steel and aluminum 45acp cases

[rmatchell]

Im not sure if its been covered here but has anybody had any luck loading steel and aluminum 45acp cases. I have been saving all the boxer primed non brass cases and was thinking about some round ball loads just for fun, not to worried if they don't cycle. just looking for a use for these cases I hate to scrap them if they can be used.

[xacex]

The steel ones work fine if they are not rusted, and picked up right away. All of the aluminum ones I have seen have two flash holes like a Berdan primer so I have never tried reloading them. If I find fresh steel cased 45acp I pick it up for loading, and using where I know when I shoot I will not find my brass. I would leave the aluminum for the scrapper.

[35remington]

If these are old steel cases, please look closely and confirm the extractor groove in the case is the same size and depth as brass 45 ACP. It is not the material it is made of, but rather the small size of the extractor groove that increases extractor wear, especially when the gun is fired and the case may slam rearward and take the extractor hook's nose under impact.

Small groove? If you have carbide dies, shoot them in revolvers.

[Outpost75]

As long as you tumble clean the steel cases to remove range grit and use carbide dies, they will reload ok for a few reloads. I have found that life is better with USGI steel cases than with the Russian ones, but they will usually handle 2 reloads before you get splits.

Some WW2 steel cases, EC and ECC 43 may be encountered which use the old .206 diameter military primer and will require reaming of the primer pocket. Some steel cases have a narrow extraction groove on the head, compared to brass cases, which may interfere with the extractor nose and may contribute to extractor breakage in the M1911 pistol, if the cramping is severe.

But with the scarcity of components today, I glean every steel. 45 case I can find.I segrate themmostly for use in revolvers, where they work very well.

[fredj338]

My experiment loading both. Alum, just doesn't work for more than 1x, the vel spreads get enormous as the alum has little to no ductility. The steel works better, but also suffer the same work hardening earlier than any brass case. So for me, except for SHTF, not doing it.

[mikeym1a]

I've no experience with the steel cases, but some with the aluminum. When CCI first came out with their blazer ammo, I bought it. It's stamped NR for non reloadable. I recognized that they were berdan primed, and reasoned that the primer were probably the same size as the boxers that CCI made. I drilled out the web with a small drill, punched out the berdan anvil, and proceeded to reload with boxer, which worked beautifully. I had one split on me recently. But, that one had been reloaded at least 6 times. They have the added virtue of being so light. The newer aluminum cases I've seen are loaded with SPP. They are also marked 'NR' on the head. They reloaded fine for me. I'll use them until they give up.

[lunicy]

Reloaded both, usually not worth it. Plenty of 45 brass to go around.

Steel will work ok
Alum has to be converted to boxer. Will only last 1 maybe 2 firings.

[plainsman456]

Years ago i was given about 500 pieces of 45 steel cases,these were military from the 40's.

The hardest thing was de-crimping them,they are made out of some good stuff.

They were reloaded with fmj and worked flawlessly.

Just take your time.I would not do it again.

[fredj338]

I've no experience with the steel cases, but some with the aluminum. When CCI first came out with their blazer ammo, I bought it. It's stamped NR for non reloadable. I recognized that they were berdan primed, and reasoned that the primer were probably the same size as the boxers that CCI made. I drilled out the web with a small drill, punched out the berdan anvil, and proceeded to reload with boxer, which worked beautifully. I had one split on me recently. But, that one had been reloaded at least 6 times. They have the added virtue of being so light. The newer aluminum cases I've seen are loaded with SPP. They are also marked 'NR' on the head. They reloaded fine for me. I'll use them until they give up.

Run your loads over a chrono, vel spreads are terrible, as much as 80fps in my fav 45acp loads in brass cases. Just not worth it.

[30CAL-TEXAN]

I have a small lot of Tula Steel cases that I am reloading as an experiment to see how long they last until they split.

Thus far I am on reload #5 and have lost zero to splits but have just simply lost/could not find about 10 out of the original 50. At this rate I figured they would last just about as long as brass because I would loose them before I ever wore them out!

[MtGun44]

Steel is OK, never tried aluminum.

Bill

[fcvan]

I've loaded some steel .223, 9mm, 40, and .45 ACP. I don't really shoot the steel cases, I just like to have some ammo for when I'm shooting at a place where it's hard to recover the brass. I don't mind losing some steel.

I was at one range where the range safety officer was going around picking up the steel cases with a big magnet. I suppose that would be good for quickly retrieving your empties if you shot a lot of steel. I don't and have only purchased 1 box of steel .223 because that's all they had and I was breaking in a new AR I'd just built. I picked them up, reloaded them with cast PCd 225-415, and tried chambering them in the AR, no go even after sizing and trimming. They chambered fine in an old 180 model Mini 14. So, I loaded up a bunch more steel and put them with the mags for the Mini 14.

[NoZombies]

I load steel cases for the .45 for the times when I'm not sure I'll be able to recover my brass.

Thus far, I've had no real issues with it, but I will recommend using case lube, even with carbide dies.

[rmatchell]

Sounds good, I just hate to through out somthing if it can be used. Plus i like the idea of useing them where i dont care if i cant find them.

[fatelk]

I've loaded plenty of both steel and aluminum. I haven't seen any berdan aluminum cases in quite a while; I think they switched to boxer a few years ago.

Put me in the camp of "With so much brass, it's not worth it". Pretty much same as you all who just shoot them where you don't mind losing your empties.

I have a bucket full of brass .45acp that I will probably never get around to loading. If you are short on brass they can work OK, but not ideal.
I've never bothered trying to load them more than once or twice, but then again I just don't shoot that much anymore.

Another comment- especially with aluminum, pressure seems to make a big difference. I've tried reloading aluminum .40 and 9mm. It didn't work nearly as well as 45acp. Lots of splits.