Strange problem - 9 mm brass (Norma)

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  • Texasjack

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    I had just about caught up on reloading 9 mm. I went to the local range and shot a bit and picked up my brass, along with some range brass that had been left. (It was new, never reloaded stuff.) I cleaned the brass and put it in the bucket with the other 9 mm. While reloading, I suddenly hit a case that didn't want to go through the sizer/decapper die. My first thought was that maybe a Berdan primed case had slipped in, but no it was a Boxer primed Norma case. I had a Lee universal decapper set up in the press next to the Dillon, so I put it in there figuring that it must just be a tight crimp. Well, it destroyed the decapping pin. I eventually managed to decap the brass and what I found was that the flash hole was too small. When the primer popped out, I could see that the brass around the flash hole had pushed into the primer pocket. I went back through my brass and found about a dozen of the Norma cases and scrapped them.

    Has anyone come across this issue with Norma brass before?
     

    TexMex247

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    Only time I've been bit by undersized flash holes was reloading igman 223 cases. They were just big enough to run through a Lee die if you held your tongue just right. It was such a slow process I sorted them and put them away for a rainy day. I've heard you can just run an appropriate sized drill bit into the flash hole and fix it but that adds yet another step.

    Really only worth it if you have a bunch.
     

    Texasjack

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    Believe it or not, I have a flash hole reamer because I've run into the problem with new rifle brass that occasionally a flash hole is not big enough or has a burr in it. I've never needed it for pistol brass, and Norma has a reputation for excellence. I think it must have been designed that way, because all of the Norma brass had the small holes. Just an odd thing.

    I was watching a video the other day on Youtube from a guy reporting on ammunition availability. He was in a store and showing that they had a lot of 9 mm when he picked up a box from a very full shelf and said, "Here's a bunch of Norma 9 mm." I had to catch myself not to yell, "No! Don't do it! It'll get hung up in your reloader!!"

    Reloading affects your brain that way.
     

    Deavis

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    Use a small diameter decapping pin to avoid the issue. Redding makes one and so does RCBS. You can also get a strong decapper like an FW that will power through it without breaking but your press/arm better be up to it.
     

    Dermako

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    Another alternative (albiet pricey) is to go a Mighty Armory TNT 9mm die kit.
    The die is about $120 the decapping kit about $35.
    The decapper comes with the .074 pin but order a 3 pack of othe .057 pins for about $8.
    I have run close to 20k on the original .057 pin.

    The die is pretty amazing as well.
    You can run about a third less lubricant and not feel the difference at the handle.
    An 18/20-1 ratio works like a champ.

    mighty-armory-tnt-gold-match-9mm-sizing-die
     

    Texasjack

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    Another alternative (albiet pricey) is to go a Mighty Armory TNT 9mm die kit.
    The die is about $120 the decapping kit about $35.
    The decapper comes with the .074 pin but order a 3 pack of othe .057 pins for about $8.
    I have run close to 20k on the original .057 pin.

    The die is pretty amazing as well.
    You can run about a third less lubricant and not feel the difference at the handle.
    An 18/20-1 ratio works like a champ.

    mighty-armory-tnt-gold-match-9mm-sizing-die
    Interesting option. My current pistol dies are all carbide, and I don't need lube, which gets rid of one headache.

    I don't really care about processing Norma brass, if it is a problem. The cases were just a handful of range brass that got mixed with mine when I was shooting. I can toss that dozen and not have to change anything else. Mostly I just wanted to hear if others had seen a similar problem, or if there are other brass sources that have a similar problem so that I can avoid them.
     
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