How many times do you reload your brass?

[marek313]

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum but I didnt know where to post this so here it goes. I was just wondering how many times is everyone reloading their brass? Do you mark your reloads? I know it depends on caliber, gun, charge etc.

Handgun brass I reload until necks are splitting or primer pockets are lose. I dont mark my handgun reloads because I just keep reloading it sometimes probably more then dozen times. Never had any problems here. Thats 9mm, 38S/357Mag, 45ACP. Shooting cast 99% of the time (not that it matters).

For rifles though i only shoot 5.56 and 300AAC. I mark my 5.56 because as it seems I only get about 3 or 4 reloads before primer pockets get blown out of spec and my primers dont go in tight. I had few primers get blown out of brass from that so I watch it more carefully now. I dont know if I'm doing something wrong I'm not loading my 5.56 super hot (around 25-26gr of BLC2 or Varget) but from my google search seems like people are getting more reloads then 3 or 4. I mostly use once fired LC brass so its not like I'm using some crapy brass.

Now 300 Blackout is great because its more less a magnum pistol cartridge so less pressure and less stress on that brass so i reload 300AAC brass until primers are lose or necks split just like handgun brass. I dont mark it and I dont even know honestly how many times I reload each piece but I know I get more reloads then 5.56 LC brass.

[Valley-Shooter]

I reload handgun brass until I lose it or I find a defect. I rarely find a defect. I lose a lot of handgun brass every year. I don't reload enough rifle brass to worry a out it.

[jakharath]

I load them till I start seeing cracks or other defects like loose primer pockets.

[anothernewb]

I have yet to find the upper limit on my 45 brass. but pistol, I load until it fails. only had a few 38 spl cases fail on me so far, and I bought those well used.

rifle brass - until a defect shows.

[dragon813gt]

Until it fails, for a myriad of reasons, or I lose it.

[tobywan45]

Only 1 time HOT after that untill a defect shows and then the whole lot goes to the scrap metal.
Both handgun and longgun

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[marek313]

I know most are in the same boat reloading until it fails but on average how many times is that for lets say 5.56 LC brass loaded with 55gr FMJ going around 3000f/s ?

[HATCH]

I would say 4 or 5 times.
Depends in you aneal the case or not.
Depends on how much if any crimp you do.

Necked cases have less life then straight walled because the neck area gets overworked.

[marek313]

I would say 4 or 5 times.
Depends in you aneal the case or not.
Depends on how much if any crimp you do.

Necked cases have less life then straight walled because the neck area gets overworked.

I'm ok with that but I'm reading on other forums people claiming to reload 15-20 times after annealing which seems like few times too many for me. Thats why I dont think I would shoot anyone elses reloads unless I knew the source. It only takes one to send you to the hospital :violin:

[stubshaft]

I load them till I start seeing cracks or other defects like loose primer pockets.

Once they start cracking and splitting I'll anneal them once and continue till they fail.

[MyFlatline]

For Rifles, I "try" to anneal around the 6-7th time. I have some going on 20+. I don't hot rod my loads. Pistols are indefinite.

[John Boy]

How many times do you reload your brass?
Until they split or the cup enlarges

[3leggedturtle]

I had 30/30 and 22 Hornet brass I loaded from 1978 til I crimped case mouths shut with pliers in 2005. Don't know how many times they were loaded but 30/30 was mid powered boolit loads. Hornet was mostly starting loads with 45 and 46gr jacketed bullets, using 2400 and H110

[GONRA]

Historically, GONRA grabs "range brass" - reloads it.
Suited me Just Fine for decades for my Slam Bang Shootin' - "self loading" pistols, rifles, SMGs, etc.
BUT - you gotta be really careful to cull out Bad News!!!
Same applies to yer Multi Fired Handloaded Brass too!

BUT - one Peculiar Exception - "RANGE BRASS" resulted in STUCK CASES
in my Brand New .357 magnum S&W AirLite PD 5 shot ultra light weight revolver, single, double action revolver
that I got out of curiosity – because of the “light weight” advertising hype.

Same Moderate Handloads (primer, powder type / charge, commercial jacketed bullet)
functioned Just Fine (no stick in cylinder) using BRAND NEW Ni PLATED IMI .357 Mag Brass.

You Revolver Guys - Go Figger.... Need yer Comments! THANX!

[fredj338]

If you are blowing out primer pockets in 3-4 reloads, your loads are over pressure. I have some 260ai brass that has gone 10X, neck sized. My normal 223 loads in an Ar go 8-10, then I start losing then to split necks. Handgun brass depends on how hot you run it but I have 45acp that has gone maybe 15-16x, can't even read the headstamp.

[Hick]

I run them until they split (neck splits). I have rifle cases that have gone 20+. Its a question of how hot you like to shoot. I like reduced recoil so my loads are never anywhere near maximum.-- That makes the brass last a lot longer.

[jonp]

Until crack, defects or I lose it. I load most pretty light for target and plinking so they seem to last a long time for me.

[sandman228]

I have some federal 357 mag brass in my cabinet right now on its 16 th reload . I keep a tag in every plastic ammo box with my load data and times loaded . now the brass I mentioned has been loaded light with a 105 SwC bullet with 4.8 gr of pb .my other 357 load is a 158 gr swc over 6 gr of unique . I don't get as many loads out of them but still usually get 10 or 12 . I've already loaded 9mm brass 15 times without issue .

[No_1]

99% of what I shoot is pistol and I load those until they fail.


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[MyFlatline]

I have some federal 357 mag brass in my cabinet right now on its 16 th reload . I keep a tag in every plastic ammo box with my load data and times loaded . now the brass I mentioned has been loaded light with a 105 SwC bullet with 4.8 gr of pb .my other 357 load is a 158 gr swc over 6 gr of unique . I don't get as many loads out of them but still usually get 10 or 12 . I've already loaded 9mm brass 15 times without issue .

Just curios and nothing more but do you clean your brass? and if so , only 50 at a time? I full length size everything because I have multiple guns in each caliber, My tumbler will do a gallon of brass easy at on time. Have never heard of keeping count in the box. Please don't take my question wrong, it is in earnest.

[RogerDat]

You said 25 or 26 grains of powder, I load 24.5 grains Varget and the primers don't show pressure signs and get good cycling. I don't really know, I do record number of times fired for rifle but for 5.56 and .223 that is in bulk as in another 1,000 cases are prepped for second time firing. And since I have a lot of them I just keep prepping 1x to swage primer pocket, trim and then load the 1x stuff. Bolt action I bought neck sizing dies, and wheel guns I throw out what looks ready to fail or did fail.

Hope to get a decent annealing set up before I get all the way through the 5 gallon buckets of 5.56/223 brass :-)

[rking22]

To answer the post, tI'll I start seeing cracks or lose it. Now the only primer pocket loosening I've experienced were in 22 hornet with 55 gr bullets and 296, too hot. Not a lot of loading with 223 but I would double check that load, LC brass has less capacity than Comercial and your loads may be a bit stiff. If I experience primer pocket growth I consider that a pressure warning sign.

[DHDeal]

Not trying to be critical, but blowing primers from their pockets is a symptom of something else. You state you are not over pressure, but your primer/brass relationship is headed for a divorce. I don't know your experience level, but if you just load for 2 rifle calibers means you haven't been at it for a long time. Also, the 2 calibers you mentioned probably means they're AR's. The gun and especially the brass tells you when you are over pressure, not a reloading manual.

Don't take my paragraph as a sarcastic retort, because it's not. You can trash a primer pocket in one very stout load, but what I'm referring to is enlarging the primer pocket (holds the primer loosely), not the primer being decapped by the reload. You know what I'm talking about. Come off those loads and your brass life will improve. As you are already aware, AR's are rough on brass. I can beg and plead a 6.5 Grendel to 8-10 reloads per piece, but it is Lapua brass so I have a reason to beg and plead. A 223, or 5.56 if you prefer, goes 5-6 and I start watching them closely.

The way I do it for AR's is I only put a certain number of pieces into rotation at a time. They stay together until I notice issues and it all goes. For bolt actions, I only use Lapua and in some calibers I can wear a barrel out with the same 100 pieces. Annealed every other firing and by not pushing the envelope makes this happen. Other brands of brass typically won't last as long.

I do not load for close range or plinking. I build every rifle to go to the 600 yard line, so I also don't load light loads. I just load for accuracy and that rarely is at the top of the envelope so to speak.

As for handguns, what everybody else said. Again, I'm not trying to be critical of your experience or abilities, just throwing out some hard won experience of my own out there.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Bolt guns I keep ammo separate per gun, use slower powders & heavier bullets, check for head separations every couple reloads, & recycle on neck cracks. Handguns I just reload one stack of brass for each caliber. I tend to get "many" hulls {3k for one varmint rifle, should last me a year anyways!} so that I can do a fair bit of shooting between reloading sessions, when helping teach a self defense class we were shooting ~1000 handgun rounds every weekend & I didn't have a progressive press yet, so ALL my spare time was spent reloading every couple weeks, fixed that soon enough. Handgun brass is "fire till a defect", neck crack or someone stepping on it & mashing it usually.

[sandman228]

Just curios and nothing more but do you clean your brass? and if so , only 50 at a time? I full length size everything because I have multiple guns in each caliber, My tumbler will do a gallon of brass easy at on time. Have never heard of keeping count in the box. Please don't take my question wrong, it is in earnest.

I also own multiples of same caliber 4_357's. 3_45 lc. 4_ 9mm so on so on . I tumble my brass whatever I shoot I throe in all at once .when I shoot multiple boxes of same caliber I usually make sure I don't take2 with same headstamp and separate by headstamp when they come out of tumbler . if I do shoot multiple boxes of same headstamp i' ll deprime 1 box before tumbling I also full length size.as for keeping count my father in-law found some reloading labels online he gave me a few I just keep making copy's of them, they have caliber,date, bullet,charge,times loaded,primer type.I fill one out and tape it on underside of lid with clear packing tape every reload

[jimb16]

How you load and how you treat your brass make all the difference. I tend to load on the lighter side. I have some .30-06 brass that I have no idea how many times it has been reloaded, but it is dated 43 and 44. I load light, anneal every 3 shots and trim as needed. But with the .223, after 6 loads, it is ready for the recycle bin.

[tazman]

When loading for an AR you have a different set of problems than loading for a bolt rifle. The ammunition must function first and foremost. The stresses on the brass are different in a semi-auto. They are harder on the brass. That's why the cases don't last as long.
In a bolt gun, things are more confined and the brass can last longer. The preparation can be less stressful on the brass for a bolt gun( not needed to full length resize as often).

[lightman]

I load it until the primer pocket gets loose or I start getting case splits. I keep up with the number of times fired and record this on the ammo box along with the load data. I restrict my hunting, defense or match ammo to 2 or 3 firings except for my bench rest stuff. Tightly fitted necks, neck sized only will last a long time.

[country gent]

Loading for a semi auto or bolt gun ( levers and pumps may also have an affect on brass due to some issues). The M1A/M14 is hard on 308 7.62 brass. Ive seen commercial and lapua heads pulled out of square with them. ARs are also hard on 223 556 brass. The semis have pretty violent extraction. Bolt actions lock up solid and are easier on brass. Chamber dimensions of the actual chamber, finish of the chamber, Load intensity, brass care and prep, all have an effect on brass life.
Ive had 308s I got 8-9 loading from maintaining accuracy levels. With light cast boolits loads most cases should last forever. The old rule of thumb was trim to square when new then after 4th trim discard. Primer pockets can loosen from pressure or the repeated seating of primers can also wear them out. High pressure loads shorten case life.

[Hannibal]

There are too many variables to give just one answer to the OPs question.

I can say I have reloaded some .308 LC brass that was reformed to .260 Rem in excess of 20x with stiff loads before signs of impending case head seperation appeared and the batch was scrapped. So I can attest to 20 reloadings as a possibility.

[trails4u]

I ran into a small mountain of Armscor 223/5.56 brass many years ago.... Wasn't familiar with it, so started asking questions. Answers were consistently.....trash it, it's junk. Well...challenge accepted. I did a bunch of testing on this brass.... Case capacity, primer pockets, chrono, etc, etc.... And, also did a very un-scientific test on brass life. 26.5g of Varget under a 55gr hornady, for a test lot of 20 cases. Trimmed and prepped before the first loading and then just abused. No more trimming....no cleaning primer pockets....just the basics. Quick cleaning...deprimed, and then loaded and fired again. I stopped at 11 loadings when I got my very first, very faint neck crack. Never pushed it to complete failure....as my point was to simply evaluate the usefulness of the Armscor brass. I still have many thousands of them....and still enjoy them.. :)

[David2011]

Low pressure pistol brass like .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .38 and .44 special last just about forever unless nickel plated. High pressure pistol brass like .40 will crack eventually but nothing bad happens when .40 brass splits but that's when I know to scrap it.

When it comes to rifles I haven't run any of my brass through enough times to experience failures but I have lots of brass for each caliber. I practice 60-80 rounds a year with my hunting rifle, mostly plink with my AR (5000 cases in reserve) and taking the Garand to the range is kind of like taking an antique car out for a Sunday drive on a perfect day.

[Bama]

For Rifles, I "try" to anneal around the 6-7th time. I have some going on 20+. I don't hot rod my loads. Pistols are indefinite.

With bottle neck the chamber and the way you size your brass has a big effect. I typically shoot Savage rifles and use an RCBS presion mic to set my sizing dies to match the chamber for once fired brass. This procedure reduces the amount of brass working. After brass is fire formed in the paticular gun it is neck sized only and only used in that paticular gun. After that unless I find a thinning in the case wall with the old bent paper clip method I usually can load up to 20 to 30 times. When I find thinning anywhere, it all goes in recycle bucket--don't take chances at that point.

[LenH]

For pistol brass, mostly .45 ACP are reloaded until they split. But when you rotate brass out of a 5 gallon bucket they don't get reloaded that often, and I try and keep at least 2k loaded
at all times. I shoot Bullseye matches so these aren't full power loads. I find most problems with these brass during cleaning, the split brass seem to show themselves better.

Right now I only have a .308 Win. and have shot these brass at least 6 times. I also just started annealing these brass so they should last longer.

[Walter Laich]

cowboy shooter here so .45 Colt brass is 99% of my reloading

Load until major split--been known to go on and load if the neck splits are very minor ~1 mm

[mdi]

I reload my brass until I can't reload them anymore. Inspection is the single most important step for me for my reloading and if there is any defect (or even odd appearing case) the case doesn't get reloaded. The only cases I count reloadings for is my Garand brass...

[second chance]

My S&W 1911 leaves a pretty significant dent in the base, I'm guessing from the ejector. Never noticed it on my other 1911's. I hoped it was just factory "ball" ammo, possibly a little on the hot side causing it, but I loaded some new Starline brass with cast 200 gr HT coated bullets and a mild bullseye load and I'm getting the same thing. I'm wondering how many times I'll be able to reload these before the extractor can't extract them. My usual recycle rate is like most here, reload until a problem shows up.

[starnbar]

pistol and revolver brass gets reloaded until it splits or the primer pocket gets loose rifle brass gets annealed every 8-9 reloading and trimmed 2x then gets the can in over 40 years of reloading only had one cartridge stuck in a rifle case head separation 30/06.

[308Jeff]

When removing military primer crimps, be careful how you're doing it. Some of the reamers on the market will gall the sides of the primer pocket pretty quick if you're not paying attention and being careful.

I've been removing crimps with a utility knife blade for quite a while now. It only removes the tiny ring of brass that constitutes the crimp, and leave the rest of the pocket completely untouched. For me it's just as quick as other methods, and faster that some. I NEVER have a problem with seating primers using this method because I can see and feel exactly what I'm doing and get the same repeatable result.

Probably not for everyone, but it works very well for me.

[trapper9260]

I mainly use the brass till like stated it show a problem. as for rifle I will treat them like stated also if there show some sign of problems.I do not like to load my hot from the start.
I have seen factory rounds that after the first shot show problems.

[rhouser]

I have 45 ACP brass that I have been shooting since the 1970's. I haven't bought any in 20 years. It lives in a 5 gallon bucket and gets scooped out as I need it and dumped back when shot. I stir the bucket every now and then to "rotate the stock".

I have 223 brass that I treat the same way. It lives in it's own bucket and comes out the same way. I do inspect the brass as I deprime it and watch for rings and cracks. I pitch anything with a loose primer into a separate bucket on reloading. These I save to load cast boolits at reduced loads shot in my bolt guns. At that point I consider them one more and done. Real Loose get deprimed (yes I do) and pitched at the end of the priming session. I prime by hand.

I have 30-30 and 30-06 that get reloaded as I need them. I don't remember how many times. They get the same treatment as the .223.

I have .243 AI, .375 and .300 RUM brass that get checked after every use. These, I am generally running hot. I micrometer the web bases on a regular basis. Any ringing gets picked at with my dental pick and any thing shakey gets tossed. Loose primers are dumped. These are High Pressure loads.

All in all, I have a lot of brass that will out live me. It will all become my son's problem.

rch

[W.R.Buchanan]

Until it fails, for a myriad of reasons, or I lose it.

Ditto: Randy

[RED BEAR]

I can't really say I have 9mm and 38 spec I started loading in the 80s. Keep going until we defect.

[Tom W.]

My 30-06A.I. brass is from brass that I've loaded quite a few times before I rechambered the rifle. I have to watch my fireforming brass, and if I don't like it for any reason it goes into the recycling bin. I had more rejects from Winchester nickle plated brass than anything else. The rifles I have are all single shot rifles. The worst was my.270 as the brass would stretch terribly after each shot.

Handguns I'll shoot until the mouths split or I lose them. I'm still shooting .44 mag brass from the mid 80's......

[flint45]

As many times as possible.Got some .45 auto rim that I lost count bought a ton of it in the early 90's only split about 5 so far. I have a M1A that is rel hard on brass only 4 or 5 loadings and the cases are done.

[Michael J. Spangler]

http://www.massreloading.com/loading45ACP.html

Great read

[second chance]

http://www.massreloading.com/loading45ACP.html

Great read

Thanks for that link. I know the amount of hammering one firing of my new starline brass took, it would only be a matter of time before the rim was pounded down all around the base, on multiple loadings. What I didn't even consider(and neither had the tester), is that the primer pocket would get shallower. I thought it was just my 1911 .45acp slamming the fired case against the extractor too hard, but i have no doubt, mine will look just like those, sooner, rather than later

[wordsmith]

Ditto: Randy

Same. When I first starting reloading, I did the same research primarily to quantify a life cycle cost savings for reloading versus factory ammo, mostly to justify my "investment" to the spousal unit. I'll let you know when I stop "re-investing" those savings and actually realize some savings. :veryconfu

I would agree with others that your 55 gr load loosening LC brass in 4 or so cycles is too much pressure. Been there and learned. Doesn't matter what the interwebs or books say, that's the proof in the pudding for your combination. I have found LC to be very tough brass (by design), and by my measurements around 31.0 grains H2O capacity, which is about the most capacity you'll see in any brass. In other words, it will probably only be worse in softer or less voluminous brass. You need to back it down some if you want to increase the cycles.

My experience...

Straight-walled pistol - seemingly infinite reloads if you respect pressure limits.

223 / 5.56 / 300 BO / 308 AR - again, respecting pressures, not annealing and bumping shoulders back 0.002-0.003", I can get 5-8 cycles before something goes awry.

Bolt Action - Can be ruined in one loading cycle, or nearly infinite if you care for your brass. For me, that means carefully measured resizing with a Redding Body Die / Lee Collet to minimize neck working / shoulder bump, annealing every 3-5 cycles, and not loading to the ragged edge of pressures.

[lightman]

Yeah, Thanks for that link. I'm usually not impressed with many so called "experts" that have their own websites. I've found that most of them know less than we do and have seen some downright dumb and even dangerous stuff. This site proved to be interesting.

[bigcountry022885]

I think there are to many variables to give a set number I have 308 brass that I shoot out of a match rifle I built that has been loaded 7 times and still going and the same brass only made it 5 runs through my M1A . I do think that the auto loading rifles beat the brass up a lot faster for obvious reasons I have 45/70 brass that I have loaded over 10 runs through and I thin I cracked one in that time and I lose 45ACP before I ever crack or split one


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[Michael J. Spangler]

Thanks for that link. I know the amount of hammering one firing of my new starline brass took, it would only be a matter of time before the rim was pounded down all around the base, on multiple loadings. What I didn't even consider(and neither had the tester), is that the primer pocket would get shallower. I thought it was just my 1911 .45acp slamming the fired case against the extractor too hard, but i have no doubt, mine will look just like those, sooner, rather than later


Yeah, Thanks for that link. I'm usually not impressed with many so called "experts" that have their own websites. I've found that most of them know less than we do and have seen some downright dumb and even dangerous stuff. This site proved to be interesting.


Jim writes articles here and there and he might not delve into as many weird subjects as I see on this forum (and love) but it seems that what he writes about he digs deep into the details and figured out how and why. I loved that article and have shared it a few times and quoted it a few more. Especially with a buddy that said he loads his 308 brass full house loads 37 times with no issues and it's still going strong. (hahaha)

[AZ-JIM]

Like others have said, for pistol I usually lose them first. My last batch of 223 in my match AR I got 7 reloads, I push them a little, primer pockets got loose on them. I have about 7 cycles on my 6mm Dasher brass, I anneal those every other cycle and have not had to trim them yet. Its nice having dies that match the chamber, brass doesnt move much. I have heard its not uncommon to get 15 to 20+ cycles from those also, I hope so they arent exactly cheap lol.

[higgins]

I keep a few boxes of same lot brass for testing pistol loads, mainly for the sake of a consistent crimp and bullet tension. For plinking I too load them until the mouth cracks.

I follow the same routine for rifle loads. For casual shooting, I load them until they crack.

[robg]

Straight wall cases till neck splits or visible defects ,lead loads in bottle neck case ditto. Full power stuff until primers loose or other faults .