How many reloads...

[jackelope]

Can you get out of decent quality brass?? I'm not a reloader but to date, have only shot hand loads out of my 300 barrel on my Encore. I save all the brass with the intent of either getting into reloading or getting someone to reload them for me. Anyway. Just wondering if there's a general rule if thumb or whatever when it comes to this topic.

Thanks in advance.

[brokenvet]

As a general rule of thumb 3 reloads to any case.  However I have many cases, (FC, Win), that I have loaded 10 times and I use them on my Garand and M14.  I do check every case for signs of head case separation on the inside with a paper clip, also I anneal the case mouth every 3rd reload.

The most expensive brass I bought were Norma brass and they did not perform any better than Rem, Win or FC. 

 

[headshot5]

Probably 5 or so depending on how hot you are loading them, and the care you use prepping them.  Generally the primer pockets start getting a little loose if you load them hot.   A lot depends on the specs of your chamber, and if you neck re-size or full length resize.

In smaller calibers you can sometimes get more.  Example my 7 TCU pistol (.223 necked up to 7mm) I can get 12 reloads before I throw them away.  Of course .223 brass is cheap.   

[whacker1]

loads developing lots of pressure will be far fewer than those that don't.  300 RUM will be far fewer than 270 for example.  I am in the 10 range on my 270 and I only expect 4-5 out of the RUM.

[wraithen]

I've got 7 on my .223 somehow and it's just lake city brass. My 30-30 is at 5 and isn't showing any signs on any of the brass.

[Slenk]

If you neck size only and only full length size when the casses get a little tight,you can get a lot more loads out of brass than full length sizing all the time.
You can neck size only, with a full length sizing die.

[jackelope]

I don't know what brand the brass is. It's nickel FWIW. It's a 300 win mag and the load is 69 grains IMR4831 and 180 grn accubonds. It sounds like the cases just need to be monitored. Right now all the cases I have have 2-3 loads on them. Thanks for the info.

[whacker1]

I don't know what brand the brass is. It's nickel FWIW. It's a 300 win mag and the load is 69 grains IMR4831 and 180 grn accubonds. It sounds like the cases just need to be monitored. Right now all the cases I have have 2-3 loads on them. Thanks for the info.

I have never tried to reload nickel - that will take someone else's expertise as I don't know if it handles the reloading process differently or not.

[drysideshooter]

There are way too many variables for anyone to give you an absolute accurate answer for your gun and situation.

Neck sizing will prolong the life of brass for sure, just be sure to label the brass if you end up with more than one gun in the same caliber.  Neck sizing doesn't work near as much of the brass and you avoid work hardening much of the case. 

My 38 Super Comp competition handgun brass typically gets reloaded at least nine times.  223 brass shot through an AR usually makes it for at least six reloads.   Hot loads, guns with looser chambers, etc. will all have an effect on how many times you can use the brass.  Do a little online research on how to check your brass over and inspect it really well before you load it.  Catastrophic failures without some type of warning sign are pretty rare, and if you are diligent in checking the brass you won't miss the warning signs.  When in doubt, throw it out.

[Hi-Liter]

I don't know what brand the brass is. It's nickel FWIW. It's a 300 win mag and the load is 69 grains IMR4831 and 180 grn accubonds. It sounds like the cases just need to be monitored. Right now all the cases I have have 2-3 loads on them. Thanks for the info.

Jackelope: did you shoot that big muley (avatar) with the .300 win mag. I shot a good size 4X4 muley this year, put a nice hole right through the boiler house! I was using 150 gr remington core lokt in .300 win mag.

[Slenk]

If nickle cases are scared up they can scare you dies.
I will not reload nickle cases

[jackelope]

I don't know what brand the brass is. It's nickel FWIW. It's a 300 win mag and the load is 69 grains IMR4831 and 180 grn accubonds. It sounds like the cases just need to be monitored. Right now all the cases I have have 2-3 loads on them. Thanks for the info.

Jackelope: did you shoot that big muley (avatar) with the .300 win mag. I shot a good size 4X4 muley this year, put a nice hole right through the boiler house! I was using 150 gr remington core lokt in .300 win mag.

Yes i did. With the accubond load..Thor's hammer.
 

[Heredoggydoggy]

The only thing to remember about reloading nickel plated cases is to use plenty of lube-even in carbide dies.  Nickel galls real easy, and if not well lubed, you can get a stuck case at worst, and just plain hard resizing effort at best.   Even when I run .40 S&W pistol cases through the swager, nickel brass is harder to push through than plain brass, even with plenty of case lube. 

The number of reloads you get out of a case depends on how hot the reloads are.  My 20 LBC (6.5 Grendel necked down to .204) is a hot little wildcat, and I'm running about 2 cases per 50 with split necks on resizing them.  This doesn't happen during firing, but the expander ball shows up a weak case neck.  This is why I like to give my reloads the "personal touch" and examine them closely during the reloading process.

[purplecowboy]

When I started reloading (.243) in 1967 I was told to only reload each case no more than 5 times. I developed this elaborate scheme using fingernail polish to track how many times each case was reloaded. After a while I found out that you can reload them an unlimited number of times. I also check each case after firing and discard any that have any signs of neck split. I believe that I still have some of the early cases that I started out with.
By the way I do a full length re-size each time I reload a case. I recently ran all of my empty brass through a polishing. Also note that I do not load 'hot' loads.

[JackOfAllTrades]

There are way too many variables for anyone to give you an absolute accurate answer for your gun and situation.

Neck sizing will prolong the life of brass for sure, just be sure to label the brass if you end up with more than one gun in the same caliber.  Neck sizing doesn't work near as much of the brass and you avoid work hardening much of the case. 

My 38 Super Comp competition handgun brass typically gets reloaded at least nine times.  223 brass shot through an AR usually makes it for at least six reloads.   Hot loads, guns with looser chambers, etc. will all have an effect on how many times you can use the brass.    When in doubt, throw it out.

If nickle cases are scared up they can scare you dies.
I will not reload nickle cases

Probably 5 or so depending on how hot you are loading them, and the care you use prepping them.  Generally the primer pockets start getting a little loose if you load them hot.   A lot depends on the specs of your chamber, and if you neck re-size or full length resize.

There is some really good advice in this thread..
 
But, NEVER compare reloading pistol brass to BELTED MAGNUM BRASS. Head spacing on the 38super, 9mm, 40s&w, 45acp or any other semi-auto is on the case mouth. Not the rim, neck/shoulder. Head spacing on the 300wm is on the belt! That is where the cracks will happen MOST OF THE TIME, Yet you can still have case cracks at the neck and shoulder. -often depending on how you resize the case. So case inspection on any of the belted magnums starts at the pointy end and ends at the primer pocket!
 
You've got a magnum... Every load is probably a warm to hot load. You don't download a 300wm to 30-06specs.  I don't mark any of my brass for round/reload count. I just inspect each to the same standard every time. In my 30-338 where I neck them down, fireform and then neck size only, I know I have some brass that has 12+ reloads on it. And every load is warm to hot. Do I get split necks? Yes! Do I get splits at the belt? Yes! Not very often, but yes. Any reloader that tries to get the most out of his brass will.  That said, there is no reason not to reload nickel plated brass. I love the stuff. But you can't aneal it. It will last longer at the belt if you're only neck sizing. Your necks will stretch. You will have to trim all fired brass.. The nickel will flake. Toss it without question if it does. (I would not resize/neck down.. Nickel plated brass.) Nickel plated brass primer pockets will outlast non-plated brass as long as you're not reaming the pocket. Just clean the pocket. 
 
Any way you look at it, your nickel plated brass is fireformed to your chamber. Neck size them and be done with it. (Sierra, Forster and others make 30cal neck sizing dies.. But yes you can neck size with full length sizing dies, but no... It is not quite the same.)
 
I hope I've answered your question along with some other's good input, and maybe tossed a misconception.
 
-Steve