How do you know when your brass is kaput?

Some of my 7mm08 brass is coming up on 7 reloads (and unfortunately got mixed in with some newer stuff a little while ago) and I was wondering when do you guys call it quits on brass?

Do you ditch it after a certain number? Or do you look for certain signs?

One of the dodgey guys at the range waits until there's a big bulge/ring about a cm from the back of the round :O_O:

I do always check the necks and cases for cracks, I check for bulges. So far nothing, and I reckon (from what I've heard) I'll get ten reloads out of the 08 brass, but curious to see what you guys do.

Yep, the 'dodgey' guy is right. Case seperation where the brass gets stretched the most.
Plus split neck, loose primer pockets, or if you have had too hot a load, big dents form the extractor on the back.

I'm up to 15 reloads for some RP .270 brass. I did that to see how long it would last.
Annealed each firing.
Mostly neck sized, if full length or body sized, only 1 thou headspace on the shoulder.
Checked for case seperation (inside and out), but all sweet still.

Also depends on the quality of the brass. The cheaper stuff (ie RP!) can end up being brittle. Where as Norma, Nosler and Lapua would be btter in the long run.

YOU will KNOW !!!!!

Rimfire

Carefully look for the signs, after cleaning but before reloading.

I have cases that have been reloaded more than 20 times and are still going strong. They have been annealed four times now and are not loaded with anything real stressfull.

I have had other cases split at the neck after the first firing of factory loads. PMC brass being most notible here.

I always run my cases to the point of almost failure.... this point is usually noticed when you start seeing the signs.

If it's a minor defect like split necks then thats a sign we should be annealing. Recycle the split cases, anneal the remaining ones.

Head case separation, Loose primer pockets, split case bodies, or any other major defect into the recycle bucket, no questions asked

Cheers
Pete

If you have light ejector marks are they still safe to use?

Providing they pass all other inspection Toby

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

yeah sweet, the WSM shells I used were federal once fired from my rifle then when it came to reloading and checking I saw wee marks on it but thought it should be sweet.

Toby, I've seen a lot of Federal Factory brass with light marks on the back from being fired just that once, so as VC says, you will be fine.

Its fucked when it comes out in two pieces

Its still on your shelf after your mates have pilfered the rest.

At ten bucks a case I wash, dry, roll them in talcum powder and keep them in cotton wool between reloads, and it pisses me when I break one.

Nothing worse than when you pull them out of the box to fire them and the primer is still in the box:oh noes:

This is just the best series I have found, well worth the many hours Ive spent watching it so far IMHO. 2 or 3 in an evening and Im asleep, LOL.

Mail Call Mondays - Introduction and Viewer Request! - YouTube

From show 18 on he talks about reloading....inspection might be in #29.

Apart from that, the reloaders I am learning off tell me watch for seperation/splits where the case wall meets the base of the cartridge, this is the common failure point. Then neck splits is one to watch out for. As an engineer Im used to torturing metal so Im pretty happy I can read it OK. If in doubt replace, a bag of 100 is about $150? seems a small price to pay to be safe.

If there are any other tips or videos ppl want to share, Im all ears.

:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kiwijames

Its fucked when it comes out in two pieces

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Sorta like this?

http://www.accurateshooter.com/techn...iagnosis/:omg:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TeRei

Sorta like this?

http://www.accurateshooter.com/techn...iagnosis/:omg:

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Fixed that URL for you TeRei.

Causes of Case-Head Separation within AccurateShooter.com

That's a good tip. I wonder what causes that thin spot in that specific point.

That's a good tip. I wonder what causes that thin spot in that specific point.[/QUOTE]

The case neck and body is pressed out against the chamber from firing pressure and cannot move reward. The case head-web is thicker and doesn't/should not expand and so doesn't grip the chamber and is forced reward against the bolt,hence the stretch in that area.
This is why its important when full length sizing to size to your chamber and not over size or it will stretch excessively in this spot reducing case life.
Any good loading manual is full of this and lots of other info ;)

thin spot, in general engineering, I say that because while I have considerable engineering and some combustion knowledge I have none specific to ammo and explosions (though an explosion is really just a very fast [mostly] un-controlled fire), so several possibilities,

The flame from the explosion will have a "front" as it goes off even and explosion takes time to happen, sort of like a weather front as the flame burns it maybe that that front impacts the wall just there so its erosion, and/or the flame front's temperature is causing a localised change in the metal like its being softened more than else where and/or its the highest pressure point hammering it thinner. You could send a cross section away to get the metal in that area put under a microscope to see if there is any sort of change.

c) Something in the way a full die is working that causes a thinning just there.

If you really wanted to know, a microscopic inspection might yield clues, in fact I suspect you would indeed see from that.

Also from what I can read some case manufacturers cases have a thicker wall, so they may cost a little more but last longer. I didnt know about this effect so that will probably send me in the direction of looking for a high quality case with the thickest walls as a starting/testing point.

thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

That's a good tip. I wonder what causes that thin spot in that specific point.

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The case neck and body is pressed out against the chamber from firing pressure and cannot move reward. The case head-web is thicker and doesn't/should not expand and so doesn't grip the chamber and is forced reward against the bolt,hence the stretch in that area.
This is why its important when full length sizing to size to your chamber and not over size or it will stretch excessively in this spot reducing case life.
Any good loading manual is full of this and lots of other info ;)[/QUOTE]

That makes a lot of sense put like that. I'm amazed at the massive forces going on there.

There are two 7mm08's in the family I load for, so I have to full length size enough to fit in both rifles.

@rimfire I did some digging as your Q interested me also (Ie google and youtube) and I saw mention of 30 reloadings+ but that might be just necking for bold actions.

Also it seems the fruity loop americans are buying 223 and 7.62x39 like crazy so those rounds and reloading parts (that were the cheapest) might become un-obtainable or obscene prices. Ive seen an email saying that russian made 7.62x39 is all but gone in NZ and no future date for delivery. Pity as I fancied a CZ in 7.62x39....

Thinning, yes that would make sense, occams razor, simplest answer is usually the answer.

regards

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RimfireNZ

Some of my 7mm08 brass is coming up on 7 reloads (and unfortunately got mixed in with some newer stuff a little while ago) and I was wondering when do you guys call it quits on brass?

Do you ditch it after a certain number? Or do you look for certain signs?

One of the dodgey guys at the range waits until there's a big bulge/ring about a cm from the back of the round :O_O:

I do always check the necks and cases for cracks, I check for bulges. So far nothing, and I reckon (from what I've heard) I'll get ten reloads out of the 08 brass, but curious to see what you guys do.

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The stain in your undies will let you know you should have chucked that one last time:o