Reloading PPU Ammo

71Eagle · December 22, 2016, 08:01 PM

I bought some PPU ammo in .308. I was just wondering if the brass is good to reload or is it like military surplus ammo with crimped primers?

res45 · December 22, 2016, 09:57 PM

Most of my PPU brass is 7.62 x 54r or X 39 with a few 30-30 an 9mm mixed in,all was bought as once fired brass. Most have been reloaded several time with no issues,none of the primers were crimped in the cases I have.

5whiskey · December 23, 2016, 12:21 AM

Don't think I have crimped primers in any of my ppu 5.56. It was range pick up so I can't attest to its former life.

overthere · December 23, 2016, 04:01 AM

None of the PPU 308 brass I have seen have had crimped primers. Good brass, easy to reload.

Road_Clam · December 23, 2016, 07:16 AM

I handload a lot of PPU in 8mm Mauser, 7.62x54R and 7.62x39 , very good quality brass.

71Eagle · December 23, 2016, 07:35 AM

Thanks for the replies. I thought that was the case but wanted some outside opinions.

kerreckt · December 23, 2016, 11:48 AM

PPU is good stuff. It is from Serbia and I have used a great deal of it over the years with no problems. I believe they used to make the 7.62x39 ammo sold by Winchester.

T. O'Heir · December 23, 2016, 01:49 PM

PPU is Prvi Partizan. Usually pretty decent stuff.
Not all military surplus ammo has crimped primers either. Nearly all 7.62NATO does though. MG fodder. Really just a one time nuisance thing to remove.

std7mag · December 23, 2016, 06:07 PM

I use the PPU stamped brass for several firearms.

I use 7x57 Mauser brass to make 257 Roberts.

I have also bought a bag of 7mm-08 brass to shoot in my 7mm-08AI.

Biggest thing I have noticed is that when I uniform/deburr the flash holes, I get a lot of shavings.

I purchased both of these from Grafs. Bags are 100 count. Good pricing!!

chillymorn · January 7, 2017, 11:25 AM

They have thicker walls and powder charge might need to be to adjusted because the volume of the case is less and the presure will be higher at least the 308 cases i have seem to be this way .

Only tested a 10rd batch of 308 ppu brass and it shot fair but in all honesty it was after 30 rds and at the end of the day and light wasnt optimal.
I think i was flinching after all the shooting before. It shot 1.5 inch at 100

Chilly

jmorris · January 7, 2017, 11:32 AM

I use the brass, my loads are generally more accurate than theirs but the brass is good.

mikld · January 7, 2017, 12:45 PM

I prolly have loaded PPU brass, but I'll use just about any brass and haven't found a really "bad" one yet. If you are curious about primer pocket crimps, just look at the case head. If there is a circular imprint around the primer pocket mouth, it's crimped. If there are three or four punch marks around the primer pocket mouth, it's prolly a "stake crimp" (my HXP surplus 30-06 ammo is stake crimped). No need to discard the brass, just run a countersink, case deburring /chamfer tool in the pocket enough to cut out the displaced metal. I've done several thousand military cases this way, but some will suggest a dedicated pocket reforming tool...

FrankenMauser · January 7, 2017, 02:24 PM

I haven't used their .308 brass, but I use PPU brass for several other rifle cartridges.
Generally, it's at least of average domestic quality. For some cartridges, it's really good stuff (far above average).

1stmar · January 7, 2017, 04:36 PM

I have and use their 308 brass. Very similar weight to lc. I've even mixed brass (pup/lc)intentionally to see how they'd shoot. Group size was the same. I like their brass better than the domestic stuff (rem, hornady, win).

reynolds357 · January 9, 2017, 10:00 PM

I prefer it to Remington, Winchester, or Federal. Having said that, I prefer Norma to everything.

supercub99 · January 12, 2017, 01:56 AM

I've been using PPU brass from Cabelas for 2 yrs now in both .308 and 30-06. I have at least loaded them up to 14 times so far without a failure. I do have two dies set up for 30-06, one for the longer chamber on one rifle, the other for all the other 06's, I don't like working the brass anymore than needed.

Good stuff.

December 22, 2016, 08:01 PM	#1
71Eagle Member Join Date: June 20, 2011 Location: Central Texas Posts: 37	Reloading PPU Ammo I bought some PPU ammo in .308. I was just wondering if the brass is good to reload or is it like military surplus ammo with crimped primers?

December 23, 2016, 07:16 AM	#5
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,695	I handload a lot of PPU in 8mm Mauser, 7.62x54R and 7.62x39 , very good quality brass. __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

December 23, 2016, 07:35 AM	#6
71Eagle Member Join Date: June 20, 2011 Location: Central Texas Posts: 37	Thanks Thanks for the replies. I thought that was the case but wanted some outside opinions.

December 23, 2016, 01:49 PM	#8
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	PPU is Prvi Partizan. Usually pretty decent stuff. Not all military surplus ammo has crimped primers either. Nearly all 7.62NATO does though. MG fodder. Really just a one time nuisance thing to remove. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

January 7, 2017, 12:45 PM	#12
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	I prolly have loaded PPU brass, but I'll use just about any brass and haven't found a really "bad" one yet. If you are curious about primer pocket crimps, just look at the case head. If there is a circular imprint around the primer pocket mouth, it's crimped. If there are three or four punch marks around the primer pocket mouth, it's prolly a "stake crimp" (my HXP surplus 30-06 ammo is stake crimped). No need to discard the brass, just run a countersink, case deburring /chamfer tool in the pocket enough to cut out the displaced metal. I've done several thousand military cases this way, but some will suggest a dedicated pocket reforming tool... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

December 22, 2016, 09:57 PM	#2
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	Most of my PPU brass is 7.62 x 54r or X 39 with a few 30-30 an 9mm mixed in,all was bought as once fired brass. Most have been reloaded several time with no issues,none of the primers were crimped in the cases I have.

December 23, 2016, 12:21 AM	#3
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,657	Don't think I have crimped primers in any of my ppu 5.56. It was range pick up so I can't attest to its former life.

December 23, 2016, 04:01 AM	#4
overthere Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2012 Posts: 290	None of the PPU 308 brass I have seen have had crimped primers. Good brass, easy to reload.

December 23, 2016, 11:48 AM	#7
kerreckt Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2011 Location: SE VA. Posts: 216	PPU is good stuff. It is from Serbia and I have used a great deal of it over the years with no problems. I believe they used to make the 7.62x39 ammo sold by Winchester.

December 23, 2016, 06:07 PM	#9
std7mag Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2013 Location: Central Taxylvania.. Posts: 3,609	I use the PPU stamped brass for several firearms. I use 7x57 Mauser brass to make 257 Roberts. I have also bought a bag of 7mm-08 brass to shoot in my 7mm-08AI. Biggest thing I have noticed is that when I uniform/deburr the flash holes, I get a lot of shavings. I purchased both of these from Grafs. Bags are 100 count. Good pricing!!

January 7, 2017, 11:25 AM	#10
chillymorn Junior Member Join Date: December 28, 2016 Posts: 11	They have thicker walls and powder charge might need to be to adjusted because the volume of the case is less and the presure will be higher at least the 308 cases i have seem to be this way . Only tested a 10rd batch of 308 ppu brass and it shot fair but in all honesty it was after 30 rds and at the end of the day and light wasnt optimal. I think i was flinching after all the shooting before. It shot 1.5 inch at 100 Chilly

January 7, 2017, 11:32 AM	#11
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	I use the brass, my loads are generally more accurate than theirs but the brass is good.

January 7, 2017, 02:24 PM	#13
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	I haven't used their .308 brass, but I use PPU brass for several other rifle cartridges. Generally, it's at least of average domestic quality. For some cartridges, it's really good stuff (far above average). __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

January 7, 2017, 04:36 PM	#14
1stmar Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,378	I have and use their 308 brass. Very similar weight to lc. I've even mixed brass (pup/lc)intentionally to see how they'd shoot. Group size was the same. I like their brass better than the domestic stuff (rem, hornady, win).

January 9, 2017, 10:00 PM	#15
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	I prefer it to Remington, Winchester, or Federal. Having said that, I prefer Norma to everything.

January 12, 2017, 01:56 AM	#16
supercub99 Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2012 Location: Alaska Posts: 146	I've been using PPU brass from Cabelas for 2 yrs now in both .308 and 30-06. I have at least loaded them up to 14 times so far without a failure. I do have two dies set up for 30-06, one for the longer chamber on one rifle, the other for all the other 06's, I don't like working the brass anymore than needed. Good stuff.