how many times?
 

i was just wondering how many times u can reload a case before u have to throw it away?

RE: how many times?
 

Very broad quesiton.

300RUM, you get a good 3 shots before need of anneal and only get 2 more after that.

270win, you might get 5 shots before annealing and 3 after that.

44mag, target loads with unique, yo ucould get upwards of 20 shot before cracks. Heavy hunting loads, I am on shot 7 with a batch I have.

9mm, who knows.

RE: how many times?
 

yup.....no right answer here.....but anywhere from 1 to 15 depending on headspace and load used.....
A .270 for example in good shape and loaded modestly will probably give you 5-10 loads.

RE: how many times?
 

jaybird2, what are you loading, and how hot? It's just a roll of the dice. Some cases I only got two reloades, some up to 20. I always check them before after sizing.

RE: how many times?
 

jaybird2......I always check my cases under a lighted MAG lamp,before I reload.

Any in question, I smash them flat with a vise grip and throw them in the brass bucket.

It all depends on how manytimes......Don't forget,the BRASS stretches and gets THINNER!!

You reform the case, but most of the time you have to TRIM them because they stretched.

Always check for "THERMAL FATIQUE", HEAD and PRIMER POCKET distortion.

Don't take anything for GRANTED,when reloading!!

I personaly, don't go more than four or five times.Other people DO!

IF in dought,call or E-MAIL the companies for thier OPINIONS!

RE: how many times?
 

I usually use my brass for five to eight loadings in my ultramags and stw's and up to ten times for my 22-250.

RE: how many times?
 

Stubble, you get 5-8 loadings? Holy cow, is that with annealing? No split necks? Have you ever had case separation?

RE: how many times?
 

No annealing,no split necks and no separation.However my chambers are all very tight(I even had some of my own reamers built to minimum specifications)so the cases do not expand as much and as a result they aren't worked as much by the sizing dies.

RE: how many times?
 

yeah and remember this bigcountry, stubbles getting that many loads out of his ultra and he loads em super duper burn'em up hot too!!

annealing.......we dont need no stinkin annealing!!!*:D






*mossy just learned what annealing meant 2 days ago

RE: how many times?
 

Ok Stubble do you think a factory chamber with .004" of headspace compared to an average loaded cartridge and .010" of excess neck last 5 loading? Also being FL sized every time?

RE: how many times?
 

It's dependent on the caliber and load, and to a lessor degree the care of the person doing the reloading.

RE: how many times?
 

What??

RE: how many times?
 

Actually that is not the case as many other people are producing velocities that are greater than those produced by my rifles.

The less that a case is worked,the longer that it lasts as long as the pressures are kept reasonable.If the outside neck diameters on your fired cases measure .005" to .006" larger than your loaded rounds, the cases will not last as long (due to neck splitting or cracking) as if the fired diameters are .003" to .004" more than your loaded rounds.If you have a shorter chamber, the brass will not be worked as much as if you have a longer chamber( and are constantly pushing back the shoulder),and case head separation will not occur as soon.

RE: how many times?
 

Thats right stubble. And I imagine the poster is wanting to know that kinda of imformation. I doubt he has your high dollar guns. Thats the point I am getting at. Just trying to answer the guys question. If I was new I would want the stright up facts, not whats the best you can do in the most ideal situations.

Wouldn't you agree?

RE: how many times?
 

My conditions are better than average but if I wanted maximum brass life,I would use milder loads and neck size resorting only to full length sizing when the rounds become hard to chamber.My 22-250 is an accurized factory rifle with a standard chamber, and the brass life is the longest of my current rifles.My howa .223 and my 40xb-ks in 6mmrem easliy provided 8 to 10 loadings per case.My factory weatherby markV in 257wby provided the shortest case life as I bought a batch of factory loads in order to obtain brass for reloading.After firing the very hot factory loads I only used the brass two more times before it was discarded due to loose primer pockest.When I pulled the bullets and used the same handloads the brass life doubled.There are just too many variables to be able to give accurate estimates of case life with any specific rifle.

RE: how many times?
 

I have a feeling I could get more brass life if I used the bushing dies. I just never got around to it.