When belts fail.........

TEXASforLIFE · 2026-08-29T16:33:51-0700

Not necessarily fail, but fade away to "it's unsafe ir bad for you " just to sell or convince others is lunacy! If belts (belted cases) are supposed to be bad/unsafe then they wouldn’t have been designed! This thread can go or part ways in different directions which is all good! I'll ask this......
Since headspace is based off the belt and you shoulder bump does it make any relevance for accuracy ? Both type cases have their placeas both are just as good as the other. For reloaders and non it's just a choice on your needs I guess. Who falls for the non-belted being less accurate nonsense as some will argue! The only thing I would thank is a drawback on belted is when used in a semi. Not saying it's bad, but on a reloader's stand point the belt will chaf. This is the only reason I went with 6.5prc over 6.5rem in my AR. I could find brass and dies, but decided against it.

RL338 · 2026-08-29T17:03:26-0700

I don’t worry about headspacing off the belt. I treat them like unbelt cases 0.002” shoulder bump.
Over sizing belted cases will lead to case head separation in a hurry.

TEXASforLIFE · 2026-08-29T17:46:49-0700

RL338 said:
I don’t worry about headspacing off the belt. I treat them like unbelt cases 0.002” shoulder bump.
Over sizing belted cases will lead to case head separation in a hurry.

And for me I fl sized every time I reload. I did this on the 264wm brass 20+ times loaded near ir at max psi based on load data from Sierra

TackDriver284 · 2026-08-29T19:38:46-0700

I size and shoulder bump off the shoulders of belted cases once its fireformed. As RL338 mentioned, .002" bump is what I use for my .300 WM.

Blkram · 2026-08-29T21:14:27-0700

When reloading once fired cases, I have neck sized belted cases and experienced no issues, whether it be for 270 Wby, 7mm Rem Mag, 338 Win Mag, or 416 Taylor. With new brass, I have always full length sized.
And I have never heard of a belted case failing at the belt from responsible loading and shooting...although there may have been some over time. Has anyone experienced or heard of this?
I have read repeatedly that some prefer to headspace off the neck vs the belt, but have never seen proof provided that this is more accurate...or safe...and again, I will say that this may be available somewhere...I just have not seen it.
So, is this just parroting, or is there actual proof out there?

TEXASforLIFE · 2026-08-29T23:06:59-0700

Blkram said:
When reloading once fired cases, I have neck sized belted cases and experienced no issues, whether it be for 270 Wby, 7mm Rem Mag, 338 Win Mag, or 416 Taylor. With new brass, I have always full length sized.
And I have never heard of a belted case failing at the belt from responsible loading and shooting...although there may have been some over time. Has anyone experienced or heard of this?
I have read repeatedly that some prefer to headspace off the neck vs the belt, but have never seen proof provided that this is more accurate...or safe...and again, I will say that this may be available somewhere...I just have not seen it.
So, is this just parroting, or is there actual proof out there?

Even straightwalled cases can separate, so that proves nothing is fail proof. I've had more pistol brass separate on me than bottleneck brass which have been zero. Maybe not separate but split/rupture above base unless those called it case separation instead like those calling cartridges calibers when naming the whole name (example, 264wm)as 264wm caliber. Might be they way they speak?