AMERC brass sucks

[mospeada]

Jeez, I wish there were a sticky about AMERC brass on every website on the internet. I hadn't heard of this junk brass until I did a search today. Suffice it to say, I now have to sort my loaded .45ACP for AMERC headstamps and pull the bullets on them. That's what I get for picking up any old piece of brass.

FYI, if you want to know, the stuff won't chamber in any of my 1911s, from what I've read, the brass is soft and bulges when the bullet is seated and thus you get a round that goes about 80% into the chamber and then jams the heck out of your pistol. That and the primer pockets are supposed to be loose and flash holes are randomly placed. Luckily for me, the latter two haven't caused me any problems.

STAY AWAY from this junk!

 

[cordex]

It has always given me trouble. Whenever my press has trouble seating a primer or bullet, I am reasonably sure some AMERC has slipped in.

 

[The Keymaster]

I started throwing it away a long time ago. I learned after having to take the shell plate off the press 4 times in succession because the primer would not seat deeply enough to allow the plate to index forward. My time is much more important.

 

[zenbruno]

Thanks for that heads up about AMERC brass!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Is it American Eagle brass?

 

[mdemetz]

No it is from American Ammunition Inc out of Florida. According to WEB, their loaded ammo is pretty poor too.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

No it is from American Ammunition Inc out of Florida. According to WEB, their loaded ammo is pretty poor too.

Gotcha, I had never heard of it. I'll make sure to check al of my 9mm brass.

 

[zenbruno]

This thread prompted some quick Saturday afternoon research.


Brass, as we all know, is an alloy principally composed of Copper and Zinc.

The brass ammunition cases with which we're all familiar are made from Cartridge brass, which is specified as 30% Zinc content.

Copper has a melting point of 1983˚F; and Zinc 787˚F. Based on anecdotal reports of AMERC brass flowing (around the primer pocket and headstamp), there is speculation that AMERC brass is using higher proportions of the lower melting-point Zinc -- significantly less expensive than Copper, also -- in their ammunition cartridge case manufacturing process.

IF TRUE (and none of this could be), I don't know if altered Copper / Zinc concentrations could account for, say, off-center flash holes, as have been reported with AMERC brass; BUT, the higher malleability of Zinc (relative to Copper) COULD account for the tendency of properly dimensioned bullets to bulge softer cartridge case walls, rendering them out-of-spec for many barrel chambers.

I don't know…, but the amount of negative experiences reported with this AMERC brass has convinced me that I want nothing to do with the stuff!

 

[Hap Hazard]

AMERC brass sucks

That's kinda like one of the laws of physics.

 

[shooter521]

Guess what? A-MERC loaded ammo sucks, too!

 

[Leo]

Not just trying to be argumentitive here, but I have actually bought a few 20 box cases of AMERC 9mm ammo, and shot it all with no problems. It was even accurate. I reloaded it many times over. The primer pockets were a little tight so I gave them a quick ream with a primer pocket uniformer, similar to, but lighter than military brass. I never had any trouble with bulges, splits or any of the things I have read on the internet. I probably should keep my mouth shut and have everyone send it to me, but I really have had no trouble with it. Bulges on .45 are usually attributed to seating flat based bullets too deep. Bevel base bullets are a lot more forgiving to seating depth. Either way, I am sorry the first poster had trouble, life is frustrating enough without adding aggrivation.

 

[mospeada]

Not just trying to be argumentitive here, but I have actually bought a few 20 box cases of AMERC 9mm ammo, and shot it all with no problems. It was even accurate. I reloaded it many times over. The primer pockets were a little tight so I gave them a quick ream with a primer pocket uniformer, similar to, but lighter than military brass. I never had any trouble with bulges, splits or any of the things I have read on the internet. I probably should keep my mouth shut and have everyone send it to me, but I really have had no trouble with it. Bulges on .45 are usually attributed to seating flat based bullets too deep. Bevel base bullets are a lot more forgiving to seating depth. Either way, I am sorry the first poster had trouble, life is frustrating enough without adding aggrivation.

It is good that you didn't have a horrible experience with it. That said, I'm very confident that the problems I am having are purely due to the AMERC brass as it is thankfully a small portion of the 1,000 I've loaded and NONE of the AMERC brass will chamber in my 1911s, all the other brass brands will. I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but I can figure this one out. Add to this the horrid reputation that abounds across many forums on this matter and I'd say you're the luckiest SOB to ever reload, if only Dillon sold lottery tickets.

 

[g+16]

I bought a bunch of this stuff (cheap)45 apc, for the handgunner steel match in montros, colo in 2000, needless to say ended up buying reloads from them to finish match, never buy unknow ammo without first testing for function before a big match because that BLOWS. I've also picked up some and tried to reload them, just trash them in to the brass bucket.

 

[Hazwhopper]

Yup, tried to reload AMERC and nothing but problems. I do keep it though, when I get enough I sell to salvage yard. They pay good money for even crap brass.

 

[03A3]

I must lead a sheltered life...I've never heard of it.
I do appreciate the heads-up and will pass this info around.

 

[Wolfhound]

I've only had problems with Amerc 45 ACP brass which is total junk. Their 9mm and 38 special brass seems to reload just fine.

 

[rugertoter]

Jeez, I wish there were a sticky about AMERC brass on every website on the internet. I hadn't heard of this junk brass until I did a search today. Suffice it to say, I now have to sort my loaded .45ACP for AMERC headstamps and pull the bullets on them. That's what I get for picking up any old piece of brass.

FYI, if you want to know, the stuff won't chamber in any of my 1911s, from what I've read, the brass is soft and bulges when the bullet is seated and thus you get a round that goes about 80% into the chamber and then jams the heck out of your pistol. That and the primer pockets are supposed to be loose and flash holes are randomly placed. Luckily for me, the latter two haven't caused me any problems.

STAY AWAY from this junk!

Yeah, I bought a box of that brand in 9mm once, at a gun show. Your right, the stuff is crap.

 

[hueycrew]

Its crap. crap = scrap