How many loads on 30-30 cases

[autofix4u]

I know that cases wear/stretch and usually cull my 25-06 cases after the 2nd trim due to thinning at the head web. But I have about 100 30-30 cases that see lighter loads. I have only had to trim then once and am on the 9th loading. When do you all cull out you 30-30s and what do you look for. By the way I do sort my 30-30 cases by rifle, they always go back to the same gun. I think this helps with case life if I am wrong let me know. Thank you Josh DeLozier.

[Char-Gar]

All brass cases will grow a little and need trimming from time to time. But, thining of the case near the base can be either eliminated or greatly reduced by neck sizing or partial resizing of the case.

Of course Brass does vary in quality, but good brass not pushed to the max with high pressure loads can last a very long time.

30-30 brass can be partialy sized to fit the individual rifle chamber and case life will be greatly extended.

I only full length size hunting loads or loads used in an auto-loading rifle. In a hunting rifle I don' want a tie-up of the rifle in the field and in an auto-loading rifle, I don't want to run the risk of a slam fire.

All other cases are neck or only partially sized.

I have some brass that has been in service for well over 30 yerars, and seem to be everlasting.

[Shiloh]

I have .30-30 on there 6th loading. Been trimmed twice. Neck sized feed fine in my sons rifle. Primer pockets are tight.

I have .30-06 brass that has been loaded dozens of times. Neck sized only. Trimmed several times, and annealed the necks twice. Primer pockets are still tight. Shooting only cast loads, the brass lasts a long, long time.

I expect the same from the .30-30

Shiloh

[beagle]

Good for loads and loads of loads with cast. Just trim about every 5 firings or when they start creeping out in length.

Usually the case fails with hairline cracks in the neck before anywhere else. Then, it's time to junk that one. The rest in that lot may go on and on. R-P brass is especially bad about this./beagle

[MT Gianni]

I went to an RCBS X die for 30-30 and have shot cases 10+ times with out the need to trim. YMMV.

[qajaq59]

With light loads and cast bullets I'm not sure you could wear them out.
Heavy loads are totally different though. With those I check for cracks in the neck after I clean them. And I use a paper clip to check inside whenever they need trimming.

[O.S.O.K.]

A little OT to this but I once shot informal steel plates with an older gent that shot 45 ACP and he informed me that he had brass that was over 30 years old that had been reloaded and shot an untold number of times.

I think the 30-30 will also last like this if the loads are low pressure - like if your shooting cast boolits at 1500 -1600 fps. Even if you're shooting say 170 grain boolits around 1900-2000, the pressure is very mild and the cases could last for many many loadings without thinning - cracking is probably more of an issue if you are full length sizing.

[Shiloh]

I have .38 Special, .45 Auto-rim, and .45 ACP that has been fired to many times to count.
When they split they get pitched. Some of the rims are really scarred

I read a story about a gun writer who had .38 special brass from wadcutter loads that was decades old.

Shiloh

[woody1]

I know that cases wear/stretch and usually cull my 25-06 cases after the 2nd trim due to thinning at the head web. But I have about 100 30-30 cases that see lighter loads. I have only had to trim then once and am on the 9th loading. When do you all cull out you 30-30s and what do you look for. By the way I do sort my 30-30 cases by rifle, they always go back to the same gun. I think this helps with case life if I am wrong let me know. Thank you Josh DeLozier.

Josh, You don't say what you're shooting, I will assume a lever action 30-30. You also don't say what you consider a lighter load. I load more 30-30's than about anything else and have many cases that are over 50 years old. I think I can count on one hand the neck splits I've had in 30-30 cases but I don't load 'em hot. Book max. yes, sometimes, but never over. Most of my loads are lighter loads for plinking. Seems like you can load a load of say 8 grains of Unique or 7.4 grains of Green Dot under anything under about 150 grains almost forever IF you neck size only. Mebe if you don't, I don't know because I neck size and always have. If you're loading hotter and especially if full length resizing and having to trim, you need to look out for head separations. If you begin seeing a shiny ring around the base about a quarter inch above the head you should start checking, using the sharpened paperclip trick, for that. That brass that's being trimmed off is coming from somewhere and it's down there that the brass is being thinned. HTH Regards, Woody

[Le Loup Solitaire]

One hundred years ago some shooters used one case and reloaded it all day and for a long time. It probably was in/for single shot rifles. One brand I read about was appropriately named "Everlast'. They were not resized and probably not crimped. That brings us to the two processes that shorten case life....resizing and crimping. Either or both work the brass, sometimes excessively, and shorten its life, especially in the necks. Cases also lengthen and sooner or later have to be trimmed. Brass also flows and when it does some area of it gets thinner. If you are easy on it then it will last longer... the easier-the longer. High performance loadings, full length resizing and roll crimping are tough on case longevity. It should also periodically be annealed to keep the necks soft. Case primer pockets can and do wear out, won't hold the primer and then its time to toss the case, but if its good brass to start with then that takes a long time. It takes some planning, but its well worth it to conserve what you have and then your brass will be with you for a lot longer. The price of it only goes up, never down. LLS

[Bob Krack]

Josh,

Your actions seem very reasonable and cautious.

I read somewhere - Steve's pages? or I'll look around.

Full powered loads - seems like .30-06 or equivalent, neck sized only, lasted around 60 times.

With cast, and relative low or medium powered loads, I would expect many many many loadings. Rimmed and belted cases might show more problems in the lower portions of the case than neck-spaced cases.?

Bob

[Recluse]

My plinking loads with cast boolits (8.0 grains of Unique) will probably outlive me. My hunting loads, some with cast boolits and others with jacketed, have easily withstood over a dozen loadings and firings--and that is without annealing them.

Likewise with my 30-06 and .308 reloads. I have some "match" loads and brass for 30-06 that have over 20 full-house loadings and firings through them, but they get annealed between every five and eight firings.

As Shiloh remarked about an older gentlemen he knows, I have .38 Special brass that I've been reloading since the early 80's--and I shoot a lot of .38 Special.

But, I also will anneal my best revolver brass since I use a roll-crimp on it. This seems to have helped greatly reduce the number of split and/or cracked cases I've encountered.

:coffee:

[autofix4u]

Thank you all for the input. I have 5 different 94 winchesters in 30-30 and all but one only see cast loads 13-1800fps. The newest one is a late 70s model w/the stainless reciver & side mount scope and I do hunt with it and sometimes shoot some jbullets. I neck size only and was just worried about needing to replace my brass or not. I just thought 9-10 loads was about it. I will keep an eye on my brass and see how long they last. Thanks all. Josh

[3rptr]

When your attempt to size a case crumples it... it might be time.
When your attempt to eject brings you a small disk... it might be time.
YMMV

I haven't yet made sparks to the side of a rifle, but I have pushed some too far.
Decent inspection before reloading, especially when you know the chamber condition of the firearm, is always wise.

Always better to exercise caution.

Someone mentioned 6x reloads...
When you get to that point, pick some random cases and slit them with a dremel tool to check wall thickness.
If they are flowing and need to be trimmed a couple times, that's certainly an indicator for further inspection.

Far better to be safe than sorry.

[303Guy]

I try to anneal after each firing. My theory being that the neck tension will remain cinsistant that and if I do miss one or two or get lazy, they will still remain soft.

I too am still kinda using 30 year old cases. It's not all it's cracked up to be. If I had known they'd last so long I would have made sure I wouldn't run short due to the occasional losses in the long grass! Now I just use those remnant oldies for testing.

The secret to longevity is not allowing your brass to bind against the chamber walls during firing. Keeping pressure mild goes a long way but so does keeping the chamber and cases clean and lubed! Remember that the function of the case is to hold all the components together in a unit and to seal the chamber on firing. That's all! The locking lugs are there to carry bolt face thrust. A polished chamber with clean brass might be just fine without lubricant. That's because clean brass on a smooth clean steel surface is self lubricating. Anyway, clean brass is not lubricant free. Only solvent washed brass is.