought 2000 once-fired PMC 223 cases several years ago, and bent several decapping pins while processing it. It had the crimped in primers, which probably made the problem worse. Anyway, after realizing that at least 30-40% of it had off-center flash holes, and considering the fact that I wanted it for match loads, I peddled it to a prairie dog shooter at the next gun show. Why mess with it when good LC brass is the same price?

June 22, 1999, 03:00 PM	#1
Bill Hebert Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Posts: 180	This is my first experience reloading brass from a company named "A-MERC" The cases I'm loading are 38SPL and about 10% of the brass have off-centered flash holes. Some holes even touch the edge of the primer pocket. Will this present a problem? The brass obviously worked at least once (I'm reloading it). Will it cause accuracy probs? What do you all think - and who is this A_MERC company anyway?

June 22, 1999, 07:08 PM	#2
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	Bill, Off center is one thing and usually won't make a lot of difference. What you are talking about is total lack of quality control! I don't know a thing about the company but I wouldn't play with this brass any longer. Safe Shooting, Hank

June 25, 1999, 07:35 PM	#3
flatlander Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 1999 Posts: 120	Bill: I've been loading everything from 22 Hornet to 40-65 WCF for over 30 years, and I've never seen brass with that big a quality problem. I second HankL's suggestion to toss it. There's really no telling what other defects it may have. I absolutely hate to throw anything that might be OK away, but in this case, I believe it would be a wise move. I've never heard of A_MERC.

June 27, 1999, 05:25 PM	#4
Ed Member Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Geogia, USA Posts: 85	About 1960 or so , I bought a couple of boxes of W-W SuperX Match.45ACP jacketed SWC ammo to try out for accuracy in a S&W 1917 revolver I had just aquired. The ammo was aptly named. It gave super accuracy in the old Smith, better than anything I had tried. When I went to reload the cases, I found that all the flash holes were off center about the same amount that you described here. Since I was on a very tight shooting budget, I went ahead and reloaded them anyway, and although my lead bullet reloads weren't as accurate as the factory loads, they were ok. I must have reloaded that old brass 25 0r 30 times over the years, and never had a problem with it. In fact, I still have over half of it somewhere, but I don't load it anymore. Having said all that, I think I would go along with Hank L's suggestion though. Back in '60 most shooters didn't reload, so WW probably knew about the off center holes, but figured no one would ever know as long as it shot OK. Today I don't think any reputable company would sell brass with an obvious defect like this, so the company may short cut quality in other, more serious areas as well. I still find it hard to believe that W-W put out a lot of MATCH ammo in cases like I had though. Every other batch of W-W ammo or components I have used since have been excellent quality.

June 29, 1999, 11:46 AM	#5
Bullmoose Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 1999 Location: Placentia,CA,USA Posts: 143	Wouldn't you have problems depriming cases with primer holes that far off center? I know that the quickest way to bust primer decapper pins is to use one on a Berdan case. Jim

July 1, 1999, 09:50 AM	#6
flatlander Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 1999 Posts: 120	JimDee: I bought 2000 once-fired PMC 223 cases several years ago, and bent several decapping pins while processing it. It had the crimped in primers, which probably made the problem worse. Anyway, after realizing that at least 30-40% of it had off-center flash holes, and considering the fact that I wanted it for match loads, I peddled it to a prairie dog shooter at the next gun show. Why mess with it when good LC brass is the same price?