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case life

needforspeedneedforspeed Member Posts: 48 ✭✭
edited April 2006 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Roughly how many reloads do you guys find you get on a higher velocity round, such as .223?
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Comments

  • needforspeedneedforspeed Member Posts: 48 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Read an article recently wherein the author claimed that high pressure rifle cases were only good for 3 loadings after the initial firing.

    What?

    I've reloaded some rifle cases in the non magnum class 5-6 times with full length sizing and more than that with neck sizing.

    3 times seems low, even assuming full length sizing and magnum pressures.

    Or am I just crazy?
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  • needforspeedneedforspeed Member Posts: 48 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    What could I expect for case life in a .223, .22-250, .243, .308. Thanks[8D]
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    loading hot or close to max loads leads to decreased case life and can loosen a primer pocket in 1 firing. YUou can get quite a few loads (6-20rnds) depending on the pressure levels and chambers used.
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I have loaded some rifle cases 10 times no problem; other times, after 1 the primer is loose. Depends on caliber, pressure, brass hardness, etc.

    Bottom line is if the primer seats tightly (not loose that is), there are no neck or body cracks, and the case isn't streched so far that a shiny band appears just above the head, which would indicate imminent seperation, you're good to go.
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  • haroldchrismeyerharoldchrismeyer Member Posts: 2,213 ✭
    edited November -1
    A lot of case life depends on how much you size the brass. If you full length size it every time, and you have a loose chamber, then the brass will not live long. If you neck size and watch your loads then many loadings are possible. Keep a check on overall length, and trim as needed, but remember that brass you are trimming is coming from somewhere.
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  • gunnut505gunnut505 Member Posts: 10,290 ✭
    edited November -1
    If you choose quality brass (Norma, Sako, Lapua), you'll pay a little more for the extended life of your brass.
    If you load 'em hot; you might get 3-4 out of your .223-.243; expect shorter lives for .22-250, and you might get 4-5 out of your .308s.
    I use premium brass for my .300WM, load 'em to where they hit what I want, and still only get about 5-6 loads before I sell 'em for scrap.
    Some lots of .357Mag brass have had over 25 loads in 'em; but I load for silhouette in that caliber, and don't really "hot" 'em up much.
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Incidentally, I have a few guns I shoot blackpowder in, where the bullets are tight enough in the neck where I don't need to size at all; some of these are on their 40th reload and still apparently fine.
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