how many times can you reload a shell??????????

[DARTanian]

i have some shells that i' ve reloaded maybe 15 to 20 times and still have no problems with them. is there a recomended amount of reloads per shell or can i still inspect each one and continue using it?????????

[Russ otten]

First, are you loading pistol or rifle cartridges? Pistol cartridges will stand up to a lot of reloading better than rifle. Less powder and less pressure to affect the brass. But even pistol brass will start to deteriate after a bunch of reloading. I usually see the mouth getting thin or minute cracks around the ends. If my trimmer won' t remove these tiny cracks, there gone. Rifle brass takes a real beating, especially if you are loading heavy. Watch your case length and trim as necessary. One other thing; pay special attention to the primer pockets. If the primer sets too easy, it may be time to chuck them.
How about it, you other reloaders. Any corrections or other comments? If I' m missing something, even I could use some pointers.

[DARTanian]

i load 30-06 shells and usually load just shy of heavyor hot. i pop out the primer then clean each shell with brasso then inspect each shell for cracks,splits,bulges,etc,etc. if in dought, throw it out.

[handloader1]

I have a RCBS tool called " Case Master" . I can check head case seperation from the inside of the case if the seperation is over spec. I toss the case. Good luck.

[eldeguello]

When you say " shells" , we have assumed you meant brass cartridge cases rather than shotgun shells. The number of reloadings you can get from a lot of brass is affected by many things-hardness of the brass, composition of the brass, brass thickness, the harshness (or lack thereof) of your resizing dies, and how close the headspace of your rifle or pistol happens to be. Another major factor, that you have direct control over, is operating pressures of the loads you use. For example: in a good chamber, with a set of dies that closely matches your rifle chamber' s dimensions, if you load a .270, 7mm, or .30/' 06, to pressures between 35,000 to 45,000 PSI, your brass could last virtually " forever" . But, if you insist on every last foot per second of available velocity, case life could be as short as one to five shots. I GENERALLY GET 10 to 15 reloads out of my hunting rifle brass!! Good luck!!