Thread: Brass life

Only full length size 270win, 300BLK and 7mm-08 as my mates can use my ammo any time they run out on a trip. Get 7-8 reloads from the 270 and 15 so far from the 300BLK and 6-7 time out of the 7mm-08. Neck size 308win and 223 and they last 8-9 times before the primer pockets are loose.

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Home sick today so decided to load a few rounds of 7mm Rem Mag. 72g Retumbo (AR2225) with 162 A-Max on top in Norma brass. Fairly bog standard load runs at just over 3K.
I tag my brass each load (rather than each firing) to make it easy to keep count.


I did the first body bump (FL size) this cycle, just because I can, and at 5 firings there was no resistance at all so I'm assuming the brass is still in spec.
Brass was about 0.010" - 0.015" over length of 2.500" which my Nosler book says is SAAMI size so it was all trimmed in the Forster.
Neck bushing die with Type S Redding die to something like 0.0025" tension.
Primer seating was still firm which I am happy with.
This load normally seats like butter but it was a touch firm with the first few rounds. I graphite dipped the proceeding cases and it was considerably better. Pretty sure I annealed this batch a few months ago.
Im thinking I should have more than a few more firings out of this brass.
How many firings do most of us get from their brass?

The healing powers of Dr Reloading Bench are quite remarkable @kiwijames

Unlike pulling a sickie on a Friday which is pretty predictable


Hope your feeling better

Cheers
Pete

One shot, blow the primer out, get new brass

It must be a rainy day to judge by the number of replies so quick.
I hope you start to feel better soon James.

I've had about 15 loads so far out of my Norma 7mm08 brass. I Full Length size every time (too lazy to get neck dies) and I size them down by 0.003" (shoulder datum) so that's minimal working. I'm starting to get a couple of split necks in each batch of 50 but have never had a case head separation. I haven't annealed, just because I can't. For me its primer packets loosening. After just 3 or 4 loadings some start to loosen up and a few more go each time so now the 15 reload batches have about half quite loose pockets. They still seem to shoot just fine so I keep using them. I mark the loose pocket bases with felt pen. I wonder if its because I always clean the pocket with the cutting tool.

From the .303 I got about 8 or 10 loads before heads separated. Had to pluck the case out with a we saw blade I carried around for velvet. I marked those cases with big felt pen rings around the body - who know what that did to the sizing ! This was with a hammer-in lee loader. Interesting, all those pockets feel real nice to seat into compared to the 7mm08 now. The separation problem hasn't come back since I got a new bolt head which Din built up with some weld to fix the headspace. Good action the old SMLE.

Cheers for the sympathy, I'm feeling better today, was just a passing cold. Better to stay home and keep the rest of the crew from catching it.
Im using some ex army Lapua 308 in my 7-08. God knows how many times I've loaded these. Tough brass. I always clean pockets too. Wondering if Im sometimes too aggressive with a little bit of brass shed each time, but it all works so I guess its OK.

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Cheers for the sympathy, I'm feeling better today, was just a passing cold. Better to stay home and keep the rest of the crew from catching it.

Bloody Fridayitis more like it
@Bagheera
I bet he was feeling pretty darn good when he pulled up the chair to the loading bench.

Cheers
Pete

I get 4 firings with norma brass in my 300wm then the primers wont stay in so biff it and start again