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Old October 14, 2011, 02:47 PM   #1
UtopiaTexasG19
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Reloading Steel Casings....

No, I am absolutely not intending on reloading any steel casings but am curious so I thought I'd ask the question. I assume since steel is not as malable as brass it eventually work hardens, cracks then breaks. What area of a steel casing would wear out first and what might happen? Thanks.....
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Old October 14, 2011, 02:54 PM   #2
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The only ones I've got any experience with are .45 ACP that the magnet failed to catch on the way into a Dillon 1050 case feeder hopper. They reload, but the sizing effort is noticeably increased even in that big machine. If they go through twice or three times, they start to split. I haven't tried, but I don't think I would expect them to get through more than one reload cycle in a high power rifle, if I were going to try it at all. Perhaps others have some different experience and know better about them at that pressure level.
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Old October 14, 2011, 03:14 PM   #3
JohnMoses
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I've only seen berdan steel cases.
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Old October 14, 2011, 03:43 PM   #4
chris in va
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I've only seen berdan steel cases.
I think these are Boxer primed.

http://www.hornady.com/store/Steel-Match-new
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Old October 14, 2011, 04:17 PM   #5
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Hornady steel match are Berdan primed.
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Old October 14, 2011, 04:33 PM   #6
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The advertising illustration in the link is Boxer primer (see central flashhole). But I've never shot any, so that may be an error. I can tell you there are Boxer primed 45 ACP steel cases, because those are what went through the 1050. It was several years ago, so they were probably Wolf.
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Old October 14, 2011, 05:11 PM   #7
BigJimP
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I don't have an answer for you - at least not based on any experience...and I understand you're just asking an academic question ...vs intending to do it ...

but I suspect the side walls of the case will crack...depending on what caliber and how hot you tried to load them ....

but its kind of a moot point ...because the difficulty in resizing them is really the issue / and why none of us has tried it intentionally ( just like the difficulty in getting the AMERC headstamped cases in .45 acp to resize properly / and they're supposedly brass ...of some type ) but I reject them all also ...
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Old October 14, 2011, 07:18 PM   #8
chris in va
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I've had a few S&B squeak past the magnet test with my 9mm's. They look like brass and are boxer primed but are definitely steel. Just a bit harder to size.
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Old October 14, 2011, 07:25 PM   #9
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Quote:
I've had a few S&B squeak past the magnet test with my 9mm's. They look like brass and are boxer primed but are definitely steel. Just a bit harder to size.
My Browning High Power 9mm seems to like S&B cases. The ones I have are definitely brass, not steel. Try a magnet on them again...maybe there are some S&B 9mm cases that are steel, but mine are not.
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Old October 15, 2011, 09:08 AM   #10
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I will second that about S&B -- if there is S&B steel or imposter brass that isn't brass (but looks like it) marked S&B, I've never come across it.

S&B runs as well as most in all the handgun calibers I load... and in some calibers, it's MUCH better than R-P brass.
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Old October 15, 2011, 10:18 AM   #11
Mike Irwin
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From Hornady's Steel Match write up on their webpage...

"Utilizing coated steel cartridge cases, and non-corrosive berdan primers..."

Apart from the obvious word use issues in that statement, the illustration is just that, an illustration, not a schematic.

And, the suggested retails are still far more expensive than Winchester White Box, which comes in a reloadable brass case.
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Old October 15, 2011, 12:49 PM   #12
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The very existence of Hornady Steel Match bothers me right to the core. Hornady is, at their heart & roots a reloading company. Here, they are building a selling a product that doesn't do a single damn thing for ANY reloader. Not a thing. The biggest by-product of any steel cased ammo is a bunch of scrap crap scattered all over an outdoor range and left for dead.

And as was said, it's not even as cheap as the most popular North American range fodder like Blazer Brass, WWB and Rem-UMC.
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