dig4gold

How many times do you or should you reload .223 brass?
I have a bunch of store bought Remington I shot and saved. I also bought some Lapua .223.
I've read that reloading once or twice is recommended, but am curious what you aficionado’s think.

Topgun 3006

Don't know where you read that once or twice recommendation because it isn't accurate. Like RR stated, you can reload a given casing many times and it depends on a number of variables, especially are if you are close to max. Watch for signs of splitting, primer pocket problems, etc. Read up on things in a good reloading manual is the best I can suggest.

dig4gold

So it's just like my other rifle calibers.
And I thought everything you read on the internet was true!
The Lapua brass was annealed. I'll start doing that.
I've also noticed that none of the spent brass has needed case length trimming(?)
All of them come in at recommended trim lengths, 1.75".

idahoron

Take a wire and bend it until it breaks. You will have a wire with a small hook in the end. Run that inside the neck to the head and feel for a small ware ring. Ron

Screwbolts

What Ron is describing is a tool to help you look for Case stretching at the base that causes Case head separation.

It is good to probe a few cases periodically.

If your cases are not growing in length, that is a good sign that your dies are properly adjusted for the given length of your chamber and case head separation should not be a problem.

As stated by keeping pressure below max , your brass life will be greatly extended.

Pawildman

Many years ago, I decided to see how many deer I could kill with the same case. If I remember correctly, it was 8 loadings, eight deer. The last loading gave me a head separation, and the case was thrown out. Since then, I generally toss brass after 5 loadings. Certainly it depends on how you have your dies set, how hot you are loading,etc... A paper clip straightened out, and a small 90 deg. hook put on the end of it will help you feel for impending separation. Remember to keep your brass separated as to the number of loadings the cases have had. In other words, don't get 3 times mixed with 1 time, etc..

pnut

Loadem till they crack.

Big Uncle

Neck sizing makes cases last much longer. When I used to shoot BR I probably averaged ten loads before retiring cases. 200 pieces of brass usually lasted the life of the barrel.

For hunting loads in a bolt action rifle I like to partial size the brass, unless it is for a DGR (full sized). Five to eight loadings is probably what I get from a case.

You will get a shorter life out of your brass if it is for your Mini 14. You will probably need to full length size the cases every time. Annealing the necks may extend your case life, but when you work the brass so much by full length sizing it might be a good idea to learn to count to five to avoid head seperations.

dig4gold

Thanks all!

Nomercy448

Since there hasn't been many discrete numbers thrown out, I generally get more than 10 loads unless I push the boundaries for pressure (which I don't usually do).