When is it time to toss brass?

[cHaOs ReX]

At what point is brass finally spent?

I'm just getting into reloading. My last few shooting trips I've scooped up every brass case I could find that wasn't totally crushed.

I have some brass that has small dents, others where the neck is not completely round, etc.

What are indicators that the brass is no longer suitable for reloading?

What to do with brass that is no longer suitable for reloading?

Thanks

[Quinc]

I throw it away once the primer pockets get to loose. I picked up some range brass and one of the primers fell out when I seated the bullet...

[ditchdigger]

You can straighten a paper clip and put a short bend at one end. Put the hooked end in the case all the way to the web. Apply upward pressure and drag it out. You are feeling for the beginning of a crack on the inside of the case. This will usually be near the web. The crack is a sign of case head separation. You don't want to reload it.

[Dark Mod]

Pistol brass ill load until it cracks. Ive never experienced casehead seperation and i attribut that to the fact the brass gets worked most at the mouth during sizing/flaring/crimping, and thus gets tossed before any meaningfull wear at the web happens.

If a dent isnt removed by resizing it gets tossed as well.

Im much more careful with rifle brass, i load brass in batches so i can keep track of how many times they are fired/trimmed.

Once a peice of rifle brass has been trimmed 5 times or so its usually time to toss it, depending on its condition. Some .223 stays around for much much longer.

Out of round necks or small dents are no big deal as long as sizing fixes it, if it comes out of the sizing die looking messed up i just toss it.

[Revoman]

Yeah, pretty much the above. This is for handgun ammunition;

I load light loads for paper punching and have 38 brass that has seen 15 loadings without issue. I always use a magnifying glass and check each case before I load after cleaning. I cull out the split cases at that time.

While loading with a progressive I feel for the ease of primer insertion and cull the ones that are too easily seated as the pocket is prolly stretched.

When I cull, I simply throw all of the brass in with the primer collection and take the bucket to the scrap yard for a few bucks to by more loading components.

[GeoffLinder]

For 9mm, .45 ACP and .38 special, once you can't easily read the headstamp anymore, or the case mouth splits. For .40 SW, about 5-7 loadings. For .223 - .308, once the case base shows a bright ring above base, then toss, this indicates incipient case head separation,usually in the 6-10 reload range depending on how hot the loadings were.

[cHaOs ReX]

Thanks everyone. And extra thanks to Geoff for mentioning every caliber I'll be reloading (minus the .40).

[bfoosh006]

Recycle the worthless brass... even the berdan primed brass cases. Every little bit helps us reloaders.

[ExtremeX]

Everyone has already given good advice…

+1 on the recycling… I put that money back into buying components. It’s pretty nice when I work up enough brass to get myself a box of primers or something.

[the86d]

I have reloaded some .223 brass like 7-8 times so far (cheap Federal & LC).

I have reloaded some 9mm (that was reloaded before I received it) like 8 times so far ('87 on the headstamp, I think some is... ).

[Whiterabbit]

What are indicators that the brass is no longer suitable for reloading?

What to do with brass that is no longer suitable for reloading?

Thanks

#1: when it splits in your gun. After firing it. (or in the FL resizer on your bench)

#2: toss it in the pile at the range. brass bucket, wherever. Don't have to worry about it anymore.