Peterson Cartridge: How Brass is Made

This video provides an in-depth look at the Sellier & Bellot rifle ammunition manufacturing process, from raw brass to finished rounds. Expert Larry Vickers and manufacturing specialist Mike Fisher detail critical steps like annealing, case drawing, bullet production, and automated quality control. The process culminates in high-speed loading on the 'Scorpion' machine, producing 160 rounds per minute.

This guide details the process of stamping a firearm receiver using a hydraulic press, as demonstrated by Mark Serbu. It covers material preparation, the stamping process itself, and inspection of the finished part. The video highlights the advantages of stamped steel over machined aluminum for firearm receivers, emphasizing durability and manufacturing efficiency. Instruction is provided by a professional firearm designer and manufacturer.

This guide details the industrial manufacturing process for machine gun links, as demonstrated by Ian McCollum at the Arex Defense facility in Slovenia. The multi-stage process involves high-speed stamping of sheet steel, heat treatment (hardening and annealing), quenching, and a final corrosion-resistant finishing step. The facility boasts an impressive annual production capacity of 100 million units.

This video details the process of converting 5.56 brass into 300 Blackout cases. It covers cutting the brass, sizing it in a 300 Blackout die, trimming to length, and a preliminary annealing process. The instructor emphasizes the importance of proper case preparation for successful reloading and highlights potential challenges and techniques for beginners.

This video demonstrates the process of annealing metal parts for gunsmithing applications. Larry Potterfield, CEO and Founder of MidwayUSA, explains and shows how to soften hardened gun components, which is a crucial step before shaping and polishing them. The annealing process is presented as a preparatory method for subsequent color case hardening of firearm parts. Viewers are encouraged to visit the MidwayUSA Video Library for more content.

This guide details essential brass preparation steps beyond basic decapping and sizing for improved reloading accuracy. It covers cleaning, primer pocket uniforming, neck chamfering and deburring, and neck brushing. The video emphasizes that even new brass can benefit from these processes to ensure consistent bullet seating and optimal performance. The presenter, F-class John from Ultimate Reloader, highlights chamfering and deburring as critical steps that should not be skipped, regardless of time constraints.

This video debunks the myth that solid copper bullets require extremely high velocities for effective hunting performance. Through ballistics gel testing and analysis of 7 PRC loads using Barnes TTSX and LRX bullets, Gavin Gear demonstrates excellent expansion and weight retention across a wide velocity range, including lower velocities equivalent to longer ranges. The testing highlights the versatility and effectiveness of modern monolithic copper projectiles for various hunting scenarios and legal requirements.

This video details extreme pressure testing of the 6mm ARC cartridge using both a bolt-action rifle and an AR-15 platform. The experiment pushes the limits of Alpha Munitions brass with 8208 XBR powder, achieving velocities exceeding factory specifications and even 6 Creedmoor. The testing culminates in destructive attempts using a fast-burning pistol powder in an AR-15, demonstrating the significant forces involved and the potential for catastrophic failure. The presenter, Gavin Gear, emphasizes that these tests are for research only and should not be replicated due to extreme danger.

This video demonstrates the use of Redding's Precision Expanding Die and mandrels to achieve consistent neck tension in rifle brass. By using mandrels, reloaders can precisely control the internal neck diameter, leading to more uniform bullet seating forces. This process is shown to significantly reduce variability in bullet seating, which directly impacts ballistic consistency, extreme spread, and standard deviation in velocity, ultimately improving rifle cartridge performance.