Author Topic: PMC Brass...Defective or just crap? (Read 698 times)

RGS · « **on:** August 10, 2005, 10:50:47 AM »

I had a bag of new unprimed PMC brass in .41 mag. I picked it up at a local gun store several years ago and just got around to loading it a few weeks ago.

The cases bulge in front of the case head. They stick in the cylinders of my Taurus and Ruger BH. In fact, with 8gr Unique and a 210gr. copper coated bullet, the cylinders of both guns required extra effort to cock. The Taurus had to be fired single action because too much pull was required to move the cylinder. This is a mild low recoil load, not the full house stuff.

One of these cases actually ruptured in the chamber of my Marlin 1894FG. The extractor just slipped off the rim, so I had to slip a cleaning rod down the barrel to tap the case out. The case had an obvious bulge and when I wiped off the carbon it was plainly cracked.

I fired the rest in the Blackhawk just to get rid of them and drop the fired brass into the recycle bin at the range.

500 fresh Starline cases came in the other day.

Lesson learned,

Rick

rvtrav · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2005, 02:44:55 PM »

Hello RGS,

I had a similar experience with some new unfired .22/250 PMC brass a while back.
I loaded some up and stored them for the fall season, When I got them out to take them to the range for a sight in session, all the necks had cracked, just sitting there!
I just hope that you didn't invest too much in the stuff. or buy a large quantity either.
Starline is some good stuff from my experience, good luck-
Rvtrav

John Traveler1 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 10, 2005, 03:23:10 PM »

Yes, it's well known that PMC has had their share of quality control problems with both ammunition and empty brass.

The South Korean Poonsang Metallic Corporation ammunition factory was set up by either Winchester or Remington technical assistance in the mid-to-late 1970's. Since then, they've developed a more or less good reputation for military small arms ammunition production (for the South Korean military) and throughout asia. For US sales, they are not quite as popular as the Big Three (Winchester, Remington, or Federal).

PMC has had issues with improper neck annealing, dimensional standards, and serious quality problems (too much powder/wrong powder), etc and several product recall notices in the last 30 years. However, in defence of PMC, all of these have at at one time or another, also been problems with the American Big Three.

I've used many thousands of pistol caliber cartridges and cases, and had no problems. Other users have described to me similar problems in rifle calibers (loose primer pockets, cracked necks, difficulty chambering and extracting, etc. Who knows? Maybe you just get an occasional bad batch.

Questor · « **Reply #3 on:** August 10, 2005, 03:43:25 PM »

I don't think it's an either-or question. It seems to me that your brass was both defective AND crap. I use a lot of PMC brass in 45ACP and it works fine for that, but 45ACP is probably the most forgiving cartridge to reload next to the 38 special.

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2005, 04:14:59 PM »

PMC is just crap. I wouldn't use it if they paid me to.

RGS · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2005, 04:37:00 PM »

I must have been living in La La Land or something. I totaly missed the bad press PMC is getting. (have not looked at a gun magazine in many years) :roll:

Yes I have since heard their .45 ACP brass is okay to load. But I would not try the high pressure cartridges. My 9mm got some new Starline cases as well. This may be over reaction on my part, but I will rest a bit easyer because of it. I like to experiment with powders and bullets even primers. I need to use a case I can depend on.

Rick

Gun Runner · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2005, 08:09:49 PM »

I wound up with a large handfull of PMC brass I picked up at the range.
(city boy shot up 4 boxes with his new rifle and left the brass lay) Its in 270 cal. After F/L resizing and checking the trim length, and etc... loaded it for use in my J.C. Higgins Mod 50. Half of it woundent even let the chamber close, some were real tight to close and some fit ok. I had loaded up some Win and R.P. at the same time and had no prob. pulled the PMC"s apart resized them and they still woundent chamber. Have had some PMC cases split in my 44 mag stuff, I just chuck them after I reload them once. Oh the 270 PMC"s went to an open range and got left laying around.

Gun Runner

BCB · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2005, 11:20:39 AM »

Well....Guess I have been lucky!!! I have PMC brass in 223, 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum. I honestly have not had any problem with it at all. I have a couple of loads for my 223 using it that are extremely accurate and they have been reloaded probably close to a dozen times--ain't going to look for the labels on the boxes, but I know I have shoot them time and time again. The only thing that I could see wrong with this brass is the fact that the flash holes are mostly off-center. Some are very noticablely off-center. Yet, this doesn't seem to effect accuracy. Oh well, so goes the reloading hobby--ya just never know...BCB

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2005, 12:45:02 PM »

I can't comment on PMC, but age alone can be the culprit. I loaded a large batch of .25-20 Win about 10 years ago in elderly but unfired WW brass. Shot some of it at the time and it worked fine. Mislaid a couple of boxes that did not turn up until recently and got over 50% neck splits on firing.

Gregory · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2005, 03:54:10 PM »

When I bought my 7mm-08 I could only find some PMC factory loads locally, so I have 40 cases I've been reloading. It is much heavier brass than WW or R-P and I need to drop powder charges by 2 gr when using the PMC brass. Other than that, I've not had a problem with it.

cal sibley · « **Reply #10 on:** August 12, 2005, 04:40:47 PM »

I've never used PMC brass, but from surfing the different forums the general opinion seems to be that it is indeed crap. I'd be inclined to give it a pass. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Harry Snippe · « **Reply #11 on:** August 13, 2005, 02:36:28 PM »

While I have not had PMC rifle brass for very long , I have been using 1000 44 mag now for five years with good results.

Now I have used remington rifle brass for years with good results but throw out all the 38 spl . once fired brass I come across since it does not seem to stand up.
Now in the 6.5x55 I find the best use from the yugo line of brass.
with other calipers I find winchester and federal to be about equal

Now in ther 38 spl , I have loaded Winchester/ federal brass maybe 25 and or thirty times. Federal first choice.
So is it primary the head stamp? or the lot of brass that one stamps for a production lot?

His lordship. · « **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2005, 10:29:15 AM »

When I first bought my CZ 550 bolt action rifle in 30-06, in handloading I tried both the PMC once fired brass and the Korean military stuff. Weird thing is, they are both Korean and I believe from the same maker. The military brass was soft, easy to load, but kinda' like butter, reloaded them only once due to caution. The commerical PMC was very stiff, lucky to get my bullets to seat in, my local ammo supplier was aware of this when I mentioned it to him. I would not feel comfortable with using anymore of it for repeat loadings, not that I found it was crappy, but its strange stuff.

Lone Star · « **Reply #13 on:** August 25, 2005, 11:04:52 AM »

While PMC brass quality may be spotty, their discontinued .257 Weatherby brass was the best on the market, period. Perfect dimensionally, it was super tough, taking far heavier charges (200+ fps without case pressure signs) than Norma/Weatherby cases, or cases formed from R-P 7mm Weatherby cases. This stuff commands a high premium when you can find it, it is that good. :shock: