I'm just now getting around to reloading .223 ammo.  I started with handgun reloading over a year ago and then worked on some 300 blk this winter.  Reloading 223 wasn't a big priority for me so I'm just now setting up.  I was running mixed brass through the sizing die last night and found several that wanted to jam in the die.  I had a few that would allow me to run them through the die, but fail in the case gauge.  I ran some of them 2-3 times through the sizing die in order for them to pass in the case gauge.  Several would jam immediately in the sizing die and I tossed them in the scrap bin.  All of the brass that caused me issues was stamped PPU.  Some of the brass is my own picked up brass and some was a bag I bought at a range to get the ball rolling.  So is PPU brass considered junk?  Should I just weed it out and toss it in the scrap bin with the other junk brass?  

Thanks

It's not junk but it's probably the most difficult to whip into shape. The primers are super crimped and the brass is pretty stiff compared to say...Winchester .

No.  Just about the only bad rifle brass is FC 5.56 Nato cases.  Even then there are some guys who say you can get one or two loads of it if you are careful.

I've got a whole bunch of PPU stuff sorted and ready to process one day.

Have not used PPU .223, so I cannot comment.

I have some older PPU .380 that is kind of puzzling...  It doesn't use a PPU headstamp, and instead is all IK if I remember correctly.  I suspect PPU source/bought/acquired a pile of this, and repacked it.  In any case, these cases are darned near unloadable.  You simply cannot seat a regular small pistol primer in about 20-25 % of the cases.  I know, I've tried.  I've taken a small lot of these and repeatedly attempted to seat a primer.  After three or four attempts, with either high primers or squished primers, I tossed the lot.  Primer pockets were all messed up.  75% of cases are okay.  25% seem to have an out of spec primer pocket.

This has little bearing on .223 cases, but I know I'd check boxes before buying.  If it's not properly headstampted, it may be another batch of "crap we bought from someone else and reboxed".  in that case I'd look elsewhere

The rims of the 308 brass do not fit well in RCBS shell holders nor in Savage 308 rifles, too thick.

PPU 5.56*45 brass is good stuff.

Always sort bottle neck rifle brass, there's enough difference between

headstamps that sizing die setting for one headstamp is not right for

a different headstamp.

The headstamp to avoid is "FC .223 Rem". Like most FC rifle brass,

primer pockets can be unacceptably loose.

The ppu is the same brass type that was brought into the country under the Hansen Cartridge Company the head stamp is NNY.. Hansen lost the import due to the war and Clinton Banned the importation of the ammo.

I have never had an issue reloading it..Primers are a pia at times due to the crimp but loads fine.. i used it mostly for 223 and 6.5x55 at the time.

PPU is definitely stout, I can process it, but I have to adjust my sizing die as the press deflects a good bit more than any other headstamp, and my spray lube is barely adequate.

Having lots of 223/556 brass and relatively little PPU if it's hard going in the sizer I toss it in the recycle box, almost always PPU.

Rims seem to ding up and refuse to fit in the shell holder and/or case gauge.  I don't view it as the equal of LC/Win/Rem, but I don't throw it away either.

I can't get PPU brass to fit in my shellholder. I just toss it now. Not worth the hassle to try to get it to work when I have plenty of other brass to use.

I find that they have a very heavy crimp (Hornady reamer takes care of it though) and sometimes if my universal decapper isn't adjusted down far enough the primers don't spit out.

Once the primers/pockets are taken care of I haven't have any issues.  I pickup a lot of it at a public range I go to.

PPU is Serbian, Prvi Partisan and IK is Igman which is Bosnian IIRC.

Yup...  So I've heard.  Which is why it seems like PPU bought/sourced/contracted/and/or repacked the IK stuff.  Regardless, I have about 6 or 8 boxes of factory fresh (if somewhat dated) new PPU .380 ball ammo that contains IK headstamp brass, and while the ammo is okay, the brass is absolute shit for reloading.

I'm still a rifle reloading noob, but one of the first things I learned during brass prep (and without previously hearing about PPU brass issues) was the PPU brass was causing 95% of the problems I encountered, and the best process for improving the situation was to pitch them straight into the trash.