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Brass Life

1K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  PanhandlePop 
#1 ·
Realizing that it depends on various factors, such as how hot the loads are, etc, and assuming one takes very good care of the cases, how many times could one expect, in general, to reload pistol brass? Pistol nickel? In other words how many reloads before you are satisfied with the life of the brass or nickel?
 
#2 · (Edited)
AS you said, it depends on many factors. With that said, straight wall pistol cases seem to last forever. I have 45 ACP cases I have loaded at least a dozen times. I usually loose auto pistol cases before they wear out. Bottle neck rifle cases, depending on the case and how they are treated, can be loaded 3-10 times.

Not a very good answer, I know. 308 and 30.06 cases can generally be reloaded 6-8 times. Brittish 303 will start to fail after 3. 22 hornet cases can be loaded 15-20 times.

Also, depends on if they are loaded with "hot" or "mild" loads.

Also, depends on how you size the case. Full length resize won't last as long a "neck-sized" cases.
 
#3 ·
:yeahthat: Plus many more variables, you can destroy a straight wall casing in one loading by expanding the case mouth in excess. Work hardening ANY brass will kill it on first reload. Keep an eye on nickle plated brass it tends to work harden and crack earlier than yellow brass.
 
#5 ·
have lots of brass that has been loaded many times,,, myself every 3rd loading i anneal the mouth of my cases,, handgun and rifle ,,, with handgun just the first 1/8 inch of the mouth,, with rifle the whole neck ,, depending on how much you work the neck or mouth of the case in resizeing makes a big diff in life of the cases,,,check a fired case dimension against the size of a fully sized case,,,(check the manuals or with manf) if to much diff you work the brass too much and reduce case life,,,(myself, because of more then one gun for the same calib. and more size diff then i prefer) i prefer to send a fired case to RCBS or whom ever u get yours from and have them make a sizeing die for that gun,(i mark my boxes of bullets for a particular gun) (maybe a bit anal but it works), a couple dollars more, but more life of brass and better accuracy.. remember they make the dies so that all bullets will fit all guns,, depending on how old it is and manf tolerences, can have large diff in chamber sizes...hope this helps,, have fun
 
#6 · (Edited)
waldog::
Not a very good answer, I know. 308 and 30.06 cases can generally be reloaded 6-8 times. Brittish 303 will start to fail after 3. 22 hornet cases can be loaded 15-20 times.
Also, depends on if they are loaded with "hot" or "mild" loads.

Also, depends on how you size the case. Full length resize won't last as long a "neck-sized" cases.[/QUOTE]
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check your fired to sized case dimensions,,, i have 303 brass that has been loaded over 10 times,, especially with 303 there are major chamber and bore dimensions out there,can vary from as small as .308 to .314, or more,, my mark I and mark 4 or right on proper chamber dimensions with a 313 bore,, my mark 5 is .005 over on chamber size and has a bore of .317 it would kill brass, but with proper sizeing die it works fine,,, i only shoot cast bullets in the mark 5 use a .32 cal die of .319 and size it down,, RCBS will make proper sizeing die and bullet sizeing die, just call them.depending on their manf load can take as long as 6+wks..
 
#7 ·
:yeahthat: Plus many more variables, you can destroy a straight wall casing in one loading by expanding the case mouth in excess. Work hardening ANY brass will kill it on first reload. Keep an eye on nickle plated brass it tends to work harden and crack earlier than yellow brass.
Agreed. I load 'til they get lost or split (and nickle-plated seem to split much faster than unplated). I have some 9 and 10mm brass from back in the early 80s and they are still in use.
 
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