How many times do you reload brass? - Page 2

SIGSHR · March 15, 2012, 05:42 PM

I trim 357 until it falls below Minimum OAL.

m&p45acp10+1 · March 15, 2012, 06:18 PM

For .221 Rem Fireball I will let you know later. I have over 100 cases that have not ben anneled, and have well over 30 firings, and are still going strong. I full length resize them ever time as well. A few have split at the casemouth after sizing a couple of months ago. I use the paper clip test to check for head seperation.

For pistol .38 spcl will reload till they split at the case mouth, as well as most .357 mag. I had a few .41 mag cases split at the mouth after 20 reloads. Many that I have I quit counting at 50 reloads. None have had to be trimmed. 9mm, and .45 acp I do not know. I just pick up all the brass around me at the range. I tend to come home with a few more pounds of brass than I took to the range.

armoredman · March 15, 2012, 10:55 PM

jimbob, I had a gent tell me once that he just listens when the rattle together, because a bad case "just sounds wrong". Since I know VERY few reloaders personally, I can't be sure what everyone else does.

chills1994 · March 16, 2012, 12:03 AM

yeah, I can hear the bad cases, the ones that have split or about to split when I use that bingo roller thing to separate out the walnut shell media from the brass.

ScottRiqui · March 16, 2012, 10:24 AM

By any chance, do the bad cases sound a little more "dead" - perhaps make a lower-pitch sound when they rattle against another case?

That'll Do · March 16, 2012, 01:55 PM

For pistols, I use the brass until the case mouth splits, or the primer pockets become loose. For loads that are at, or near maximum, I'll load the brass twice, then relegate it to mid-range or weaker loadings.

Rifle brass is shot on average 3-4 times (I load for ARs in 5.56 NATO), as it does get worked a good bit more during firing and sizing.

Cornbread · March 16, 2012, 05:54 PM

In the picture on the bottom right you can see one that was loaded one time to many . The one on the top right I had caught and scraped. You can see the bright ring at the base. This target has 9 holes in it . Shot 8 rounds zeroing scope on a 22-250 last 3 were in the 1 inch square at a 100 yards. Patched the target. Went back to make sure those were no fluke. Fired one more round. The one hole you see came from the case that separated.. End of shooting front of case stayed in the chamber.

Bore snake from muzzle swept it out. (after I got home) It will be with me next time.

I don’t cull brass until I absolutely have to even then I miss one or two.

superbee68 · March 17, 2012, 06:33 PM

what kind of rifle do you use? i've found that if you don't load to hot you can load several times depending on if you neck size or full length size. always inspect your cases after fireing. semi auto rounds are full length sized and dont seem to last as long as neck sized cases. if your shooting a bolt gun just neck size and crimp for uniform pressures and accuracy. i shoot a 243 win. alot and i've learned that speed isnt everything. i dont max. load any of my weapons. i'm a disabled vet on a fixed income. so i from necessity must make things last. if a load is maxed out at ,say 3100 fps,remember theres nothing out there that can duck a bullet at 2800 fps. good luck and good shootin.

superbee68 · March 17, 2012, 06:57 PM

what kind of rifle do you use? i've found that if you don't load to hot you can load several times depending on if you neck size or full length size. always inspect your cases after fireing. semi auto rounds are full length sized and dont seem to last as long as neck sized cases. if your shooting a bolt gun just neck size and crimp for uniform pressures and accuracy. i shoot a 243 win. alot and i've learned that speed isnt everything. i dont max. load any of my weapons. i'm a disabled vet on a fixed income. so i from necessity must make things last. if a load is maxed out at ,say 3100 fps,remember theres nothing out there that can duck a bullet at 2800 fps. good luck and good shootin.

PPBart · March 19, 2012, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Annealing is using heat to soften work hardened brass....... never done it with pistol brass ...... http://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

Thanks for the answer and link -- good article.

Bart B. · March 19, 2012, 07:50 AM

Some years ago, I and a friend each used a Federal .308 Win. brass case to see how many times it could be reloaded by full length sizing in a standard RCBS die with its neck lapped out to a couple thousandths smaller than loaded round neck diameter. We used max loads of IMR4895; he with Sierra 168 HPMK's and I with Sierra 165 SBT's. Neither of us annealed a case neck. Both rifles had standard SAAMI dimension spec chambers.

He tested his match rifle clamped in a machine rest at 100 yards. Got 57 reloads on his case before running out of powder at the range. His 57-shot group was well under 1/2 inch.

I loaded mine and another friend shot my match rifle in his underground 100 yard range from a rest atop a concrete bench chronographing each shot. We ran out of powder at 46 reloads on our single case. His group was under an inch. That case shortened in length a few thousanths after firing then grew a few more thousandths more after full length sizing. Fired case shoulder was set back a couple thousandths. Muzzle velocity spread was under 25 fps indicating neck tension remained quite constant from shot to shot.

Jammer Six · March 19, 2012, 06:14 PM

Bart, I've often wondered if annealing does more harm than good, considering that manipulation of metal via heat benefits from precision.

Cornbread · March 20, 2012, 06:30 AM

Bart all of the 22-250 brass in the picture of my earlier post is from the mid 80s . No telling how many times it has been reloaded. When I get ready to reload grab some brass check it load it . After shooting paper or whistle pigs put in the tumbler clean it up and dump it back in the bin.

March 15, 2012, 06:18 PM	#27
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	For .221 Rem Fireball I will let you know later. I have over 100 cases that have not ben anneled, and have well over 30 firings, and are still going strong. I full length resize them ever time as well. A few have split at the casemouth after sizing a couple of months ago. I use the paper clip test to check for head seperation. For pistol .38 spcl will reload till they split at the case mouth, as well as most .357 mag. I had a few .41 mag cases split at the mouth after 20 reloads. Many that I have I quit counting at 50 reloads. None have had to be trimmed. 9mm, and .45 acp I do not know. I just pick up all the brass around me at the range. I tend to come home with a few more pounds of brass than I took to the range. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

March 16, 2012, 05:54 PM	#32
Cornbread Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2012 Posts: 103	In the picture on the bottom right you can see one that was loaded one time to many . The one on the top right I had caught and scraped. You can see the bright ring at the base. This target has 9 holes in it . Shot 8 rounds zeroing scope on a 22-250 last 3 were in the 1 inch square at a 100 yards. Patched the target. Went back to make sure those were no fluke. Fired one more round. The one hole you see came from the case that separated.. End of shooting front of case stayed in the chamber. Bore snake from muzzle swept it out. (after I got home) It will be with me next time. I don’t cull brass until I absolutely have to even then I miss one or two. Last edited by Cornbread; March 16, 2012 at 06:00 PM.

March 17, 2012, 06:33 PM	#33
superbee68 Junior Member Join Date: March 17, 2012 Posts: 2	superbee68 what kind of rifle do you use? i've found that if you don't load to hot you can load several times depending on if you neck size or full length size. always inspect your cases after fireing. semi auto rounds are full length sized and dont seem to last as long as neck sized cases. if your shooting a bolt gun just neck size and crimp for uniform pressures and accuracy. i shoot a 243 win. alot and i've learned that speed isnt everything. i dont max. load any of my weapons. i'm a disabled vet on a fixed income. so i from necessity must make things last. if a load is maxed out at ,say 3100 fps,remember theres nothing out there that can duck a bullet at 2800 fps. good luck and good shootin.

March 17, 2012, 06:57 PM	#34
superbee68 Junior Member Join Date: March 17, 2012 Posts: 2	superbee68 what kind of rifle do you use? i've found that if you don't load to hot you can load several times depending on if you neck size or full length size. always inspect your cases after fireing. semi auto rounds are full length sized and dont seem to last as long as neck sized cases. if your shooting a bolt gun just neck size and crimp for uniform pressures and accuracy. i shoot a 243 win. alot and i've learned that speed isnt everything. i dont max. load any of my weapons. i'm a disabled vet on a fixed income. so i from necessity must make things last. if a load is maxed out at ,say 3100 fps,remember theres nothing out there that can duck a bullet at 2800 fps. good luck and good shootin.

March 19, 2012, 06:14 PM	#37
Jammer Six Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 827	Bart, I've often wondered if annealing does more harm than good, considering that manipulation of metal via heat benefits from precision. __________________ "Huh?" --Jammer Six, 1998

March 15, 2012, 05:42 PM	#26
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	I trim 357 until it falls below Minimum OAL.

March 15, 2012, 10:55 PM	#28
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	jimbob, I had a gent tell me once that he just listens when the rattle together, because a bad case "just sounds wrong". Since I know VERY few reloaders personally, I can't be sure what everyone else does.

March 16, 2012, 12:03 AM	#29
chills1994 Member Join Date: July 14, 2005 Posts: 29	yeah, I can hear the bad cases, the ones that have split or about to split when I use that bingo roller thing to separate out the walnut shell media from the brass.

March 16, 2012, 10:24 AM	#30
ScottRiqui Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 2,905	By any chance, do the bad cases sound a little more "dead" - perhaps make a lower-pitch sound when they rattle against another case?

March 16, 2012, 01:55 PM	#31
That'll Do Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 546	For pistols, I use the brass until the case mouth splits, or the primer pockets become loose. For loads that are at, or near maximum, I'll load the brass twice, then relegate it to mid-range or weaker loadings. Rifle brass is shot on average 3-4 times (I load for ARs in 5.56 NATO), as it does get worked a good bit more during firing and sizing.

March 19, 2012, 07:50 AM	#36
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	Some years ago, I and a friend each used a Federal .308 Win. brass case to see how many times it could be reloaded by full length sizing in a standard RCBS die with its neck lapped out to a couple thousandths smaller than loaded round neck diameter. We used max loads of IMR4895; he with Sierra 168 HPMK's and I with Sierra 165 SBT's. Neither of us annealed a case neck. Both rifles had standard SAAMI dimension spec chambers. He tested his match rifle clamped in a machine rest at 100 yards. Got 57 reloads on his case before running out of powder at the range. His 57-shot group was well under 1/2 inch. I loaded mine and another friend shot my match rifle in his underground 100 yard range from a rest atop a concrete bench chronographing each shot. We ran out of powder at 46 reloads on our single case. His group was under an inch. That case shortened in length a few thousanths after firing then grew a few more thousandths more after full length sizing. Fired case shoulder was set back a couple thousandths. Muzzle velocity spread was under 25 fps indicating neck tension remained quite constant from shot to shot.

March 20, 2012, 06:30 AM	#38
Cornbread Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2012 Posts: 103	Bart all of the 22-250 brass in the picture of my earlier post is from the mid 80s . No telling how many times it has been reloaded. When I get ready to reload grab some brass check it load it . After shooting paper or whistle pigs put in the tumbler clean it up and dump it back in the bin.