Oblong flash holes?

[Dildobaggins]

Yep, I bought Winchester brass. I know it's not Lapua. After I full length sized about 300 I inspected them and noticed the flash holes on about half were oblong or 1 1/2 times the normal size. Thought it might have been my FL die. Opened up two more bags of new brass and same thing. These are from different lots.

Any good to shoot for accuracy driven shooting? Anyone ever try to exchange brass like this through Winchester?

Lastly, Does mixing lots of brass effect accuracy in any way if they are all prepped the same and are virgin brass?

Thanks fellas

 

[straightshooter1]

Lastly, Does mixing lots of brass effect accuracy in any way if they are all prepped the same and are virgin brass?

Depending on the consistency in quality of brass a company produces will have an effect even when all are prepped the same. Like with your Winchester brass with a lot of poorly produces flash holes, one would have to sort through the batch and discard those that can't be fixed. And a lot depends on how much prep one might be doing to their brass. Mixed lots can have significant variations in case volume effecting pressure/MV's; some may have significant imbalanced neck thicknesses; some may have a combination of these things or more. Lapua is well know for their quality and consistency, yet it still not recommended by top reloaders to mix lots. In the end, it comes down to what type of shooting one is doing and just how accurate one is trying to get. Surely, mixing lots and prepping them the same will work for shooting silhouettes and steel at short range.

 

[Dildobaggins]

Depending on the consistency in quality of brass a company produces will have an effect even when all are prepped the same. Like with your Winchester brass with a lot of poorly produces flash holes, one would have to sort through the batch and discard those that can't be fixed. And a lot depends on how much prep one might be doing to their brass. Mixed lots can have significant variations in case volume effecting pressure/MV's; some may have significant imbalanced neck thicknesses; some may have a combination of these things or more. Lapua is well know for their quality and consistency, yet it still not recommended by top reloaders to mix lots. In the end, it comes down to what type of shooting one is doing and just how accurate one is trying to get. Surely, mixing lots and prepping them the same will work for shooting silhouettes and steel at short range.

Well live and learn. I ordered some starline brass for my 223. At this point I imagine anything would be better than the Winchester brass. Haha

 

[918v]

Don’t mix lots.

 

[Dildobaggins]

Don’t mix lots.

Too late. Mixed like 800 virgin brass. I wanted some SHTF ammo, so I'll just use those for that I guess. Anyone ever try starline brass? I just don't want to buy Lapua for an AR.

 

[spife7980]

Don’t mix lots.

Being that it’s Winchester I don’t expect it to be consistent enough to constitute a “lot”

 

[Aftermath]

Just load it and shoot it like you would milsurp ammo. It can't be much worse for accuracy. As for Starline, I have used it for 458 SOCOM, 454 Casull and 45 Long Colt without any issues but those are not really known for any sort of distance accuracy. If you are looking for some consistency, you are going to have stop being a poor. Once in a while you might get lucky but, generally speaking, you can't buy crap and expect it to shine.

 

[Dildobaggins]

Just load it and shoot it like you would milsurp ammo. It can't be much worse for accuracy. As for Starline, I have used it for 458 SOCOM, 454 Casull and 45 Long Colt without any issues but those are not really known for any sort of distance accuracy. If you are looking for some consistency, you are going to have stop being a poor. Once in a while you might get lucky but, generally speaking, you can't buy crap and expect it to shine.

Not a "poor." It's that I'm just not going to feed an AR Lapua brass. There just aren't a lot of manufacturers of brass that are producing 223 that are top tier that I'm seeing. Checked Peterson, alpha munitions, nothing available for Hornady. only ones I'm seeing are Winchester, and starline.

Also, just for reference, I shot Lapua brass and Winchester about 100 each, reloaded 5 times each. Got smaller groups with Winchester than I did Lapua. Not saying Winchester is even in the same league, but it has been very good for me in the past.

 

[Dildobaggins]

Being that it’s Winchester I don’t expect it to be consistent enough to constitute a “lot”

Thanks for contributing somthing of substance.

 

[msgriff]

Might be the new Berdan/Boxer hybrid flash hole design /s. You could gauge the hole (0.075"-0.085") or use a uniformer, but it's probably not worth it as long as a decapping pin fits through..

 

[Dildobaggins]

Might be the new Berdan/Boxer hybrid flash hole design /s. You could gauge the hole (0.075"-0.085") or use a uniformer, but it's probably not worth it as long as a decapping pin fits through..

I'd have to post a picture of some of them. Even with a uniformer, I don't see how it would work. Decapping pin will definitely fit through. I sent an email to Winchester. Maybe they will exchange them, but I have a feeling I'd get another batch of the same thing. I'm still going to shoot them, but I wanted to do some load development on a WOA barrel I got.