Anyone Keep Track of Number of Times Reloaded?

[Vulcan Bob]

All my new brass both rifle and hand gun go's into its own MTM type box and stays there for it's serviceable life. The data card in the box has case fired number on it. The only real reason is that I tend to use heavy for caliber bullets loaded stoutly and that requires a heavy profile crimp. After four firings with the stout loads that brass is now used for more sedate loads. After they start showing signs of "getting old" they then go into the plinking brass box.

 

[garbler]

Keeping good records and segregating brass by maker and usage is always a smart thing to do. I've been loading close to fifty years and keeping records on loads and components since the mid seventies. When I was competing I tracked brass life by head stamp and gun since some chambers are a bit oversized and work the brass much more. Some brands of brass have a bit more copper and less zinc in the alloy and I've found split less at mouth but then quite often blow out primer pockets faster.

If you shoot one load and one head stamp then it's not necessary. Hotter loads both rifle and handgun should be watched and unless you batch or segregate your brass you'll never know what to expect. After doing this so many years I can pretty much tell when a lot of brass is ready to retire and since I keep different batches in seperate containers it's simple to mark how many loads they've had. As a rule if you push the pressure much you'll find primer pockets getting slack before necks split. So yes if you're really serious about reloading and feel it's important to know if you're brass is up to 40-55,000 # pressure and think consistent crimps and ignition yield better performance the by all means keep records. I wouldn't let convenience even through the door of my reloading room

Regards

 

[bigggbbruce]

I don't know the count, but I have some 44 mag and 357 brass that the primer pockets are so loose the primers will back out under recoil. Not good.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Metalic cases are the weakest link in the chain..........
which is a good thing and is one of the "Safety vales" in the loading system.

A normal to full load should not hurt any weapon in good shape.

I also agree with the loose or sloppy primer holes but 95% of these come with my rifle cases and only a few with the small brass.
I too, mark with a felt pen to let me know that they are on their last outing unless used as a dummy load, later.

 

[Big Cholla]

What a Great Idea!

I've got 4 boxes of brass for reloading my ...

And if anyone is wondering what brand of range block I'm using, it's a home made brand that was R&D'd right here in my Man Shed!!! Here's some pic's and each block holds 50 rounds!!

My compliments! What a great idea and execution of same. I am going to copy your loading/storage block. And then I will brag to my friends, "Look what I invented!" ................

 

[BCDWYO]

Thanks. As a new reloader I guess I'm still a bit paranoid. But when you say "until it splits", could there be any damage to the gun depending on the split? I weigh every charge and triple check before the powder goes in and I have a whole system with different colored blocks on different sides of the bench to ensure I am not double charging a case. I check the cases to make sure none are overcharged before I seat a bullet too, so I'm not worried about an overcharge harming the gun, but when a case splits, the pressure in contained by the chamber and no harm to gun or shooter, right?

I'm sure I've had some split cases slip thru and not even known it. The only issue I've encountered (on a couple of occasions) when split cases were loaded in a revolver (.357 mag) was the bullet of split round backing out enough during recoil to lock up the cylinder and even prevent opening the cylinder. I don't use my reloads for carry or defense so no harm, but it can be tricky to tap the bullet back in with a closed cylinder.

 

[roscoepc]

My compliments! What a great idea and execution of same. I am going to copy your loading/storage block. And then I will brag to my friends, "Look what I invented!" ................

After finding the ammo cans at Sam's Club, they came new 1 large and one small, I said to myself that there's GOTTA be a range block that fits 50, 500 S&W Mag rounds into one of these size cans, but I couldn't find anything.. I noticed that a 2x4 was a good fit for the smaller 7.62mm so me and Budman spent a couple of days figuring the layout for 50 rounds and then started drilling the holes which was a REAL pain as I don't have a drill press!!

But I "endeavored to persevere" and wound up with what you see in the pic's!!

Feel free to brag to you friends about what you did!!!!

 

[Big Cholla]

Don't Worry! I will! But, when I commercialize your idea you will be cut in for a piece of the action.

BTW; back to the OP's question on case life. It is a "It Depends" answer for each and every cartridge case, but let me tell you a story:

I was privileged to shoot as a 'anytime' guest at the NTS Security R&P Range. They also told me to help my self to all the brass left lying on the ground. I picked up a 1 gal. bucket of WW .38 Spec. nickeled. I started reloading that for my exclusive range practice with my Colt Python and my S&W Model 15. I kept track of the reloads up to the tenth time. After that I just watched for the start of a split and pitched that brass when I saw it. I still have a few 50 round boxes of those reloads around here. I estimate some of it has been reloaded over 15 times. Of course all reloads were of mid-range target velocity, so weren't pushed all that hard. Also, it was 1967 when I picked up that brass. What great service from a commercial product!

Later when I became a Benchrest Competitor, I learned to pick 10 rounds of formed 6 PPC brass and just keep reloading them while competing. I had some brass that lasted over 20 reloads and then were replaced just because the neck tension was getting inconsistent. And everyone of those load were HOT. Of course the chamber was tight, tight, tight and the brass was the best available at the time. ..

 

[ageingstudent]

Thanks. As a new reloader I guess I'm still a bit paranoid. But when you say "until it splits", could there be any damage to the gun depending on the split? I weigh every charge and triple check before the powder goes in and I have a whole system with different colored blocks on different sides of the bench to ensure I am not double charging a case. I check the cases to make sure none are overcharged before I seat a bullet too, so I'm not worried about an overcharge harming the gun, but when a case splits, the pressure in contained by the chamber and no harm to gun or shooter, right?

Splits up in the neck of the cartridge are no big deal they are just a good indication that the brass has lived out it's life. My (very cheap Savage) 22-250 splits about 1neck in 20 or 30 factory rounds and I can't even tell the difference in performance or recoil. I rarely see neck splits in my reloads. Neck splits likely won't hurt your gun or you.

I rarely see neck splits in my pistol brass. I usually get loose primer pockets before the cases split. Reduce, re-use, recycle.

 

[BigBill]

It depends on the powder charge. The lighter the load the longer the case life is.

 

[Frank237]

I have .45 acp brass that I originally shot when it was issued to the target shooters in 1970-1974. Have lots of them head stamped from 1962 to 1968. Couldn't even imagine how many times some of them have been loaded...20? 25 times? Still going strong.

Only pistol brass I keep a history on is brass used for true magnum loads.

I do keep track of rifle brass, have done so for 40 years.