What is the quality of Sellier & Bellot rifle cases like for reloading?

I tried out some S&B .222 Rem loaded ammunition in a rifle and it grouped nicely - circa +/- half an inch at 100 yards of a rest. However, I have heard the cases are hard / brittle and tend to split at the neck area.

Is this true, what are peoples' experience with S&B cases?

I like S&B brass, annealing the necks is a must. I have around 2k S&B 7.62x39 cases formed into 6.5 Grendel, about 50 of them are on reload #12 and the rest are on reload #6. I anneal after 3 reloads and have lost zero cases. Then again, I'm not reloading to peak pressure.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the reply.

Now the daft question - how do you anneal cases?

I have visions of heating with a Bunsen burner and dumping them in some sort of acid bath - 'pickling' them. Or have I completely confused annealing with another metal process?

I re-load a lot of their 8x57 rimmed; no issues at all; no neck annealing.
To anneal necks if you want to, heat the necks until they are red just up to the shoulder; rotate them in a propane torch flame, and drop them into water. Definitely no acid involved. Brass reacts to heating and rapid cooling the reverse of steel.
One easy way is to hold the base in your fingers; it won't get too hot as you will drop it long before that happens. Or stand them up in water up to the shoulders; when the neck is red, knock it over to quench it.
It is easy; not rocket surgery.

do a search here in this section for annealing. Or send me an email to ramrod340@hotmail.com and I'll get you a copy of a good article by Ken Howell

I found S&B .308w brass soft and easy to get a misformed shoulder during fl sizeing, the reloads shot well but i went back to norma brass.

Thank you all for the information.

I wonder if it was just one store counter jockey trying to lead me in another direction as they do not sell S&B. He was of the opinion that S&B was un reloadable due to brass quality issues.

Im sure its good but if you can get Prvi Partizan PPU I feel it's better quality

I use PPU brass for my 8x57 rimless, it works well in this application. The 7.62x39 PPU brass I have, is once fired, and the case heads swelled enough to leave a doughnut after resizing. Guess its hit and miss.

wanna have fun.. reload S&B 45acp brass with S&B primers. S&B 45 cases are under size and S&B LP primers are oversize.

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
wanna have fun.. reload S&B 45acp brass with S&B primers. S&B 45 cases are under size and S&B LP primers are oversize.

ouch.

It is my favorite brass in 7.62x54r.

I am from Czech Republic where S&B is made.

Only brass I use is Norma, RWS (for rifle calibers) and Starline (for .460 Rowland). I think it says it all.

Jiri

Anyone have experience with S&B primers? I acquired 5,000 of them in small rifle size, but have yet to use any.

Yup, I have reloaded plenty of S&B pistol primers (both large and small sizes). Contrary to a previous post, I have found no difficulty in seating same in any brand of brass.