"Speckling" on Factory Ammunition Brass Cases?

[CoElkHunter]

I purchased this Barnes ammo from Bass Pro a couple of months ago. When I took it to the range last Thursday, I was surprised to see they were using Starline brass and then the speckling on the cases. I know it doesn't affect anything but I don't recall seeing that on brand new factory ammo cases? A gentleman at Barnes told me several months ago that they were having a difficult time finding brass for certain cartridges when I was inquiring about .338WM brass. I guess so.

 

[Rem280]

Had that happen several years ago with Cabelas and 30-30 ammo from Barnes ironically. It was much worse. Got a refund from them.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Had that happen several years ago with Cabelas and 30-30 ammo from Barnes ironically. It was much worse. Got a refund from them.

What brand cases were the .30-30?

 

[mdwest]

Barnes has been bought and sold a few times recently... I know Remington acquired them pre-COVID.. then Sierra bought them in 2020... and then Clarus transferred ownership from Sierra to the mother ship near the end of 2022 (they bought Sierra in 2017)..

I thought Clarus was still using Remington brass for the barnes factory ammo.. but it doesnt surprise me that they may have switched for Starline.. I havent bought factory ammo for quite a while.. but really loved the Vor-Tx ammo when Remington was the owner (still have quite a bit of it in 3 or 4 different calibers that I bought years ago and just havent gotten around to using yet)...

 

[CoElkHunter]

Barnes has been bought and sold a few times recently... I know Remington acquired them pre-COVID.. then Sierra bought them in 2020... and then Clarus transferred ownership from Sierra to the mother ship near the end of 2022 (they bought Sierra in 2017)..

I thought Clarus was still using Remington brass for the barnes factory ammo.. but it doesnt surprise me that they may have switched for Starline.. I havent bought factory ammo for quite a while.. but really loved the Vor-Tx ammo when Remington was the owner (still have quite a bit of it in 3 or 4 different calibers that I bought years ago and just havent gotten around to using yet)...

I know Barnes used to make their own brass and maybe still do? Or maybe not, but I have Barnes stamped brass in various cartridges., although nothing really new.

 

[mdwest]

I know Barnes used to make their own brass and maybe still do? Or maybe not, but I have Barnes stamped brass in various cartridges., although nothing really new.

All of my Barnes factory ammo has been stamped Barnes… I’ve never seen any stamped any other way…

I’ll have to go check out what I’ve got left in the ammo locker and see if there are any exceptions… I think I’ve got a box of the old school X bullet ammo in 375 H&H, a couple of boxes of 270, a few boxes of 308, and probably 20 boxes of 300 blk… all it’s at least 4-5 years old though.. and the ammo with the old X bullets loaded has got to be 20 years old now..

 

[Rem280]

What brand cases were the .30-30?

Barnes Vor-tx. Tried finding a photo and none. It was many years ago. Literally looked like ammo that had been sitting around for many years.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I bought three boxes of the Barnes .308 just because Bass Pro will match almost every advertised online ammo retailer price plus a 5% discount. So they matched Midway's sale price from $57 to $42 plus the 5% off. $37. I just looked and all three boxes are Starline brass. Weird.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I'm guessing this is a very recent move by Barnes to use whatever brass they can find in certain cartridges? Maybe when Sierra bought them from the Remington bankruptcy they quit making their own brass? I don't know.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I have seen Barnes with Barnes, Sig, and Starline brass in last 6 months. More so in 308 and 300 win mag calibers.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I have seen Barnes with Barnes, Sig, and Starline brass in last 6 months. More so in 308 and 300 win mag calibers.

I guess the brass shortage continues? I'm not picky and I'll shoot and eventually reload it all.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Do they really make their own brass, or do they just buy enough to get branding done...if I buy enough starline I could have them head stamp it Two-four-three Bob's your Uncle...

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I have heard the Barnes stamped brass was the same as Remington, just stamped Barnes. As to your speckles, I wouldn’t worry about it, my starline 357 brass has some of that. I would guess they just didn’t polish them off.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I purchased this Barnes ammo from Bass Pro a couple of months ago. When I took it to the range last Thursday, I was surprised to see they were using Starline brass and then the speckling on the cases. I know it doesn't affect anything but I don't recall seeing that on brand new factory ammo cases? A gentleman at Barnes told me several months ago that they were having a difficult time finding brass for certain cartridges when I was inquiring about .338WM brass. I guess so.

View attachment 553626View attachment 553627

@CoElkHunter
Now if you owned a real rifle in 35 Whelen you could buy lovely Norma brass and not have any issues. Throw that 338 away and get a Whelen mate. No more speckled brass. EASY AS BRO.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Do they really make their own brass, or do they just buy enough to get branding done...if I buy enough starline I could have them head stamp it Two-four-three Bob's your Uncle...

@Forrest Halley
I didn't know you had an uncle Bob. I know your not referring to me.
Bob

 

[mdwest]

I’ll have to go check out what I’ve got left in the ammo locker and see if there are any exceptions… I think I’ve got a box of the old school X bullet ammo in 375 H&H, a couple of boxes of 270, a few boxes of 308, and probably 20 boxes of 300 blk… all it’s at least 4-5 years old though.. and the ammo with the old X bullets loaded has got to be 20 years old now..

Finally got around to checking.. I was seriously surprised.. while the 375, 270, and 308 ammo was all headstamped BARNES, all of the 300 BLK (a pleasant surprise.. I actually have 30x boxes of that on hand )... is headstamped JAG..

I had to google JAG.. apparently barnes was buying brass from these guys for 300 BLK for a while..

Account Suspended

 

[CoElkHunter]

Finally got around to checking.. I was seriously surprised.. while the 375, 270, and 308 ammo was all headstamped BARNES, all of the 300 BLK (a pleasant surprise.. I actually have 30x boxes of that on hand )... is headstamped JAG..

I had to google JAG.. apparently barnes was buying brass from these guys for 300 BLK for a while..

Account Suspended

And who is JAG?

 

[mdwest]

Jagemann Sporting Group.. apparently a Wisconsin company thats been making brass stuff (not just ammo brass) since the 40's...

Id never heard of them until today..

 

[Forrest Halley]

Oh Lord when you can hear the Aussie accent "Wellen" with a follow on "mate"....then Larry Potterfield saying "Townsend Whelen said, 'Only accurate rifles are interesting"'. It's like a nightmare in the daytime...

 

[JimmyJack54]

I was in a store today and there was a new box (new graphics, mainly black, not gold) of Barnes Vor-TX in .300WM so I had to take a peek because of this thread. The brass was Norma.