How many times for brass?

Discuss ammunition and reloading topics here.
User avatar
shooter444
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1790
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 1:17 pm
Reputation: 6
Location: Az desert

Re: How many times for brass?

#16

Post by shooter444 »

Agreed, about carbide,... I guess I just feel better about the amount of tarnish or powder/carbon stain on case exteriors, when comparing my dry media tumbler results, to my wet.

As to the clean level of the case interiors and primer pockets,... a dry tumbler WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO COMPETE, imo.

To each their own!


User avatar
Harrier
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 907
Joined: May 26th, 2018, 7:47 pm
Reputation: 7
Location: Right Here

Re: How many times for brass?

#17

Post by Harrier »

I use a couple dryer anti-static sheets in my tumbling media to help filter the dust and I also use some NuFinish to add a little polish, only because I won't use that stuff on my car.
User avatar
shooter444
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1790
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 1:17 pm
Reputation: 6
Location: Az desert

Re: How many times for brass?

#18

Post by shooter444 »

Harrier wrote: August 12th, 2018, 11:50 am I use a couple dryer anti-static sheets in my tumbling media to help filter the dust and I also use some NuFinish to add a little polish, only because I won't use that stuff on my car.


Interesting, I just read about those static sheets a month ago and picked some up. But I haven't used them, since I haven't tumbled lately, and I only dry tumble my wet tumbled, sized and primed cases to remove the sizing lube.

OCD is a b****!!! :ugeek:

Nice to read someone else is using them,... they must work.
User avatar
Flash
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 2497
Joined: May 16th, 2018, 1:56 pm
Reputation: 5

Re: How many times for brass?

#19

Post by Flash »

shooter444 wrote: August 12th, 2018, 11:32 am Agreed, about carbide,... I guess I just feel better about the amount of tarnish or powder/carbon stain on case exteriors, when comparing my dry media tumbler results, to my wet.

As to the clean level of the case interiors and primer pockets,... a dry tumbler WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO COMPETE, imo.

To each their own!
You're absolutely right. No comparison.

OTOH, I don't care about primer pockets and case interiors so I stick with dry tumbling. Heck, I dry tumble before I decap except for precision rifle.
User avatar
delta6
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 945
Joined: May 21st, 2018, 8:44 am
Reputation: 12
Location: phoenix

Re: How many times for brass?

#20

Post by delta6 »

Interesting discussion...never have worried about primer pockets or the inside of the cases for range ammo.. or my match pistol ammo. I have prepped pistol cases, cleaning the primer pockets and inside of the cases and even trued up the flash holes. I have never seen any difference in accuracy using either method.
User avatar
shooter444
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1790
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 1:17 pm
Reputation: 6
Location: Az desert

Re: How many times for brass?

#21

Post by shooter444 »

delta6, so sorry, never said, never meant,... to insinuate a clean pocket, or interior alone, would result in better accuracy. But I don't think it could hurt! :ugeek: Do you?

I'm sure we all know what combination of consistent procedures are required for best accuracy. And that the inequalities within anyone of those individual procedures are compounded exponentially when added to inequalities of all the individual procedures, when put together in one cartridge.

OCD is a b****!!!

So, with all the procedural steps to make a cartridge, that I want equally consistent, I like to include on that list, that my cases equally hold the same amount of powder,... WITHIN the same amount of space,... for more consistently matched ignition. I believe varying volume of space between the powder level and the bottom of the bullet, is one procedural step that, without consistency, could ultimately effect accuracy when compounded with the possible inequalities of the following procedures.

Now,... tell me THAT ain't a mouth full!!! :lol:

Could this, my A personality / OCD inspired concept of procedure consistency possibly be measured, to validate my theory?

Nah,...!!!,... No way!!!

But it makes me feel good! :violin:

But, there is one thing I absolutely do know! CONSISTENCY is a re-loaders friend, imo.

So, when I consider all the steps entailed in processing many components, in many steps, into a finished cartridge, I just like to know each step starts at an equal and level starting point,... to the best of my ability.

Crazy?

Maybe?

But I REALLY like the cartridges I produce and the performance they produce.

Which is all that matters,... RIGHT!!!,...NO? 8-)
User avatar
delta6
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 945
Joined: May 21st, 2018, 8:44 am
Reputation: 12
Location: phoenix

Re: How many times for brass?

#22

Post by delta6 »

shooter444 wrote: August 12th, 2018, 3:08 pm delta6, so sorry, never said, never meant,... to insinuate a clean pocket, or interior alone, would result in better accuracy. But I don't think it could hurt! :ugeek: Do you?

I'm sure we all know what combination of consistent procedures are required for best accuracy. And that the inequalities within anyone of those individual procedures are compounded exponentially when added to inequalities of all the individual procedures, when put together in one cartridge.

OCD is a b****!!!

So, with all the procedural steps to make a cartridge, that I want equally consistent, I like to include on that list, that my cases equally hold the same amount of powder,... WITHIN the same amount of space,... for more consistently matched ignition. I believe varying volume of space between the powder level and the bottom of the bullet, is one procedural step that, without consistency, could ultimately effect accuracy when compounded with the possible inequalities of the following procedures.

Now,... tell me THAT ain't a mouth full!!! :lol:

Could this, my A personality / OCD inspired concept of procedure consistency possibly be measured, to validate my theory?

Nah,...!!!,... No way!!!

But it makes me feel good! :violin:

But, there is one thing I absolutely do know! CONSISTENCY is a re-loaders friend, imo.

So, when I consider all the steps entailed in processing many components, in many steps, into a finished cartridge, I just like to know each step starts at an equal and level starting point,... to the best of my ability.

Crazy?

Maybe?

But I REALLY like the cartridges I produce and the performance they produce.

Which is all that matters,... RIGHT!!!,...NO? 8-)
Yes...well said :clap:
User avatar
shooter444
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1790
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 1:17 pm
Reputation: 6
Location: Az desert

Re: How many times for brass?

#23

Post by shooter444 »

Flash wrote: August 12th, 2018, 1:58 pm
OTOH, I don't care about primer pockets and case interiors so I stick with dry tumbling. Heck, I dry tumble before I decap except for precision rifle.



I have only used corn cob for dry tumbling. Once I tried de-priming before tumbling,...
NEVER AGAIN. I got real tired of poking bits of cob, out of flash holes! :naughty:
User avatar
Harrier
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 907
Joined: May 26th, 2018, 7:47 pm
Reputation: 7
Location: Right Here

Re: How many times for brass?

#24

Post by Harrier »

I have only used corn cob for dry tumbling. Once I tried de-priming before tumbling,...
NEVER AGAIN. I got real tired of poking bits of cob, out of flash holes! :naughty:
Try using walnut -its finer and cleans better IMO but I usually mix some corncob in with it as the cob does a better job of polishing- no where near wet pins though.

On the dryer sheets- cut them in half- they really pick up the dirt in the media.I use used ones from the laundry.

I just got done processing 100 cases from the last range session. After I sort them by HS, I use a .173+zz pin gage to check the primer pockets. Prior to being loaded the last time, very few of them let the gage go in easily, let alone come back out easy (a sure sign of a stretched pocket).

This time about 50% allowed the gage to enter and exit with ease- with very very light finger pressure... this told me those pockets are starting to loosen up since the gage is slightly undersize to a typical primer (.175"). I marked the 1/2 of the head solid with a red marker to indicate a loose pocket... This also signifies (to me) that the case is to be used for a lower pressure load and to use a slightly tighter fitting CCI primer (these loads are often for bolt guns and slam fires are not a concern so I use CCI-400 instead of 450's).

P1050169.jpg

I prime these with a RCBS hand priming tool so can feel how loose the pocket is- if the primer slips right in without any resistance at all -I then try to deprime it by hand with just a depriming stem from a die- if the primer pops out easily(which it usually does if there isn't any resistance putting it in), I crush the case and throw it in the recycle box.

I check these red heads very carefully after the next firing to see if any are past reuse- I rarely have a primer blow out and sometimes I can get a few more loadings out of them.

I can't say how many loads I have gotten out of any of them, but some have blue paint in the groove that I stopped doing several years ago to ID cases. All I know is I'm getting at least one more from em...
User avatar
shooter444
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1790
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 1:17 pm
Reputation: 6
Location: Az desert

Re: How many times for brass?

#25

Post by shooter444 »

Harrier, I have not worried so much about flash hole diameters, now that wet tumbling cleans them real good for me.

I do as you do, ALMOST, when priming, if a primer (in my single stage) doesn't resist insertion enough, I just throw the brass and all in my brass box. I don't bother trying to save the primer, because my OCD won't let me use one, thinking the anvil has been damaged from extraction. It has to be as perfect as it came out of the box, or I just can't accept it.

Primer resistance on insertion, for me, MUST be consistent, period! I think about it as another one of the process steps that, when added to all the other processing steps, must be as consistent as I possibly can do, because I know about compounding faults.

Again, my OCD won't let me compromise, I have always believed EVERY cartridge has to be as good as I can make it, because I will never know if that cartridge is the one my life will depend on.
User avatar
Harrier
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 907
Joined: May 26th, 2018, 7:47 pm
Reputation: 7
Location: Right Here

Re: How many times for brass?

#26

Post by Harrier »

I can't seem to feel the insertion pressure from a bench press, that's why I use the hand ubit- it give you a much better feel for that resistance. If a primer goes in without force, you wont seat the anvil unless you bear down on it, I have never had a lite-strike or misfire from reusing one (and I mark them to ID in case I did)... even so those could be used for foulers, sight-in or plinking... don't throw away good primers.
User avatar
Flash
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 2497
Joined: May 16th, 2018, 1:56 pm
Reputation: 5

Re: How many times for brass?

#27

Post by Flash »

Harrier wrote: August 13th, 2018, 5:23 am I can't seem to feel the insertion pressure from a bench press, that's why I use the hand ubit- it give you a much better feel for that resistance. If a primer goes in without force, you wont seat the anvil unless you bear down on it, I have never had a lite-strike or misfire from reusing one (and I mark them to ID in case I did)... even so those could be used for foulers, sight-in or plinking... don't throw away good primers.
I also reuse primers (unfired ones :whistle: ). Not for hunting ammo and not for precision ammo, but practice ammo. Yeah, I know they're only 2-¢ each, but if you look up "cheap" in the dictionary, you'll find my picture.
User avatar
shooter444
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1790
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 1:17 pm
Reputation: 6
Location: Az desert

Re: How many times for brass?

#28

Post by shooter444 »

Harrier wrote: August 13th, 2018, 5:23 am I can't seem to feel the insertion pressure from a bench press, that's why I use the hand ubit- it give you a much better feel for that resistance. If a primer goes in without force, you wont seat the anvil unless you bear down on it, I have never had a lite-strike or misfire from reusing one (and I mark them to ID in case I did)... even so those could be used for foulers, sight-in or plinking... don't throw away good primers.
Yeah, I have been doing single stage only , since I started. I find it very ZEN! :dance:
As soon as I figure how to decrease my pic's, I'll get some up, of my bench.
Good to hear about large pockets anvil removal, you obviously have it all covered!
User avatar
A_C Guy
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 407
Joined: July 6th, 2018, 3:13 pm
Reputation: 2
Location: Apache Junction

Re: How many times for brass?

#29

Post by A_C Guy »

Desert Rat wrote: August 9th, 2018, 9:41 pm Do you have a formula for how many times you reload a case? Do you track the number of times you reload it? How do you track it?

I generally load my rounds on the light side and I inspect them after I clean them, but I have not really kept track of how many times I have reloaded them. I this point it may have only been 3-4 times so far.
I didn't read all the replies, so if this has been aready said, then take this for what it cost you....

If you anneal your cases, they can last indefinitely. I personally have loaded the same case over 20 times with no issues at all. This topic has been discussed on other forums that are primarily considered long range accuracy shooters a few years back before annealing was common. Everyone that has tried annealing will tell you it is a beneficial step for both accuracy and long case life.

The other factor that affects case life is how much you resize. If you resize to the minimum size, you work the brass more than if you resize just enough to reload and have the round cycle through the action properly. Even semi auto shooters don't need to fully resize each case every time, just size it just enough to cycle dependably.
User avatar
pcklst
New to ArizonaShooting.org
New to ArizonaShooting.org
Posts: 5
Joined: April 24th, 2019, 8:56 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: Tempe

Re: How many times for brass?

#30

Post by pcklst »

I basically use it till I loose it. If everything goes well during the prep and loading process and pass the gauge it is good for me. I don't load anything near max specs or precision though.
Post Reply