Uzi brass causing reloading issues

[Slowmo]

My 9mm brass that has been fired in my Uzi comes out with the case head stamped so there are slight protrusions/raised spots on opposite sides corresponding to the extractor and the ejector slot (my impression is that this is pretty typical Uzi behavior, but let me know if I am wrong on that).

I am reloading on a Dillon 650, which as my may know uses shell plates with horseshoe-shaped cutouts. What I am experiencing is that if one of the protrusions is contacting the horseshoe but the other protrusion is in the open part of the horseshoe, it causes the brass to tilt and catch on the sizing die. I’ve also seen some brass where after sizing, the body seemed to be slightly angled relative to the case head, likely because it was sized with the case unevenly contacting the shell plate as described above.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any solution? It is slowing down my reloading a lot having the cases catch on the sizing die. Not sure if an RL1100 would do any better or if a Rollsizer would fix the issue at all?

 

[Slowmo]

Photo of what I’m talking about. The raised point on the “RP” is from the ejector slot, and the raised point on the “LU” is from the extractor. If both the raised points don’t contact the shell holder, the case tilts slightly.

 

[Garrett]

Yep, the Uzi is known for that. I have to inspect all of my 9mm brass especially close, initially to cull out the stepped cases (when they separate in the chamber it causes a malfunction in a closed bolt gun. Much more exciting OOB detonation in an open gun.)

Now along with checking for stepped cases, I look for the Uzi smile on the casehead. I have had these cause failures to feed, and other issues, as you noted. Now I just pitch them.

I have buckets of 9mm brass and can still find all sorts of 9mm on the range for free. Anything questionable gets tossed in the scrap bucket. Not worth messing with.

 

[Slowmo]

Yep, the Uzi is known for that. I have to inspect all of my 9mm brass especially close, initially to cull out the stepped cases (when they separate in the chamber it causes a malfunction in a closed bolt gun. Much more exciting OOB detonation in an open gun.)

Now along with checking for stepped cases, I look for the Uzi smile on the casehead. I have had these cause failures to feed, and other issues, as you noted. Now I just pitch them.

I have buckets of 9mm brass and can still find all sorts of 9mm on the range for free. Anything questionable gets tossed in the scrap bucket. Not worth messing with.

Good to know the problem is not unique to me and my gun.

While the brass slows down the press when it hangs up on the sizing die, the ammo mostly seems to run fine when shot. However, I sometimes catch remaining bulges in my case gauge, which often have a scary looking crease near the case head after resizing. Those get pitched. A roll sizer might fix that issue though, as well as the base being angled relative to the body. I’ve wondered if I shoot them enough through my Uzi whether they’ll generally even out from being stamped at different orientations over time.

 

[ericthered]

Bothered me as well first time I saw those coming from my gun. Can always tell a Uzi from those. I use a Hornady progressive press, so same issue. I manually feed my shells, so i inspect them for the hanging sliver of brass then.

 

[cvasqu03]

It's nothing compared to what the UZI does to 45ACP brass.

 

[Slowmo]

Bothered me as well first time I saw those coming from my gun. Can always tell a Uzi from those. I use a Hornady progressive press, so same issue. I manually feed my shells, so i inspect them for the hanging sliver of brass then.

So yours actually produces a sliver that hangs off?

 

[strobro32]

I did not know that. I've seen brass like that at the range, I don't pick it up because I always thought it was questionable.

I can hear when people use Uzis at the range by the ROF. Now I know there is a connection between the sound and the cases.

 

[strobro32]

BTW, I have a 650XL and what you are describing happens to me too from time to time, but it does not seem to make much of a difference with accuracy or function of the cartridge. It's just annoying to have to tip the case toward the sizing die with the left hand. I used a Dillon head alignment tool until I accepted the problem.

 

[Slowmo]

BTW, I have a 650XL and what you are describing happens to me too from time to time, but it does not seem to make much of a difference with accuracy or function of the cartridge. It's just annoying to have to tip the case toward the sizing die with the left hand. I used a Dillon head alignment tool until I accepted the problem.

I think for me it is also slightly exacerbated by having my 650 mounted to a desk on carpet. It isn't quite as rock-solid as a built-in cabinet or workbench might be, and slight movement of the press can jostle the cases a tad. Having them rest on one or two high points makes them teeter a little bit in the shell holder as well.

 

[ericthered]

So yours actually produces a sliver that hangs off?

Sometimes. Most of the time it looks just like the above posted photo with clear stamping. Sometimes there will be just a sharp edge peeling a hair off. Mine is a semi auto closed bolt. I should do some more looking into it and see if any load or cartridge brand in particular is the worst.

 

[Slowmo]

Sometimes. Most of the time it looks just like the above posted photo with clear stamping. Sometimes there will be just a sharp edge peeling a hair off. Mine is a semi auto closed bolt. I should do some more looking into it and see if any load or cartridge brand in particular is the worst.

Interesting.

I have noticed some case heads get stamped much more noticeably than others, and for some, the rim gets distorted a bit. I haven’t really tracked it, but I wanna say I have seen a lot of Aguila getting really distorted to the point they can’t be reloaded. I usually shoot a 147gr Xtreme plated RN with 3.2gr of Titegroup. That is a max load per their data, but I think their data is on the conservative side, and the cases do not eject far from the gun. My gun has a pretty new recoil spring in it though, so that could explain piledriving the cases with such gusto.

 

[UziSMG]

Interesting.

I have noticed some case heads get stamped much more noticeably than others, and for some, the rim gets distorted a bit. I haven’t really tracked it, but I wanna say I have seen a lot of Aguila getting really distorted to the point they can’t be reloaded. I usually shoot a 147gr Xtreme plated RN with 3.2gr of Titegroup. That is a max load per their data, but I think their data is on the conservative side, and the cases do not eject far from the gun. My gun has a pretty new recoil spring in it though, so that could explain piledriving the cases with such gusto.

The "stamping" is more pronounced with softer brass. Not all cartridge brass is the same hardness.

I've found that Remington brass, UMC brass, Winchester brass and CBC brass to be soft in 9mm.

Firing heavy projectiles at max loads with Titegroup also gives a high initial pressure spike, driving the case head back against the bolt face.

Try an experiment using a lighter projectile (115gr) and a lesser charge of the same Titegroup. Load a few of the Aguila brass and see if they stamp the same way.

 

[slimshady]

Roll sizing just addresses the fact you can't get all the case inside the resizer die, any bulge directly above the rim remains. The roll sizer resizes the entire case.

I know of no method of removing case head extrusion like that.

 

[Slowmo]

Since I originally posted, I upgraded to a Mark 7 Apex 10 press, which pretty much cured the problem of tipping brass. The Apex uses a long spring that goes around the circumference of the shell plate and is adjustable for tension. It basically straps each case into the U-notches in the shell plate and prevents them from tipping outwards.

 

[David Hineline]

When I shoot 9 silly meter through my guns, I leave the brass on the ground, they next visit to my club indoor range typicall there will be 4-500 once fired 9mm cases for me to scoop up and fill my 3rd or 4th 5 gallon bucket of cases ready to polish and load. Don't bother picking up junk brass. Pick up the good stuff some semi auto Nancy gun owner shot.

 

[Caverpete]

I’m new to Uzi’s but am a longtime handloader. The first time I examined spent Uzi brass I said “Holy Shit!” I have since segregated all Uzi brass and after reading this thread it’s all going in the scrap bucket. Not worth my time. I have many thousands of once and twice fired 9 mil that was “gently” extracted ?

 

[Slowmo]

I’m new to Uzi’s but am a longtime handloader. The first time I examined spent Uzi brass I said “Holy Shit!” I have since segregated all Uzi brass and after reading this thread it’s all going in the scrap bucket. Not worth my time. I have many thousands of once and twice fired 9 mil that was “gently” extracted ?

Lots of people reload for their Uzis. If you don’t want to, that’s your decision, but it’s certainly not the only reasonable conclusion.

 

[Caverpete]

Lots of people reload for their Uzis. If you don’t want to, that’s your decision, but it’s certainly not the only reasonable conclusion.

My first (and most) shots from my rewelded home built Uzi are/were hand loads using Blue Dot and Rem 124 gr FMJ, which I have a lot of. It’s the 2nd fired brass coming out of my Uzi that’s headed for the recycler ?.

 

[Slowmo]

My first (and most) shots from my rewelded home built Uzi are/were hand loads using Blue Dot and Rem 124 gr FMJ, which I have a lot of. It’s the 2nd fired brass coming out of my Uzi that’s headed for the recycler ?.

That’s your choice, but I am saying that you can reload brass that has been fired by an Uzi, even brass fired through an Uzi multiple times. I believe Chili17 has said in the past that he’s reloaded Uzi-fired brass until you can’t read the writing on the casehead anymore. I’m not judging you if that is what you want to do. Your previous message was written as though it were the takeaway from this thread, and I’m just clarifying that was not the purpose of this thread. Obviously you are free to draw your own conclusions though.