When to retire Brass ?

[1100 Remington Man]

When do you retire brass ? In a belted Mag case how many rounds before you toss them ?
Or what are you looking for ? I never have had loose primer pockets.
I just don't want to be out of town and have a case separate, leaving me with no way to remove it in the field. Thanks.

 

[DrMike]

I make it a point that hunting ammo employs brass that has not been fired more than twice. Other brass is relegated to load development and/or target shooting. Candidly, my 7RM brass stands up to ten firings w/o degradation.

 

[OU812]

Like Mike I only use once or twice fired brass for hunting. I personally toss my brass at 5 firings regardless of primer pocket tightness. No real reason behind my 5 firing logic other than I feel I got enough use from the brass at that point.

 

[truck driver]

I'm just really starting to experiment with magnum belted cartridges but do make it a habit with all hunting ammo to use no more then twice fired brass. I also use a bent paper clip with a sharp point to check for case head separation on all cases fired more then twice or if I see pressure signs.
I only use 20 pieces for load testing and when It wears out I use my hunting brass and replace it with fresh brass.
I usually see split case necks or cracks in the necks and shoulder long before I see signs of case head separation on my load test brass even though I anneal after each firing.

 

[SJB358]

I don’t toss any of my brass until it won’t hold a primer snuggly. Sometimes I will seat and primer it’ll feel loose and I’ll just chunk it into the recycling bin but if it holds a primer and is in good condition it stays. My brass is minimally sized so I’m not moving a bunch of brass around and I anneal it quite often. I’d bet my Nosler 338 brass has at least 10 firings on most of it and keeps on clicking along. Through prep I handle each case to look for cracks and splits after it is shiny clean from tumbling with SS pins so I get a good view of it.

I would hate to chuck my good RWS and Lapua after only 5 firings after going thru forming and such so I try to keep in good shape as possible.

 

[SJB358]

I'm just really starting to experiment with magnum belted cartridges but do make it a habit with all hunting ammo to use no more then twice fired brass. I also use a bent paper clip with a sharp point to check for case head separation on all cases fired more then twice or if I see pressure signs.
I only use 20 pieces for load testing and when It wears out I use my hunting brass and replace it with fresh brass.
I usually see split case necks or cracks in the necks and shoulder long before I see signs of case head separation on my load test brass even though I anneal after each firing.

If you’re getting cracks and splits after annealing you’re probably not getting it annealed to the right temp. Haven’t had a split case neck or shoulder in quite a long time since I started annealing.

 

[truck driver]

I'm just really starting to experiment with magnum belted cartridges but do make it a habit with all hunting ammo to use no more then twice fired brass. I also use a bent paper clip with a sharp point to check for case head separation on all cases fired more then twice or if I see pressure signs.
I only use 20 pieces for load testing and when It wears out I use my hunting brass and replace it with fresh brass.
I usually see split case necks or cracks in the necks and shoulder long before I see signs of case head separation on my load test brass even though I anneal after each firing.

If you’re getting cracks and splits after annealing you’re probably not getting it annealed to the right temp. Haven’t had a split case neck or shoulder in quite a long time since I started annealing.

HaHaHa some of this brass has over 20 loadings on it and put threw the wringer in my 35/AI. If I only neck sized them I wouldn't be seeing the cracks but the neck metal has really thinned out on them and become sharp as a razor. The cracks have also slowed or stopped since I started annealing so I don't think that is a problem the brass is just plain wore out. :lol:

 

[SJB358]

Oh yeah, 20 loadings is a bunch.

Weird you say the necks are getting thin, I’ve never experienced that before but I’ve never actually measured or noticed that. I’d always thought since brass flowed forwards it couldn’t but I leant new things all the time around here.

 

[truck driver]

Oh yeah, 20 loadings is a bunch.

Weird you say the necks are getting thin, I’ve never experienced that before but I’ve never actually measured or noticed that. I’d always thought since brass flowed forwards it couldn’t but I leant new things all the time around here.

Scotty I think the thinning is caused by the expander ball and inside neck cleaning since I use a .45 cal Hoppes turbo brush to clean it and not a fiber bristle brush.
I use molybdenum to lube the inside of the necks to easy the expander in and out of my cases and not sure if this also has some affect on them. One thing for sure is it doesn't make pulling bullets any easier.

 

[Elkman]

Rodger, as far as I know I have never gotten 20 reloads out of any case. You need to give us lessons.

 

[Elkman]

On my standard cases the primer pocket typically gives out first. I did have a 280 Remington case separate just forward of the case head the other day, but that is not usual. On the magnums its the belt, and the primer pocket. Sometimes neck splits. At best I get 8 or so reloading's of a standard case, and 6 or so from the Magnums. I use a neck sizer only die on a couple of them.

 

[truck driver]

Rodger, as far as I know I have never gotten 20 reloads out of any case. You need to give us lessons.

Bill the brass was Nosler premium before they started making their own and was in the 35 Whelen and fire formed to Ackely improved. I consider the Ackely design for the brass longevity and holding the pressure down.
I have never had this occur with any other cartridge or brass just these.

 

[jimbires]

I try to keep my brass in batches , so they have the same number of cycles on them . I watch for splits, and I'll throw away an odd one or two that show up , and keep using the rest of that batch . I can usually get 10 or more cycles on my brass . when I get a batch that I have a bunch that are failing on the same cycle I junk the whole batch . when I feel a loose primer pocket I use a sharpie to color the case head and throw it away the next cycle . I wanted to see how long loose pockets could be used . so I used a batch of brass with loose pockets until I started to see black around the primer after it was fired , don't do this it's foolish . I etched my bolt face . I will say that I got 3 or 4 more loads on that brass after I thought the pockets were getting to loose, before any problem showed up . I'll hunt with brass that is still usable 6 or 8 cycles would not bother me , 10 cycles would worry me on a hunting trip . I would not hunt with brand new brass , it acts different than fired .

 

[jimbires]

here is a thread that shows some failed brass . it will give you an idea where to watch .

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=35285

 

[1100 Remington Man]

Some great tips guys. I guess I will be buying more brass next time Nosler has it on sale.

 

[ElmerThud]

F/L resizing to your fired case headspace dimension and annealing regularly will ensure extended case life.
I try very hard never to move case shoulders back more than .002”, it’s pretty achievable & significantly helps case life.
I’m still reloading good RP brass that’s fourteen years old and been reloaded well in excess of twenty times.
I haven’t come across any loose primer pockets for ages, but when/if I do, I decap and chuck it.
Certainly wouldn’t load & fire it.

I do this because I just hate the process and waste of bullets, primers & powder running in new brass. All just to bring the ammuntion back into correct zero.
Hell, I must be a miserable old fart!

 

[cloverleaf]

One time less than this....


Sorry not to be a smart @$$.But I happen to have this pic from a recent trip to the range with Dads 7Mag. He was notorious for "USING UP" his brass. I do not recommend it. No idea how many times these were shot but I can guarantee you I pulled the bullets on the rest of the box!CL

 

[ShadeTree]

Like a few others have alluded to, I get very good life out of RP brass. If I do my job right 15-18 loadings typically. Even on a springfield with a less than optimal chamber I get 10.

Loose primer pockets haven't been an issue. Might be on the springfield if brass lasted long enough to show up, I got that loaded fairly hot.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

Well here something I ran across last night it was from Fred Huntington and a Factory Model 70 in 30-06 where he did a test on two Remington cases and two Winchester cases, he reloaded them till they failed, he full length resized them only lubing the case and not the inside of case necks. To stress them as much as he could.
Remington cases one went 36 firings and the other 52
Winchester cases one went 50 firings and the other 55
He also said he never trim them.

I will say this surprised me and I guess I will use my brass more.