Keeping track of loading brass

[HeathSexton]

Guys, how do ya'll keep up with how many loadings you have on brass? I have my full length dies set to move the shoulders around .002 back, how many loadings could I expect on say a 30/06? A friend had a case seperate on him the other day in his 300 WM and he had no idea how many loadings he had on his brass. I have only loaded my cases once but I don't want that to happen. I have read that some people don't really keep up, they look for cracks and splits on the case.



Thanks

 

[onlybrowning]

Keep your brass sorted in "lots." I also write the number of loadings on the label on the ammo box.

If you don't know how many times it has been loaded, and you suspect it may be more than say 2 or 3 times (in a .30-06) either throw it out or start measuring. Neck thickness will increase parallel with an increase in times fired. If you can measure it, the area near the case head will become thinner as well. Primer pockets can become loose as well.

A tell tale sign (not always evident) that indicates case head seperation is coming, is a shiny ring on the brass near the case head. This is not to be confused by the marks left by the full length resizer.

Overall, when in doubt, throw it out. .30-06 brass is not that hard to obtain when you use one of the big three's (Remington, WInchester, Federal).

 

[Bob in TX]

Keep your brass sorted in "lots." I also write the number of loadings on the label on the ammo box.

+1-I also note how many times it has been resized on my load labels.

Depending on what I am loading, I usually load in groups of 20, 50, or 100 rounds.

0/0=not fired, not resized
1/0=once fired, not resized
2/1=twice fired, once resized

 

[HeathSexton]

By measuring neck thickness, are you meaning a fired case? If so are you meaning wall thickness or the diameter of the neck?


I measured a fired case from my /06, Nosler shows .340 on manual 5 and I got .341 from my case neck.


Thanks

 

[onlybrowning]

Heath, I am speaking of neck wall thickness. The diameter will continue to be sized correctly with the sizer die, but the neck will grow thicker as the flow of brass moves from the head of the case to the neck when you fire. Be careful not to measure up too high on the neck wall (where you most likely chamferred). I do not have acceptable measurements for this, but I would suggest comparing to a few pieces of new brass to get a baseline. Let us know how you make out, and what the numbers are for the measurements and number of firings.

+1 on the number of sizings or what type of sizing, ie: neck sizing=very little stress on brass, FL sizing=more stress.