Nosler 308 brass/soft primer pockets?

[freestylmx]

I bought a few boxes of factory Nosler loads in 308 and have reloaded the cases only to find out that after the first load (second firing) the primer pockets are all loose. You can press them in by hand and shake the brass for them to fall out.
Has anyone had this problem with Nosler brass? It has also happened with Hornady brass.
I was under the impression that Nosler brass is the same as Norma? Is this correct or an internet rumor?

 

[Charlie-NY]

I've used some of the Nosler brass but mostly in 338 RUM. Haven't had a problem.

It sure sounds like your loads are too hot. Have you chronographed those reloads?

 

[NWBlacktail]

I typically find Nosler brass to have very tight primer pockets when they are new. I'm on firing #5 with my latest batch of 280ai, and even with some of those having been shot at high pressure (some overpressure slightly), they are still just fine.

 

[DrMike]

My experience with Nosler brass in a variety of cartridges is that the brass has tight pockets (read, lots of pressure to seat the primer). The brass holds up very well in my various tests.

 

[freestylmx]

Thats odd. I wonder if I got some flukes? My loads were at the upper end but nothing too hot with any pressure signs. I guess the loose primer pockets could be a sign, but the primers looked pretty good with just slightly flattened but not too bad. Im going to buy some Nosler brass and see what happens, rather than loading the once fired factory brass. Although I don't see why it would make a difference as Im sure they use the same brass in their factory loadings as they do for their reloading components

 

[Whitesheep]

The raw Nosler .308 brass I have reloaded several times has had no issues with lose primer pockets after being fired in my FNAR. This is true even of loads that showed over pressure signs in the way of ejector marks on the base. In this case the over pressure was due to the powder type (4064 of all things) that was rectified by switching to Vitra 550. I can run full power loads with this powder and the Nosler brass, even the ones that were once over pressure, with no primer issues.

 

[frankm]

See Whitesheeps 222 mag brass post... Maybe some bad batches of brass got through QC ??

A thought if you re confident your loads aren't over pressure.

 

[MAinAR]

Is this correct or an internet rumor?

Internet rumor, in the past nearly all Nosler brass tended to measure and weigh suspiciously near the same as Norma which would seem was Norma due to its quality as well.

NOT so today, if you want Norma buy Norma, as I have also learned this past couple of weeks.

 

[preacher]

I have some new 280 Nosler brass that Fed 215M can't hardly fit in. BR2 is fine, Win is fine. Some primers can help keep the pockets ( fit, hardness,etc) tighter longer too. You just have to experiment.

 

[lefty315]

I have tried not to bash any Nosler product, because I buy and use so many of their bullets and have never had an issue, until I tried their brass. I bought a couple hundred pieces of their seconds for my 280 Rem. After one loading, of moderate loads, I was surprised to see how easy the primers would seat. I ended up having a couple of failures where I got that pinhole between the primer and the case. I thought perhaps the Winchester primers were maybe undersized a bit, but I use the same primers with both Winchester and Remington brass and have never had an issue.

I stopped using it but I will readily admit I could have gotten a bad batch.