Brass Life? When to stop reusing brass?

[em9sredbeam]

How do I know when my brass is no longer safe to reuse? If it is too thin and splits when i shoot it will it do damage? I have not been reloading long enough to reuse a case more than a couple times so how do i tell if it is no longer safe to use and what happens if I use one that has been used too many times and it splits or something?

[bumpo628]

What calibers are you talking about?
What guns are you shooting them in?

[WDE91]

what caliber?
how hot of a load?

for certain is loose primer pockets and cracks or bad dents
^^ those go into my off to the scrap yard bottle

[mif_slim]

You reload it twice then send it to me. I'll pay shipping.

[bohoki]

i reuse 45 and 9mm indefinatly (generally till i loose it or it has a bend from being stepped on or a severe jam or ejection problem

with 223 i use it till the primers wont stay in the pocket (i feel them go in too easy on the press then i use a bent paperclip to see if i can push it out if i can, i chuck it) same ejection inspection rules

[XDRoX]

I load it until it cracks or the primer won't stay in anymore.
If it looks like these, probably shouldn't shoot them.

[em9sredbeam]

CALIBERS ARE 40, 9MM, 357, AND 223

[GeoffLinder]

For 9mm, 8-10 loadings is a good average, some brands of brass last longer, some less. Look for case mouth splits and case head wear as an indicator of when it's time to toss them.

For .223 5-7 loadings is about average, again depending on brass quality. Loose primer pockets and a bright ring around case base are indicators the brass is past it's "born on" date. I also watch the case head and when it's stamped markings start to fade away it shows the brass is beat out.

[em9sredbeam]

what happens if brass splits when you fire it?

[XDRoX]

what happens if brass splits when you fire it?

Nothing. All the brass in the picture above split when I shot it. I'm sure I've even loaded split brass and shot it without realizing it. Not recommended, but it still shoots.

[GeoffLinder]

what happens if brass splits when you fire it?

Nothing, just don't pick it back up for re-use

[bluebird]

Nothing, just don't pick it back up for re-use

Will it affect accuracy?

[em9sredbeam]

so it wont cause any damage at all? not like a squib?

[Cowboy T]

If the split is very minor and at the head, no, it probably won't cause accuracy problems at handgun distances. Remember that the case merely acts as a gasket to keep the powder gasses from blowing backwards when the round is fired. It's the chamber that actually contains all that pressure, not the case.

With cases like XDRoX showed, that's another matter (thanks for pics of those examples, XD; I just didn't have any handy). If you see a case like that, yes, it'll shoot, but better to take a hammer to it; its useful life has most definitely come to an end. The gasket-sealing ability has been compromised, and in-tact brass is just way too available. It is also correct that you won't have anything "bad" happen if a split like that does occur during firing (this assumes sane loads, of course).

[sonnyt650]

A split case for rifle can range from simply needing a broken case extractor to high-pressure gas blowing back through the now unprotected action. If enough gas escaped through the breach the bullet might not have exited the barrel and you're looking at a kaboom next time you fire if you don't catch it. Even if nothing more serious occurs that regular "fire cutting" of the lands/leade will also score your chamber and bolt head, can't be good for these parts. The bright line is pretty noticeable when you know what to look for, and if you see burn through of the brass oops one time too many.