30-30 Case Life Test.

[barrabruce]

My cases are 309-310" when I size them and expand them with a 311 or 312 mandrel if necessary.
Not jacketed 305-307" inside neckstuff.
Thank the Benchrest one hole shooters on how to make your brass last.

[Bazoo]

I cant remember what my M die measures. I'll have to measure next time I take it apart to clean.

[Bazoo]

I have Winchester and Federal cases, as well as small amounts of Remington and PPU once fired cases. For the next test, I am thinking 3 of each, full length sizing, no annealing, full power loads.

Thinking of doing some accuracy tests as well with them. Maybe not every singe loading, but often enough to see any accuracy deviation. That would allow me to use whatever I happen to be loading at the time, but still have a standard load for the accuracy testing.

Anyone got any ideas?

[trapper9260]

I think for what you like to do for your next test will be interesting to see what the out come will be, since it is going to be different make of cases .

[Butler Ford]

I have Winchester and Federal cases, as well as small amounts of Remington and PPU once fired cases. For the next test, I am thinking 3 of each, full length sizing, no annealing, full power loads.

Thinking of doing some accuracy tests as well with them. Maybe not every singe loading, but often enough to see any accuracy deviation. That would allow me to use whatever I happen to be loading at the time, but still have a standard load for the accuracy testing.

Anyone got any ideas?

Looking forward to the results of this one!


I still have an unopened bag of Hornady brass. I'd be happy to send you a few if you'd like to include them in your test.

BF

[dg31872]

This is very interesting. I thank Bazoo for taking the time to do the research and sharing it with us.
I am curious about the effect of the RCBS X-dies on case life.
Other than not having to trim the brass, what does it do?
If the brass does not thin, would the case last longer?

[waksupi]

I recall P.O. Ackley doing testing like this. I don't recall if he was full length sizing, or neck sizing. He was getting 50+ loadings before he started to see problems.

[Texas by God]

I don't think my 22-250 or 25-06 need apply. Ten reloads are good for these IME. But they run a LITTLE hotter.....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Petrol & Powder]

That's useful information.

To the OP - THANK YOU !

[toallmy]

I have a couple hundred I have been trying to wear out with a light charge of unique , but it seems it's going to take a while .

[Bazoo]

This is very interesting. I thank Bazoo for taking the time to do the research and sharing it with us.
I am curious about the effect of the RCBS X-dies on case life.
Other than not having to trim the brass, what does it do?
If the brass does not thin, would the case last longer?

I wonder this myself. I don't have x dies, maybe someone that does can elaborate. The benefit of the case not continually lengthening would have to extend case life if they were annealed. I wonder how the x die would benefit someone loading for a gun with a loose chamber?

[Bazoo]

Waksupi, I don't have a copy of Ackleys work, but It's on my to get list.

TbG, thanks for sharing. The 22-250 and 25-06 both are at 55k cup, while the 30-30 is only 38k cup. I don't know what pressure my loads are at, but the w748 32.5 grain loads duplicate factory ammo recoil feel and trajectory. I don't have a chrono yet to measure velocity.

I plan to do some testing of a similar fashion when I get into loading for my 30-06. It runs 50k cup, and I'm thinking of a test on brass life between 30-30 pressure levels and 06 levels.

[Bazoo]

I have a couple hundred I have been trying to wear out with a light charge of unique , but it seems it's going to take a while .

Are you annealing your cases? Light loads are a lot easier on brass than full power loads that's for sure.

[35remington]

Did you measure if any shoulder movement is occurring on sizing or did you just crank ‘er down to touch the shell holder plus a bit and call it good?

On another forum we went to some length in discovering that a guy who thought he was full length sizing was not, even with the die adjusted maximally. This with a 30-30.

Case life has a lot to do with the compatibility of case fit to chamber. If it isn’t good case life is poor.

[Bazoo]

Thanks for the comment 35 Remington.

I adjusted the dies to bottom out plus some. I don't have a comparator to measure the shoulder setback. I have however compared fired cases to resized cases visually and with calipers and they are being set back some. Obviously I can't get a quantitive measurement that way and I didn't record any. I don't have a cartridge check gage either, but I do want one.

I do get lube dents on the shoulder if I ain't careful, so that is an indicator I am setting back the shoulder at least some.

I've fired my reloads in a friends marlin 336, and they chambered without problem.

[Tom W.]

All of my 30/30 brass is old. Some are loaded with regular book loads back when it was just a regular 30/30, but since I had it re-chambered about 100 rounds or so are specifically loaded as fire- forming loads. Sometimes I get splits at the shoulder, but most of the fired rounds come out fine. Nothing was annealed because at the time it was all once or twice fired. I will say that I didn't have any bad brass before it was re-chambered.

[toallmy]

Are you annealing your cases? Light loads are a lot easier on brass than full power loads that's for sure.

No I haven't , at least not yet . As soon as I notice the brass starting to harden ' when pulling the expander ball out of the resized case ' I will .
Thank you for taking the time writing up this post .

[trapper9260]

Thanks for the comment 35 Remington.

I adjusted the dies to bottom out plus some. I don't have a comparator to measure the shoulder setback. I have however compared fired cases to resized cases visually and with calipers and they are being set back some. Obviously I can't get a quantitive measurement that way and I didn't record any. I don't have a cartridge check gage either, but I do want one.

I do get lube dents on the shoulder if I ain't careful, so that is an indicator I am setting back the shoulder at least some.

I've fired my reloads in a friends marlin 336, and they chambered without problem.

Just to state that for lube dents is from too much lube ,I get some once in awhile also when do bottle neck. Cut back on the lube in that area. then you will find you will not have that after .Just to give you a idea on it . Hope it will help also.

[35remington]

Great differences in case life occur when cases are sized too much versus just enough. Two guys adjusting different dies for different rifles may get different results, so it is important to point out the results you get, unless you measure shoulder setback, may and likely can be very different than the results someone else gets.

The aforementioned guy that thought he was full length sizing was about 0.010” short of touching the shoulder. This was really closer to neck sizing.

It helps to measure to explain the results you are getting. Less shoulder setback may improve case life even more, depending upon just how your cases fail when they do fail.

[popper]

Range PU, factory Hornady, toss them when they split. Anneal when I feel bored. FL sized for levergun, lee dies. No clue as to how many reloads, but probably 10 avg. Unique cast loads to factory FTX loads.