Lapua brass

[copterdoc]

I have some new Lapua brass .308 and .223. Standard loading, nothing hot. How many times can that brass be reloaded without seeing any problems like leaking primer pockets, neck cracks or case head separation starting?
Thank you.

[pacrat]

I have some new Lapua brass .308 and .223. Standard loading, nothing hot. How many times can that brass be reloaded without seeing any problems like leaking primer pockets, neck cracks or case head separation starting?
Thank you.

3 separate questions. Low to mid range loads, can yield a dozen or more cycles. Before primers get loose.

Neck cracks depends on procedures and dimension differences of equipment. Annealing every few loadings or not.

Head separations, again mostly depends on same as cracks. FL sizing to hard bump on shell holder. [not many].

Bolt gun, shoulder bumped not at all, or just a thou or two. [a dozen or more].

Just too many unknown variables to give an accurate one size fits all answer.

[baih777]

Anneal that brass every two or three firings.
Durability and life depends on loads.
It is possible to get more than 10 firings.

[divingin]

I have 200 pcs of 6BR Lapua brass that have seen 24 loads (actually, I think it's 199 pcs - one got replaced as the primer pocket didn't seal correctly even though it was still tight); pockets are looser than new, but still serviceable. They still shoot occasional 100 yd groups below a tenth of an inch. They see fairly mild loads though, are generally only neck-sized, and get annealed every 5ish firings.

Longevity depends on a lot of factors.

[fguffey]

I have some new Lapua brass .308 and .223. Standard loading, nothing hot. How many times can that brass be reloaded without seeing any problems like leaking primer pockets, neck cracks or case head separation starting?

Bart B. used full loads when firing a 308 case 43 times with no after effect. I asked him about the weight of the case when he started and the weight of the case when he finished. He claimed the weight of the case did not change, and that worked because no one holds him to any type of standard.

Lapua cases: Many years ago, my old oldest brother called Sierra, he had no idea he was talking to the claims department, He called Sierra because he was using Sierra bullets. After that he called Cascade, Winchester and then Hodgden. The next morning my brother opened the front, looked outside and there sat Bruce Hodgdon.

My oldest brother had loaded 20 270 rounds and after loading he drove up to the river to test the rounds. He used a Model 70 Winchester, the test rounds shot 10 feet high, to make sure he shot two more rounds, nothing improved or got better. He had to hammer the bolt open. Anyhow, it turned into an interesting day. once Bruce Hodgdon got there.

Sierra claimed the case had nothing to do with nothing, they claimed the case could fit the chamber like rat scat in a violin case and have no effect on accuracy, they claimed the only factor was the bullet.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

3 Questions:

Head separations, again mostly depends on same as cracks. FL sizing to hard bump on shell holder. [not many].

My cases do not have head space and I find it impossible to move the shoulder back during full length sizing or returning the case to minimum length. And bump is a function of a cam over press.

None of this gives me an advantage except when trying to explain what happens to the case when fired and sized. I have something that is called 'clearance', I do not believe it is fair to Internet reloaders, Internet reloaders do not have clearance, if they did, where would they put it?

I have chambers that I use to fire ammo with .127" clearance meaning the shoulder of the case is .127" away from the shoulder of the chamber. Out of this combination I have never had a case that stretched between the case head and case body.

F. Guffey

[LynnJr]

Please list the 3 questions and you will get an answer.
Posting statements rarely works when seeking answers.

[kcstott]

All I can say is what I do and the results I get.
I anneal after every firing. I use an AMP annealer. I usually see issues with case necks before primer pockets loosen up. As in neck splits.
I don’t think about ordering new brass until I get about 10-15 firings. Keep in mind that’s competition brass.
My Non competition brass is loaded and fired until I notice an issue and it’s then sent to the scrap bucket without further consideration.
Do not waste your time trying to “fix” brass. Just toss it and be done.

[VonRyan209]

Mainly depends on your reloading procedure. Do you have a case comparator gauge to check headspace, and only bump the shoulder 0.003"-0.005" at most?

If so, I have 14 firings on one of my Lapua 308 boxes. Velocities have been kept under 2700 fps with 150-175 grain projectiles. I've lost only 2 cases in those 14 firings, and those were primer pockets no longer passing a "no-go" gauge, https://ballistictools.com/store/rel...-pocket-gauges.

I didn't start annealing until after the 6th firing or so. Now I do it after every firing just for simplicity sake.

[fguffey]

Mainly depends on your reloading procedure. Do you have a case comparator gauge to check headspace

?

If my cases had head space, I would make a gage that would measure/compare
etc. The only drawing used by SAAMI that shows 'headspace' is the chamber. The case drawing does not list head space in the case drawing.

F. Guffey

[BrassCase]

I also anneal after each firing. When the case finally fails, I want it to be because I wore the primer pocket out not because the neck split.

[LynnJr]

If you reload those cartridges like most reloaders 10-15 firings.
If you load them like a bench shooter 20+ firings.

[Fjold]

My current batch of 6.5x284 Lapua brass has been reloaded 14 times and I am just getting to the point where I can prime most of them with a hand priming tool. The primer pockets up until now have been to tight to seat primers in without using the press. I full length resize the cases by only bumping the shoulder .001" to .002" and anneal every third reload. I'm going to start annealing after every firing for consistency though.

I have a 7mm Mag that I bought two 50 count bags of new brass for in 1998. I haven't opened the second bag of brass yet but I don't know how many times the brass has been reloaded and none of it has been annealed.

[fguffey]

I also anneal after each firing. When the case finally fails, I want it to be because I wore the primer pocket out not because the neck split.

I have worn the primer pocket out with one loading, a smith, friend near Heneretta, Texas spent 3 hours removing a case from a Model 70; that round came close to rendering the rifle scrap. The rifle did not belong to the man that purchased the ammo, but he was blaming everyone and going to sue as soon as his hearing returned. The smith asks me if I would like to venture a guess as to how long the bullet was when it left the barrel.

F. Guffey