Brass...life expectancy

[CRQuarto]

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I know nothing about reloading, and have been doing some reading to try to figure out how it works, as I figure it is a good idea to have the capability to do it. My question is this:

If you are using good quality, once fired brass, how many times can it be used to reload? How can you tell when it becomes unusable?

[ilbob]

I have reloaded 38 special brass well into double figures, some is almost certainly into 3 figures. Mostly lighter target loads.

Heavier loads take more of a toll on your brass.

I have loaded some 30-06 cases 10 or more times, but again nothing with real stout loads.

As far as I am concerned, it is unusable when the case splits somewhere or shows other signs of weakness, although the only such signs I can recall seeing were splits.

My experience has been that pistol cases tend to split at the mouth when they are giving up the ghost. Can't recall ever having one go any other way.

I only had a few rifle cases go. I think one split at the shoulder and one at the mouth.

[rksimple]

Rifle or pistol, heavy loads or not, reloading techniques, etc. will all play into how long cases last. It could be anywhere from 2 to 50 times for rifle, and 2 to 100 times for straight-wall pistol stuff.

[ocabj]

There is no straight answer to this question.

If you are trying to gauge the context of this question with respect to cost in reloading, then as a general rule, don't even bother to count brass as part of your cost per round.

I would say more than 90% of people who reload will be reloading for cartridges and guns that get more than five reloads out of brass. At this point, the cost of the brass has been reduced to 17% of it's original cost.

Even if you paid $50 for 100 new pieces of Lapua brass, and you reuse them 6 times, you basically paid 8 cents per round on the brass ($50 / (100*6) times = 600 effective rounds).

[gottarollwithit]

Ocab's right. There is no definitive answer. Learn to detect weakness in the brass and toss brass out at your discretion. There are a lot of variables that'll change the properties of your casings. In the end, it all depends on what you feel safe shooting.

[CRQuarto]

Wow, I had no idea that you could use it that many times. I assumed with all the pressures involved, and the expansion/contraction of the brass, that it would wear out quickly. Part of my reason for asking was cost effectiveness, yes, but the majority was just curiosity You guys rock, thanks for the great answers!!!

[arfan66]

How can you tell when it becomes unusable?

One other discrepancy happens with softer brass or hot loads/pressure issues and that is loose primer pockets. When cases seem to lose friction when installing primers, I toss 'em.

Good Luck!

[Boots]

I'm curious, now can you tell if there is less friction in primer pockets when using one of those fancy loaders? Can you still feel it.

Pardon my newbie question... never did a reload in my life, but have considered it in the past and more so now.

One other discrepancy happens with softer brass or hot loads/pressure issues and that is loose primer pockets. When cases seem to lose friction when installing primers, I toss 'em.

Good Luck!

[ar15barrels]

I'm curious, now can you tell if there is less friction in primer pockets when using one of those fancy loaders? Can you still feel it.

Yes.
Most presses let you feel the primer going into the pocket and you can stop a progressive press and remove any case that does not feel right when priming.

The Dillon 1050 is an exception though as it primes on the up-stroke, not the down-stroke.

[Anthony]

I tend to loose my brass in the range before they become useless.

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I know nothing about reloading, and have been doing some reading to try to figure out how it works, as I figure it is a good idea to have the capability to do it. My question is this:

If you are using good quality, once fired brass, how many times can it be used to reload? How can you tell when it becomes unusable?

[Boots]

thanks! I always wondered how much you were "in touch" with a progressive press. I'm starting to lean more towards getting one these days... even been saving my "new brass" for a while now.

Any recommendations for a newbie?

[ar15barrels]

thanks! I always wondered how much you were "in touch" with a progressive press. I'm starting to lean more towards getting one these days... even been saving my "new brass" for a while now.

Any recommendations for a newbie?

You won't be able to differenciate bullet seating pressure from neck belling presssure from sizing pressure as sizing has so much more force involved than the other processes.

You can feel when something is wrong on a progressive, but you won't immediatly know if it's a sideways bullet ripping the case open, a 38 super being expanded when it's supposed to be a 9mm, or a berdan primed case being turned into a boxer case, but you WILL know to stop and look at everything when something is not right.

I recommend starting on a dillon 650 because of it's auto index, casefeed and powder check options make it the safest possible setup.
It also happens to be about the best progressive press you can buy besides a 1050.

[Boots]

AR... thanks for the info.
I think before I drop money on equipment, I'd like to do some edumacation on the subjecy... maybe a class, if there's one held in the s.f. bay area.

[bruceflinch]

I tend to loose my brass in the range before they become useless.

Yeah, I hate when that happens...

[CRQuarto]

You won't be able to differenciate bullet seating pressure from neck belling presssure from sizing pressure as sizing has so much more force involved than the other processes.

You can feel when something is wrong on a progressive, but you won't immediatly know if it's a sideways bullet ripping the case open, a 38 super being expanded when it's supposed to be a 9mm, or a berdan primed case being turned into a boxer case, but you WILL know to stop and look at everything when something is not right.

I recommend starting on a dillon 650 because of it's auto index, casefeed and powder check options make it the safest possible setup.
It also happens to be about the best progressive press you can buy besides a 1050.

Hrrmm, how can you tell if your brass is boxer primed? For instance I have some remmington greenbox .223, and some pmc bronze .223, are either of these boxer primed?