Brass finish off of cases

[Retired in 2001]

Have been reloading for a few years. I use Range pick up cases and some once reloaded that some of them are missing brass finish are they ok to reuse again or should they be tossed. Is there something wrong in loading that could prevent this I am using 231 5.4 grains of 231 I have looked online but couldn't come up with anything thanks

 

[Nevada Ed]

My "Brass" just gets dirtier.....
however I do have some old Nickel cases that have the outside
flake off or wear down to the base finish, after many, many loadings.

I toss brass when they start to get nicks at the rim or split.

Just depends on how fussy one is.

 

[gwpercle]

What caliber are we talking about ? Details will help with an answer.

 

[mikld]

Are the cases in question steel? All my brass is brass all the way through, and only steel cases are plated (finished) with brass. Some say reloading steel cases is OK, some say you'll ruin all your equipment. I don't reload steel cases (even though a few years ago I did experiment with steel cases) mainly because I have plenty of brass for all the ammo I reload...

If you are talking about dull, brown cases, just wipe them with a solvent dampened rag as you inspect them and reload as normal (I did this for 12 years before I got a tumbler).

 

[Retired in 2001]

What caliber are we talking about ? Details will help with an answer.

Sorry 45 acp

 

[Retired in 2001]

I only shoot pistol 9mm,38,357,45acp
and only brass cases some nickle that i pickup

 

[bigggbbruce]

I use Range pick up cases and some once reloaded that some of them are missing brass finish are they ok to reuse again or should they be tossed.

Since the cases are 100% brass, what you are seeing is stains on them. I pick some up after it rained(something in the dirt) and they look pretty bad, but keep on working.

 

[Wise_A]

Are you talking about spots and stains, or do the cases have a pale, all-over frosty look to them? Do you use a vibratory tumbler?

The frosty look comes from tumbling too many cases at one time, for too long, in media that's too dirty.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I've once been given a lot of .45 acp cases that had beenstored in less than ideal conditions.Long story short,after tumbling 4 hours with lots of car polish in the media,I recuperated aprox 50%.My standard is if I get my finger over the stain and I feel some resistance,I scrap it( brass recuperation).If it is so smooth that I can't feel the difference,I guess it won't damage the sizing die or the chamber of the gun it is to be fired into.

 

[Retired in 2001]

After firing them some of the brass finish is gone to bare metal

 

[steelslaver]

Brass cases don't have a finish, They come as bare metal. Unless you have brass plated steel cases.

 

[pittpa]

Pictures? Brand?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[RGVshooter]

After firing them some of the brass finish is gone to bare metal

If the brass finish is coming off and you see bare metal then the cases you have are not brass, but brass plated. Toss those in the trash... Brass cases that you keep for reloading are made entirely of brass, it won't wear or flake off.

Not all ammunition is made from brass. There are some that are brass plated steel such as the cheaper bulk range ammo by Tula, Monarch and Winchester steel and some of Freedom munitions brass plated steel range ammo.

Stick to Winchester white box, Green & white boxes of Remington, UMC, Blazer Brass, Federal, Sellier & bellot, Magtech, to name a few. these bulk packages of range ammo are brass and are good for reloading.

 

[mikld]

What color is the case under the "finish". Also what does the headstamp say?

 

[gwpercle]

After firing them some of the brass finish is gone to bare metal

Is the bare metal steel....check with a magnet.
Steel cases can be reloaded but they are harder on carbide dies and tend to crack sooner than brass. The steel is a bit harder and not as flexible as brass. I used to have a lot of 45 acp military steel cases from WWII , the US started using them to conserve our brass supply. They work well in low pressure 45 acp loads but case life was 4 to 6 reloads before they would crack.
If they are aluminum....most aren't designed to be reloaded. I have tried it but 2 or 3 loads and they crack .
Gary

 

[venomballistics]

This thread is worthless without pictures.
We need to see what your talking about since it defies much of our experience

 

[bigggbbruce]

45acp
and only brass cases

After firing them some of the brass finish is gone to bare metal

Only other idea is the 45acp is low pressure.. as many of us know, the cases don't fully seal in the chamber and blast stains the side of the cases..

Run in the vibratory cleaner longer or ignore it..

 

[fredj338]

After firing them some of the brass finish is gone to bare metal

Unless you are shooting steel cases with a finish, brass cases have no finish, solid brass all the way thru. Check those case with a magnet.

 

[Retired in 2001]

I will try to post some pics of the cases they most likely brass finish cases truly didn't know that about them at all ��

 

[Trooperdan]

Are these steel cases? Do they stick to a magnet?