Post by: jackelope on November 16, 2012, 07:25:28 AM
Thanks in advance.
Post by: brokenvet on November 16, 2012, 07:34:35 AM
The most expensive brass I bought were Norma brass and they did not perform any better than Rem, Win or FC.
Post by: headshot5 on November 16, 2012, 07:37:35 AM
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.
Post by: whacker1 on November 16, 2012, 07:49:14 AM
Post by: wraithen on November 16, 2012, 08:34:11 AM
Post by: Slenk on November 16, 2012, 08:40:24 AM
You can neck size only, with a full length sizing die.
Post by: jackelope on November 16, 2012, 09:27:53 AM
Post by: whacker1 on November 16, 2012, 09:38:19 AM
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.
Post by: drysideshooter on November 16, 2012, 01:55:30 PM
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.
Post by: Hi-Liter on November 16, 2012, 03:46:41 PM
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.
Post by: Slenk on November 16, 2012, 06:50:53 PM
I will not reload nickle cases
Post by: jackelope on November 16, 2012, 08:07:44 PM
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.
:chuckle:
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on November 16, 2012, 08:42:48 PM
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.
Post by: purplecowboy on November 19, 2012, 09:13:00 AM
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.
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on November 19, 2012, 08:20:22 PM
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
Post by: Kola16 on November 19, 2012, 08:21:49 PM
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on November 19, 2012, 08:51:16 PM
65,000 psi =300wm
Not a huge difference, but there is a huge difference in the case design/thickness/taper of the brass wall and shoulder angle. And how a belted magnum head spaces different than other non-belted bottle neck cases.
-Steve
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on November 19, 2012, 08:52:19 PM
you can neck size with full length sizing dies, but no... It is not quite the same.)
-Steve
One caveat--Neck sizing dies that are made for a specific case will not full length resize the case, but it will "tweak" the body of the case if it is very much out of spec.
Reloading is a constant learning process. Books and manuals will teach you to do it safely and properly, but even after reloading for 40+ years, I'm still learning things about it!
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on November 19, 2012, 08:56:05 PM
Reloading is a constant learning process. Books and manuals will teach you to do it safely and properly, but even after reloading for 40+ years, I'm still learning things about it!
AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH! 8) :o
-Steve
Post by: jaymark6655 on November 20, 2012, 04:50:31 AM
My tip:
I use tupperware containers and keep my rounds seperated into batches of 50. Those in the batch are as close to identical as I can keep them. Then in excel I track each reload (amount of powder, bullet used, which firing it is on, if I lost any cases and why---dropped and could find, split neck, ect.)
So far I have had one split neck, in one batch- not enough for me to discard the whole batch.
Post by: wraithen on November 20, 2012, 10:55:05 AM