Approx Brass Lifespan

[osteodoc08]

With the cost of new brass (and used brass in some cases), What is the approx lifespan of brass. For some I hear indefinite, others 3 loadings max. I know it depends on the specific caliber and how hot it is loaded. But for an average, run of the mill loading, what can we expect for

Pistol: 9mm, 40 S&W, 10mm, 45acp, 38/357, 44 Mag, 45 colt

Rifle: 223/556, 308 case family, 30/06 case family, 30/30, 7mm RM, etc

I reload mostly 45 acp, 38/357, 41mag, 45 colt, 556, 308, 30/06 (Garand) and 30/30. Case life has been numerous for 45acp, 45 colt, 38 spec and 30/30. I'll get splits in the 357/41 and get tossed from 8-12 reloadings and i typically reload 556/308/30-06 3x and toss the brass for fear of CH separations or other failure. I ty to shoot in lots of brass and if I start getting loose primer pockets, I'll toss them as well.

[C. Latch]

9mm/45acp: infinite. I lose brass before I wear it out
38/357/45Colt: 20-30 shots depending on flare and crimp levels.

Bottlenecks: 5-10 rounds
Belted magnums: 3-6 rounds.

YMMV, a lot.

[gnostic]

Obviously, the determining factor is how hot you load them, and how hard you work the brass in the loading process. I get about the same number of reloads per case as you do...

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I have some 357 Magnum brass that I know has been reloaded 30 times or more

[BK7saum]

If you set up rifle dies to cam over in your press and also have a loose chamber, then yes, maybe 2 to 3 loads. I set my bottleneck rifle dies up to only bump the shoulder 0.001-0.002" and have never had a case head separation in those calibers. Some cases have been loaded 10 plus times, maybe much more.

If you are worried about case head separations in bottleneck cases, use a small wire with a 90 degree bend to feel the case wall near the head for a groove. If no groove is felt, keep loading and shooting those cases. I've lost all my cases to loose primer pockets and split necks. The only CH separations I've had were a 2506 improve that has a chamber about 0.020" too deep.

[KAF]

Annealing brass will make sure you get way more loadings. Very easily done. I have 357 Max brass that is necked down to 32 cal that has had years of use on them.

[DerekP Houston]

I tend to use mine until I find a Crack or noticeable damage. This is pistol rounds 380 - 45acp.

[JSnover]

I tend to use mine until I find a Crack or noticeable damage. This is pistol rounds 380 - 45acp.

Same here. If I notice the headstamp is almost worn off I'll toss it. I figure the rim has worn pretty thin by then.

[waksupi]

I have rifle brass with 50+ loadings.

[runfiverun]

well you can see from the above....... it depends.

I had one set of brass for a particular rifle that I didn't even size I just punched the primer and re-filled the case.
I bet I could have reloaded those 50 cases until I died.

and I have had some others that wouldn't hold the boolit after two firings.

on average though 10 firings on a full jacketed rifle round is pretty good.
revolvers are hard to tell.
I have got over 40 loads on many 38 special cases, and have split nickel 45 colt brass in about 3 while the rest of them went over 40.

[WILCO]

With the cost of new brass (and used brass in some cases), What is the approx lifespan of brass.

It varies. I use mine until it's visually defective.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Mild loads in .30-30 or .303 Savage, anneal every 5 loadings 30+. 45 ACP - ? lost before worn out,. Using Redding Competition Shellholders (usually +.006, +.008) gets me another 4 or 5 full power reloads in my .243's, .308's, and .300's in the Savage 99. Carefully adjusting shoulder reset when full-length resizing is critical to case life on rimless cartridges. Rimmed cartridges and light loads give better case life when shoulder reset is not carefully controlled. Light loads in the .30-30, .32 Special, .303 Savage seldom need full-length resizing. Cases with more taper can be neck-sized by simply unscrewing the full-length sizer a couple of turns. Neck sizing is fine as long as function is not impaired i.e. reasonable chambering and extraction for expected use. DIE ADJUSTMENT is the key to longer case life.

[RogerDat]

It varies. I use mine until it's visually defective.

You know a thread with pictures of cases that are rejected for reloading along with the reason might prove useful. Sometimes hard to determine difference between minor shadow near case head and brass that has been stretched and compressed enough that it warrants concern, or checking for ridge with wire on the inside of the case.

Brass is expensive, one doesn't want to pitch it before it wears out, at the same time one does not want to load a round that is an accident waiting to happen. I have a zip lock baggie of brass I want to show someone with more experience to get a second opinion for that very reason. "Might" be bad, might not, don't want to take a chance based on my "best guess" since I have not loaded that caliber before.

I actually came across a bunch of cracked neck starline 45 colt brass in a bucket of range brass. Had to wonder about age or hard usage. Those rims were worn really thin all the way around. I went from exited at finding 45 colt to bummed that it was all used up.

[Bent Ramrod]

Depends on the gun, the intensity of loading, and the internals of your reloading dies.

My .30-06 cases are loaded to the old specifications so I can use the sights on my 03. Haven't lost a case yet, and I full-length resize them every reloading. My .270 is loaded to handbook levels to approximate (usually lower) factory velocities. I start seeing the occasional neck crack after three reloadings.

A slightly tight neck and a slightly fat expander ball in your resizing die will wear cases out pretty quick as well.

I anneal the case necks of all the unusual calibers I shoot. The others, I let wear out and replace.

[bangerjim]

Yes.........it all depends!

On what you use to tumble your brass in/with

On your powder load

On your reloading methods of "working the brass"

On your environment. (Corrosion)

I just watch the cases when de-priming/resizing for any stress, cracks, or funny colored areas and toss them. I do not keep count at all, just visual inspeciton and good olde common sense.

I throw away very few! As long as you are doing things right, your brass should last SAFELY for many cycles.

I have not bought brass in a while. I come home from the range with 2-3X what I went with! Around these parts, 45LC's are hard to pick up so I have bought those, but have never thrown a single one away due to being "worn out". 223/556, 9mm, 300BLK, 380, 38/357mag, 40S&W, 44mag, 45ACP are very common everywhere! Most range people are com-ammo shooters and do not save thier brass. Works for me!

banger

[Kraschenbirn]

Another "depends" here. I've got milsurp .45 ACP with 1950s headstamps that I've been reloading to 'softball' levels since the early 1970s and I've got some Remington "match" that was purchased new and has never been loaded with anything but IPSC "major". Occasionally, I'll toss one out for a crack in the case mouth but, otherwise, I tend to lose 'em rather than wear 'em out. Same with my .38s, .357s, and .44s.

Rifle-wise, I sort my brass by which gun it was fired from and neck-size for my bolt-gun and single-shots. While I do get an occasional split neck in the thinner-walled cases...32-20s and .22 Hornets...almost all of my .30 cal. discards are due to loose primer pockets from being reloaded so many times with mil-spec 'hard' primers. On the other hand, back in my IHMSA days, I did have one of J.D. Jones' wildcat 7mm barrels for a Contender that was good for only 3 or 4 full-power reloads...parent brass just couldn't handle the pressures generated by J.D.s 'recommended' loads.

Bill

[Hick]

In my experience it depends on the type of case. 30-30 and 32WS I have over 20 reloadings and going strong. BUT-- those cases headspace on the rim, so that case length (and shoulder position) don't have to be perfect. These I always fire in the same rifle and only neck size. 30-06 headspaces on the shoulder, so I full-length resize, and I've seen some splitting in as few as 6-8 reloads. Another parameter is whether or not you are using an M die to open the mouth for lead. The cases where I don't use an M die seem to last longer before I get neck splitting. I haven't done extensive research, but I think the key is that the more cold-working you do (resizing or expanding) the quicker it will work-harden and fail. The less you do the longer they will last.

[wv109323]

I think the answer to your question depends upon several variables. Pistol brass is "low maintenance" and requires little attention. Life is good. Rifle brass is much more sensitive to stresses during reloading and pressures generated during firing. With neck annealing and case trimming rifle brass can last several reloads, as mentioned in threads.

[FISH4BUGS]

Bolt rifles with neck sizing only - 10 or more easily
Semi autos are nororiously hard on brass - maybe 5 if you are lucky
Pistol - until it cracks.

[jcwit]

I have .223 cases that have been reloaded 70+ times, they are not loaded hot at all, they are loaded for pinpoint in a Rem. 700 vls.

30/30 Not sure yet, have reloaded 6 or 8 times, with no issues.

the .223 get neck sized only and bumped back every 10 to 12 reloadings, all depends on how the chamber when shooting.

the 30/30 gets neck sized every 3 reloadings, then full length sized every 4th reloading.

45ACP till I lose them.

All other pistol either till I lose them or they split.