Brass for reloading
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Firearmfanatic
*Banned*
Years ago when I was reloading, I would use the brass I collected at the range and from the ammo I shot. Every now and then I would buy some new brass to replace the brass that wore out from repeated firing and reloading.
I just started to clean and reload the brass I've shot the last few times I've been to the range. I'll probably end up going through that pretty soon. I was wondering how often you and other reloaders would go buy new brass.
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Firearmfanatic
*Banned*
Usually I was shooting "target" loads that were fairly mild and I tended to get 4-5 reloadings on a case before the case mouth started to crack and had to be discarded.
That's what I do just look at the neck real good and the rest of the case.
I use a lighted magnifier glass.
Wingate
Just curious. Just wondering if you're seeing more than just the naked eye
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Request Dust Off
Well-Known Member
Some of the best advice I got before reloading .223 was buy new brass for your first reloads. New brass has it's advantages.
You can anneal the case mouths to help prevent splitting. One good thing when recycling your brass through a specific rifle is you shouldn't be over working it.
Besides neck splitting the primer pocket can open up or you may end up with it splitting above the case head. If you want I can give you some .30-06 so you can see what a head separation look like when forming. A shiny ring develops above the case head. You can also feel it if you drag something like a dental pick inside the case.
That said I do use range pick up if I can get a bunch of good brass. The more precision you are expecting the more I would tend to go with new higher end brass.
You can anneal the case mouths to help prevent splitting. One good thing when recycling your brass through a specific rifle is you shouldn't be over working it.
Besides neck splitting the primer pocket can open up or you may end up with it splitting above the case head. If you want I can give you some .30-06 so you can see what a head separation look like when forming. A shiny ring develops above the case head. You can also feel it if you drag something like a dental pick inside the case.
That said I do use range pick up if I can get a bunch of good brass. The more precision you are expecting the more I would tend to go with new higher end brass.
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That is exactly the answer I was looking for.
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Request Dust Off
Well-Known Member
Some guys really worry about case volume being equal or with as little variation as possible. Sounds good but then some have argued that the lowest velocity spread doesn't always result in the best group. I think several factors are overlapping in these scenarios.
As a reloader I concern myself with safety first. After that I only worry about what I can control and the amount of effort vs reward. I think below 1/2 MOA with a lot of rifles is kind of chasing a moving set of parameters. I have a rifle I have shot some 1/4 MOA groups with different powders but no way would I claim to be able to do that on demand with any predictability. I can tell you the rear bag can make a difference.
The biggest factor is the bullet. You can make a good bullet shoot bad but you can't make a bad bullet shoot good. So essentially I do some nominal case prep but I don't fret a whole lot over some things. I would probably gain more from an upgraded bipod and wind reading lessons. In some circles the saying is "shoot less, load more".
One thing to watch for is if you get uncalled flyers they may correlate to higher velocity rounds. The ability to call your shots or not will get you above a plateau as well as adjusting your NPA. If you can't do those I would put that over some loading bench task as a priority.
I only buy Brass that is not common. 45 Colt, 8mm Mauser to name a few. Or if cheap, to do conversions 5.56 into 300, 7.62x25
7.62x51 to make into 45acp Shot's
I still have 9mm NNY cases from the 70's 80's now named PPU and nickel 357 with worn finish
New Nickel brass splits
7.62x51 to make into 45acp Shot's
I still have 9mm NNY cases from the 70's 80's now named PPU and nickel 357 with worn finish
New Nickel brass splits
I picked up a lighted desk lamp with magnifying glass for easily checking brass with. My old eyes just aren't good enough to adequately detect minor issues with the brass, so I figured this would be a good investment for safety. There are all kinds available, this is one on Amazon like the one I got. Seems to work really well.
https://www.amazon.com/Velleman-VTL...7&keywords=lighted+magnifying+glass+desk+lamp
https://www.amazon.com/Velleman-VTL...7&keywords=lighted+magnifying+glass+desk+lamp
I have a friend who reloads and had a Glock 21 literally blow up in his hand. He shot it and the next thing he knew the gun was in pieces on the floor and his hand hurt like a bitch, had to go to the hospital. I'm not sure they ever figured out exactly what happened, but it's possible it could have been bad brass, or a double load or ???? Whatever, you can not be too cautious when reloading.
tallwalker
Well-Known Member
Reloading is one of those things that demands your full attention for sure. Check -and double check - every step of the way. Make it a habit you can't break. One important step is check the powder levels in every case before you seat to spot no charge or double charge. Even better, use a powder that mostly fills the case using a safe charge to make it difficult to double charge.
I had a wake up call a while back. I reload on a single stage press in stages and my shop has a concrete floor an a stool that rolls. I was metering and filling my cases and after finishing and checking everything over I rolled back to get up and heard this loud POW. After I realized I wasn't dead I discovered I had rolled over a stray primer on the floor and set it off somehow. Got my attention REAL quick.
I had a wake up call a while back. I reload on a single stage press in stages and my shop has a concrete floor an a stool that rolls. I was metering and filling my cases and after finishing and checking everything over I rolled back to get up and heard this loud POW. After I realized I wasn't dead I discovered I had rolled over a stray primer on the floor and set it off somehow. Got my attention REAL quick.
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I've heard of primers going off while being seated in the case. I understand that is rare, but can happen. Luckily, you seat the primer before adding the powder. I heard it's a very scary thing to have happen, but doesn't usually cause much damage.
tallwalker
Well-Known Member
Something not mentioned much, but wear eye protection when you reload!
Some excellent advice in this thread! Bottom line when reloading is that you MUST do everything in your power to be safe! Learning to reload on a single stage is (IMHO) the best way to get started, as it requires vigilance and concentration. I learned a valuable lesson with a squib load in a run of .44 Mag I reloaded, with the result of a 240 grain jacketed soft point wedged halfway down the barrel of my gun. It took a long time to finally get it out, but it was a great teachable moment. If you load on a progressive press, a truly MOST EXCELLENT investment is a powder cop die, which gives you a visual indication of the level of powder in the refilled case prior to bullet seating.
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