Brass is Brass Right?

[Three44s]

Thanks for doing the work and sharing ACC!

VIVA Starline!

Three44s

[megasupermagnum]

Something seems strange. Only 5-8 reloads for 38 special brass? I don't load for 38 special in particular, but 357 magnum brass lasts longer. Maybe an oversized chamber, or undersized sizing die? The only caliber I ever had trouble with was 327 federal, and the problem was an undersized sizing die. After fixing it, I can't remember the last case that split.

[tomme boy]

Problem with Rugers is there are 2 different reamers used on the cylinder. I bet the brass that split came out of certain chambers only.

[Biggin]

Both fun (relaxing) and somewhat economical. I feel good about shooten a cartridge that I put together.

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If I was worried about saving money I'd have a big yard sale and go buy me a new TV. Turned that off about 3years ago!

[ACC]

Back in The late 1970's, I think Guns & Ammo Mag did a test with only one case. And a light .38Spl target load of Bullseye.
Don't remember the brand of brass.
But they claimed 160-166 ? Loads.

I loaded Fed brass for my .44Mag target loads back in the 1980's. #429421 over 9.5grs of Unique. Sized in a steel sizer with minimum flare. Trimmed every 4th loading. 300 cases lasted over a year. 100rds a week.
Guess Fed brass ain't what it used to be.

The loads I used were not +P but they were top of the normal pressure loads. I guess if you wanted just very light target loads you could get a lot of reloads out of a case.

ACC

[Wayne Smith]

Problem with Rugers is there are 2 different reamers used on the cylinder. I bet the brass that split came out of certain chambers only.

Ditto - that's going to be my guess too. Chamber size probably has more to do with length splits than anything else.

[BigAlofPa.]

I had nickle cases fail on 38 special loads. The brass i have not had one crack yet. 10mm nickel is the worst for cracking for me, Although when i shoot them out of my Ruger blackhawk they last longer. When i shoot them out of my 1911 i get 2-3 loads.

[country gent]

There are many aspects to brass life and quality. Sizing dies size smaller then expand up to actual size. a die that sizes smaller creates more work hardening than one that sizes close to size. How much you bell a case mouth also creates work hardening. A lighter bell is less work on the brass. Crimping is the same a heavy crimp is harder on brass. Loaded pressures are another variable. Pressure also has a direct effect on primer pockets. as does alignment on seating primers. A primer not truly line up will possibly shave material, creating loose pockets quicker. Federal brass used to be very good but they softened their brass a few years ago and the pockets dont hold up as well now. A very light chamfer on the pocket helps with alignment and seating.

Other things to look for in brass cases are consistency, wall thickness, weight, length,rim thickness. Some even include by water capacity, all of these affect the case life and accuracy of your loads. Variations in cases affect neck tension, pressure, how it fits the chamber, how much the die sizes and expands, crimps. It also will have a direct bearing on pressures.

[smithnframe]

I was at a site that people said 7 shots was all they could get out of 45-70, I am on my 20th shot with some... I just started reloading for it 2 or so years ago. I do have hundreds of shots on some 30-30 and 30-06 cases. I was actually thrown out of that site for telling people that. Like I was a bad influence. :/

I have AK cases that are over 50 shots. I just don't have a problem with case life.

Well done!

What sight were you thrown out of? I've been banned for life from a few!

[ACC]

What sight were you thrown out of? I've been banned for life from a few!

I too have been thrown off a few lists myself. Mostly for asking questions about shooting feral dogs.

ACC

[dragon813gt]

What sight were you thrown out of? I've been banned for life from a few!

I’ve never been banned. But I voluntarily left a few sites dedicated to one particular manufacturer. Seems the mods on multiple forums don’t like it when you post facts contrary to what they’re saying. One actually made it so all my posts had be pre approved before everyone could see them. And they wonder why the forums never grew.

[Win94ae]

I’ve never been banned. But I voluntarily left a few sites dedicated to one particular manufacturer. Seems the mods on multiple forums don’t like it when you post facts contrary to what they’re saying. One actually made it so all my posts had be pre approved before everyone could see them. And they wonder why the forums never grew.

Yes, I would venture to say it was that same site. Some mods were no better than trolls.

[fguffey]

Yes, I would venture to say it was that same site. Some mods were no better than trolls.

And then they love the 'yes man', I have driven all of them to the curb with my picture of my gages, the picture weighs 600 pounds and then I locked them up when I told them the picture die not include my micrometers.

F. Guffey

[samari46]

When Federal came out with their new line of brass about ten years ago a lot of guys who did high power matches raved about their brass. Well that didn't last all that long. Basically they all said it was too soft. The balloon burst and they went back to what they had been using. I've been shooting Federal brass in one of my 30-06 chambered rifles. I'll definitely know I'll never get ten loadings from that particular lot of brass. Frank

[robg]

i use ppu and rp /win/rem brass in my 45-70 .had some loose boolits in the ppu brass ,i thought it felt thinner so i weight them ppu= 165gn the other makes all around 195gn .just goes to show .

[lightman]

No, all brass is not created equal. Several years ago I did some test with 308 brass. Handloader Magazine did a similar test about a year later with about the same results.

I prepped 100 each of as many brands that I had on hand. Then I weighed them, weighed them with alcohol in them, measured the neck wall consistency and shot them. I had about 12 groups of 100 and it took a while. I still have those notes around someplace.

[fguffey]

In an article no one read that was written by a reloader, shooter, author of gun reloated articles purchased 500 cases from one manufacturer and claimed the cases came from one lot.

He sorted, separated, test fired and sorted again and again etc. When finished he settled on 47 cases that he considered match quality. And then he decided to match up culled cases, he claimed the culled cases worked and were accurate if he indexed the case in the chamber etc. etc.

I thought he was so complete in his testing no one would ever come close, and now it seems someone meets and or exceed his skill lever on a daily bases.

F. Guffey

[ACC]

I am no expert, but I feel my tests were real world. My uncle taught my brother and I how to reload back in the 70's even before we were old enough to buy the supplies.

Have I given up on Federal? Nope. Got about 200 38 specials ready to reload.

ACC

[fguffey]

Have I given up on Federal? Nope. Got about 200 38 specials ready to reload.

I believe it is safe to say I have 8,000 FC, Federal and Federal +P cases, that does not include my TW cases.

I did give up on close to 300 cases that went to the iron and metal yard because the cases were believed to be suspect. My problem? I had already fired 60 of them, I thought they were magnificent cases. I did not need the cases so I moved them to the collectable side. The manufacturer claimed their was a problem with the annealing process.

F. Guffey