Brass Life Expectancy

[Wondermutt]

How many times do you reload your brass? I understand there are variables that contribute to the equation, but typically do you condemn them once a certain number of times fired or??

I ask this as I have some RP brass for my 300RUM that are on there 4 cycle and are just showing signs of needing annealing, which is a process I would rather not do.

I have some brass for the 7mm-08 that after the 2nd firing are showing signs of splitting on the case opening (bullet end).

Thanks,
WM

 

[DrMike]

Some of my brass will have been loaded twelve times. This is especially true if the loads have not been hot. However, for hunting purposes, I only use brass that is either virgin or fired once. After that, it is relegated to load development and target shooting.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I also sometimes get 10-12 loads from brass. The exception being the .340 and 7mm mags. I load that brass 5x and discard even if it is good and still tight primer pockets. This is just safe and careful housekeeping on my part because these two are such intense cartridges.

 

[DrMike]

I've shot for some cartridges that get two, or perhaps three, loadings, and then it is trashed because of expansion of the primer pockets. My 300WSM brass easily gives me ten and often twelve loadings. Standard cartridges (.308 or .30-06 class) are usually tossed after twelve loadings, though I can't say that any were ever trashed by that point.

 

[Teknys]

I ask this as I have some RP brass for my 300RUM that are on there 4 cycle and are just showing signs of needing annealing, which is a process I would rather not do.

I too was concerned about the annealing process but ran across this method about a year ago. YOUTUBE has lots of examples of different ways to accomplish this task.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEXZlgw2Od8

Good Luck!

I have 243 and 300wsm brass that are going strong after 6 - 7. My 300RUM being a "HOT" load was 2 - 3 and I dumped the cases - Primer Pocket expansion.

 

[RiverRider]

I had some LC .223 cases that were given to me by my uncle back in the early 90s. I tossed them about a year ago, they may have been loaded 20 times for all I know. I just figured it was time for new brass.

When I sold a Model 70 Classic BOSS in .25-06 a while back, I was already shopping for a new Model 70 Classic. I didn't think about readjusting my resizing die and my cases went about four loadings before signs of incipient failure showed up. I've since addressed that and hope to get 10 loadings out of the new cases...I will anneal at some point.

The wild card for me these days is the 6mm-284. I've adjusted my resizing die to the tightest degree I can get it. I don't intend to shoot this rifle just to be shooting it---barrel life is too limited. I only intend to use it for deer, and maybe a hog or two, so I expect my 100 cases to last a lifetime. I have 400 95-grain Partitions for it and don't plan on buying any more.

I've never had to toss a .45 ACP case. I lose 'em before they ever get "too used." I guess I've loaded revolver cases well over a dozen times before the mouths started to split.

 

[Guy Miner]

I think .45 and .38 cases last about forever. I swear I'm handloading some that I got many years ago and have loaded and fired many, many times.

It's different with high-intensity rifle cartridges though. Primer pockets grow. Brass gets brittle. Cases stretch... All that needs to be dealt with, but eventually it's time to replace it.

Guy

 

[BK]

Do you guys find you have to dump Federal cases before Winchester or Remington (primer pocket expansion)?

 

[JD338]

A lot depends on the pressure of the load and how you lube and size your cases.
Having said that, I would say 6-10 loadings for me, depending on the cartridge.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

I've never noted a difference in case life between Federal, Winchester, Remington, PMC or Norma. All have stood up well. Then, I don't stress my brass.

 

[SJB358]

I get a lot of use out of my cases since I learned to set the sizing die to just bump the shoulder. I had to dump a few 264 Nosler cases due to hot loads but since I've started annealing, even neck splits are pretty rare. I'm still working on 270WSM cases that I kept from WW factory loads. Those have to be pushing 12x loaded and without being able to anneal them.

As long your not seeing any signs and inspecting the cases you should get a ton of use out of them.

 

[Oldtrader3]

+1 on what Scotty said. I use Forster Bench Rest dies and only move the shoulder .0015/.0002 back from the chamber datum. Since I started doing that, my brass goes and goes.

 

[onesonek]

A lot depends on the pressure of the load and how you lube and size your cases.
Having said that, I would say 6-10 loadings for me, depending on the cartridge.

JD338

Pretty much the same here. With the exception to straight walls,,,,,I run pressure on most bottle necks so that brass life is in the 5-7 range, some a tad more.

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

45 Auto brass does last a longtime. I have some that have been loaded at least 20 times, and still going. Most straightwall pistol brass, you use them until the mouths split. The amount of flair you use can have a factor on this. I use self cast bullets with a bevel base, which minimizes the amount of case belling.

For rifle - the biggest issue is an impending case head seperation. A fast and easy way to inspect your brass is to use a paper clip. Unfold it, and run it inside the case, above the webbing. You should not feel an indentation, or low spot, which is a sign that the case is stretching. If you can feel it -crush the case with pliers (so you dont accidently cycle it into your good brass) and toss it out.

About the only reloading manual Ive seen that gave a designated number on how many loadings with rifle brass - is Winchester. They state after the 5th trimming to get rid of the case. But with the variances of pressures, and chambers - that seems to me that it could vary alot.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I normally use standard caliber brass for 10-12 reloadings. Magnum brass for 5-6 reloading. This depends on how worked the brass get each firing.