Is this true?

[Reddot]

I was always under the impression that one could not reload steel cases.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mbf4C-8ViM&feature=related

[Whitespider]

It’s not that steel cases can’t be reloaded, but a question of whether or not they should be reloaded. Where brass becomes harder and a bit brittle over time during cold working (such as resizing) it doesn’t really become weaker. Steel, on the other hand, becomes softer and rapidly weaker if cold worked. Bend a piece of steel back and forth and it becomes noticeably weaker with each bend, and (depending on the element content) may break in as little as two or three bends. Both steel and aluminum cases have been reloaded, to prove it can be done.

[Bret4207]

I have to modify what Whitespider said a little- It’s not that steel cases can’t be reloaded, but a question of whether or not you HAVE to reload them. Steel cases can be reloaded a number of times and with some annealing may last much longer than we think. But on the whole they're a bear to work with, require additional care and sometimes the primer pockets aren't quite "right". I reloaded several 45 Auto steel cases and IIRC got around 10 firings out of the 3 or 4 I had. They were old cases, from WW2, and the primer pockets were odd as I remember.

It can be done, but unless you have to, I'd use my time elsewhere.

[Willbird]

I have heard of more than 1 guy who reloads the wolf boxer primed steel once for submachine guns. Mroliver77 has reloaded some more than 10 times and no problems. The steel is several times stronger than a brass case to begin with.

Brass also work hardens, that is why we anneal case necks.

I would guess the main reason reloading of steel cases was discouraged is because they would be tough on STEEL reloading dies, and they were not very common for many many years, not until we allowed goods to be imported from communist countries did steel cased ammo pour into the US in huge numbers, and then a whole lot of them are/were berdan primed.

Bill

[BruceB]

Never have loaded steel cases.

A question which comes to mind is this: wouldn't annealed steel be stronger than any part of a brass case? If so, we could just heat our steel cases red-hot and let them air-cool, making them the same hardness throughout. This would be quite different from brass cases, which vary in hardness depending on the location (soft at the mouth, harder at the base).

If this was true, and practical, it might make boxer-primed steel cases a more-attractive proposition than they are now.

[briang]

Is it safe to do what he was doing with the berdan primed cases? Seems to me that the extra holes would change the pressure curve.

[45nut]

I reloaded steel 45's many times before I heard about it being a "no-no", never had any problems. I finally reloaded them one last time and stashed them for when I am not likely to want to find them again.

[JSnover]

Anybody remember O'Connor steel head cases from the early 90s? They were a two-piece design for load development or extreme pressure experiments. When the body split you could just screw a new one onto the steel head. Don't remember what the body was made of.

[leftiye]

I've worn the neck/shoulder junction on a 221 fireball die to look like a weatherby with just a few .223 cases (brass). This is HEAVY sizing, so maybe the steel wouldn't bugger up a die as fast. The steel cases do have a lacquer or something coating on them also. Whatever the case is steel would be more abrasive as it is harder. The .762X39s might be a problem as they are more tapered, and have shoulders. Make suuure they're clean and not rusted too (rust is a really abrasive substance).

[kir_kenix]

I've reloaded steel cased .45's and .223. They both seemed to shoot well. Had a few .45's that eventually split their necks and I decided to discard the whole lot. My guess would be that they are quite a bit harder on dies, but my Lee .45's seem fine after reloading a fair number of them. Same goes for the cheapo aluminum .45 cases.

The steel .223/5.56 seemed to take quite a bit of pressure to FL resize, but they shot and cycled my AR just fine.

Hopefully a time will never come when we are left with just steel cases to reload, but its good to know THAT it can be done.

[Bigjohn]

I am currently doing some experimentation on reloading steel casings in 7.62 x 39mm and the results are being posted in favourite CB loads.

To protect my dies, I am using a set of SIMPLEX neck sizing dies made here in Australia. At the same time I have some brass casings which I mix in with the steel so I can compare the effort required to resize.

So far these is no noticable difference. The biggest issue is 'Why bother' as there is heaps of good boxer primed casings around?
It may come to pass that we as shooters may have to reload steel for various reasons.

It is information worth having on file somewhere in case it is needed.

John

[Netherwolf]

Is it safe to do what he was doing with the berdan primed cases? Seems to me that the extra holes would change the pressure curve.

Oh yeah, there will be pressure issues due to more flash hole area and the differences a boxer primer vs. berdan primer lends to the mix.
Netherwolf

[cohutt]

I reload wolf 45 cases but aren't interested in trying bottlenecks like 223.

I sat down one day and loaded some wolf 45 cases, fired them through a suppressed MAC10 (on semi), wiped them down then did it again.

After 12 cycles which meant at least 13 loadings, I got bored and quit. The finish was rubbed off in spots a little but the cases were still quite functional.
I pickup a lot of these with regular brass and now just toss them in with everything else as long as they aren't rusted.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/misc107.jpg


http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/misc108.jpg

[pecos]

Back in my younger, more poor days, I had access to a lot of steel 45acp cases and loaded quite a few. Used ordinary steel sizing dies, not the carbide types. Had no problem, but there were a few things to be careful of. It was extremely important to have the cases clean before sizing and well lubed to avoid scratching the dies. Also, I left the lube on the cases to help keep them from rusting, and when firing them from the magazines, dropped a couple drops of thin oil on top of the first round. Some of the steel cases had a tendency to try to stick in the chamber, making it hard on the extractor. regards. pecos

[Shiloh]

My shooting buddy does .45 ACP. He tried it with good results on mild to low midrange loads. He also only does it only one or two times. There has never been a problem. I don't but it is good to know that it can if my brass .45 acp runs out.

The picture in the above thread says a lot. Look at the rims of the cases, pretty scarred up.

Shiloh

[mroliver77]

As Willbird stated I have pulled some steel cases out of my pile that had unknown # of reloads already. I used eight in a 1911 and got from 8- 12 reloads on them with most around ten. I use them for walkabout ammo as it dont hurt so bad when they are lost. I have a stash of WW2 steel cases and the primer pockets are weird. I have reloaded steel .223 cases quite a bit without mishap. I loaded one 10 times once and left it atop the press until next time I got around to firing it some more. I noticed it one day stting there and couldnt figure why so I pitched it. Getting older sucks sometimes.
Jay

[1Shirt]

Am always amazed and sometimes amused by the things that you can't do somehow getting done. This is one of those examples of same. I have never tried to load steel (alum is same principle), but only because I never had a need to do so having an adequate supply of brass. However, I have run in to extremely wise in their own mind individuals at the range who tell me without hesitation that I can't do things that I have done. Probably the only reason I have not tried to load steel cases was because I was afraid of what they would do to my dies over a period of time. That said, guess I will pick up the next clean 44 mag or 38S/357 steel case that I see on the ground and load just that one to satisfy myself. The same folks who decry what you can and can't do, are quite often the ones who look at you like you came from the far side when they see you shooting cast in a rifle. Have even had a few of them tell me that you can't get any accruacy out of a cast blt, only to have me outshoot them with thier factory ammo in an 06, 270, or whatever. The same type of individual often tells you that cast are no good for hunting and some that say you are inhumane to hunt with cast. Most often these folks are those who have never shot cast in a rifle, or considered trying reloading steel cases. Also find a few of those who are new to muzzleloading, shooting inlines and plastic wrapped jacketed blts who tell you that a patched round ball is not accurate and not an effective hunting projectile. Bet Dan'l Boone would be supprised to hear that. Yep, next time I find one of the right denomination, will give it a try.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[cohutt]

My shooting buddy does .45 ACP. He tried it with good results on mild to low midrange loads. He also only does it only one or two times. There has never been a problem. I don't but it is good to know that it can if my brass .45 acp runs out.

The picture in the above thread says a lot. Look at the rims of the cases, pretty scarred up.

Shiloh

Remember that in the hour prior to the picture they were hurled out of a MAC10 a dozen times- not a particularly gentle action.

another angle :

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/misc110.jpg

[e8gm90]

I just loaded 15 rounds of boxer primed steel cases this morning. Ran them thru a set of RCBS carbide dies in a Dillon 550b. They loaded fine with no trouble at all. Next trip to the range I'll try them in a SA 1911. If they work OK, I'v found another source of cases that the rest of the shooting crowd frowns upon.

[mroliver77]

Welcome e8gm90,
You'll have to beat me to them! ;)
Jay

[nicholst55]

I've read posts about this on other forums, imcluding a few posts by folks who routinely load steel .223 cases. IIRC they only get 1-2 loads from them before the neck splits, but they would be great for a single-use, 'throw-away' application from the sounds of it.

I plan to begin collecting non-rusted steel .45 and .223 cases upon my return to the States and loading them for contingency use.