Winchester brass - wtf?

[TassieTiger]

Bought 50 Winchester 300wm cases and was going to check size / length with the lee length gauge that goes inside the neck...but the first handful out of the pack look like this and there is no way the length gauge can be used...is this normal?? All other brass I’ve bought new - has not looked anything like this...???

[bladeracer]

Bought 50 Winchester 300wm cases and was going to check size / length with the lee length gauge that goes inside the neck...but the first handful out of the pack look like this and there is no way the length gauge can be used...is this normal?? All other brass I’ve bought new - has not looked anything like this...???

I've bought once-fired Winchester and it's pretty good.
I've bought new Winchester brass in at least two cartridges and both are crap. I would not recommend to anybody to buy new Winchester brass. If you want Win brass, buy factory ammo and shoot it.

[Tank]

Used to be the go to brand.....
I’m still using Win brass in 45-70 that’s been well used since 1985.....countless reloads.
Return it and get yourself a refund.
It looks like crap.

[Oldbloke]

Return it and get yourself a refund.
It looks like crap.

Yep

[Blr243]

That looks disgusting It makes me think that in future whenever I buy brass I should open it up and inspect before I leave the shop .... I bought some new 450 bushmaster brass the other day made my star line I would not normally buy star line brass but this stuff was nearly two bucks per case and bugger all else was available. Got it home and so far all stages of loading it looks fine ......getting a refund on the winchester brass won’t be an issue but it’s still a stuff around

[Stix]

I once had a batch of Lap brass where 40 percent of the cases looked like the second pic you've posted...& not that long ago either--maybe a few years...
I couldnt believe it...they accused me of doing it too, but after some rational discussion i got it swapped over...

As BLR says...always check brass in the shop now.

I sooke to a bloke last weekend who bought 300 new win cases from his lgs & says he's most happy with them.

Like blade, the win brass i use i purchased once fired & seems pretty good to me...
Ive never used or bought new unprimed win brass.

Thats a big let down & PITA tassie...

Get a refund or swap it.

[Bills Shed]

Slightly dented mouths like that second pic is not unusual in any brand that I have bought. It happens during a bit of rough handling at the end of the process. For those of you that have shot Auto loaders, some rifles would eject the brass so violently the mouths would be dented, so it happens and is not a big deal. Just run it through a sizing die and load it.

The other two pics are a different matter. Just plain out poor QC. I would take it back and I am sure there will be no questions asked about a refund.

[straightshooter]

Winchester is generally at the cheaper end of unfired brass and is packed loosely in bags, which doesn't help with dented or distorted necks.
Easily fixed by running the expander ball through all of them before doing anything else.
The production defect is unfortunate but if you have been reloading for long enough with various brands of brass you will notice they happen in just about all brands.
By the looks of it you can probably load and fire it safely.
These kinds of cosmetic defects are less likely in the more expensive brands, but they still happen, so you pay your money and take your chances.

[SCJ429]

Used to be the go to brand.....
I’m still using Win brass in 45-70 that’s been well used since 1985.....countless reloads.
Return it and get yourself a refund.
It looks like crap.

Good advice.

When I get brass I run it through an expander mandrel to iron out the necks and to relieve a bit of the neck tension. New brass usually comes with too much neck tension. Trim your brass after it has been fired.

Norma make some excellent brass for a 300 WM, I believe they make 300 brass for Lapua. I have used this brass and it is excellent and long lived.

[tophet1]

Junk the top case. Haven't seen one like that before.
The other two will go round when resized with an expander ball. Normal for entry level bulk brass. It headspaces on the belt so fine for first firing.

[nightforcenxs]

try some norma brass if you can afford it i use norma in my 375H&H and im up to 6 reloads on it with hot loads.

[JimTom]

Mate I use Winchester brass for my .223 and whilst they generally need a trim up and a quick neck size when new, I've never seen new brass like that.

[Member-Deleted]

They don't look to good so i'd look for a refund on the damaged ones at least I run norma brass in my rifles and some are up to 8 firings the 7 rem mags have 7 firings so to me they are good brass no damage only a few dings in the necks probably from throwing them around in bags I had the same problem with Winchester brass in 22-250 threw away 1/4 of a bag only because I needed the straight away other wise I would have sent them back

[TassieTiger]

Some of these necks have boogey globs of excess brass on them...

[snag]

Mate, exercise your consumer rights and take them back and get a refund. Goods sold must be "fit for purpose" - whether they are top or bottom shelf product - and those clearly aren't. The more we accept shoddy goods, the more the manufacturers will palm substandard product off to us. Global manufacturers can do a lot better than that.

[marksman]

definitely take them back Tassie
I have had a good run with the winchester brass myself but I think because I have used once fired range pickup cases that I match grade prep before using
the worst thing I have found is the little splits they can have in batches because of being crimped but you trim that out
that is embarrassing that a brand will let them cases out the door with there name on them, no quality control at all
I have seen cases like the 1st and 3rd photo before but only in factory loaded ammo from winchester
even the 2nd picture with dented necks has ripples in the mouths from over tumbling, very cheapo brass

I have some used cases I will hunt up for you if you want them

[bigrich]

Mate, exercise your consumer rights and take them back and get a refund. Goods sold must be "fit for purpose" - whether they are top or bottom shelf product - and those clearly aren't. The more we accept shoddy goods, the more the manufacturers will palm substandard product off to us. Global manufacturers can do a lot better than that.

+1 .

i know it's expensive , but i just buy norma brass and have no problems . rem brass seems ok for USA made brass, have used hornady, and it's pretty good

[JimTom]

ADI brass pretty good also in my opinion.

[AZZA'S HJ47]

Dont know how many times ive said it here and to everyone i know Winchester is junk. They use to be great but everything ive touched or seen has been horid. Id never buy a winchester branded product again. Be it amo or a rifle.

[wanneroo]

I've been trending in the direction that brass sold by some of these manufacturers are their quality rejects from the production line for complete factory ammo.

[SCJ429]

I've been trending in the direction that brass sold by some of these manufacturers are their quality rejects from the production line for complete factory ammo.

You might be onto something there.

[SCJ429]

Did you get a refund Tassie?

[TassieTiger]

Sorry - so, the seller asked me how many shells looked dodgy.
I went through and said I wouldn’t even attempt to use 14 - he then replied and said he had to look through 4 packets of brass to find 20 that he would consider as suitable to send me as replacements - which he is doing express post.
So great customer service but s**ty ass brass.

[SCJ429]

Nice outcome, not the resellers fault and they did their bit to resolve the issue.