how many times

243custom · 04-02-2008, 07:55 AM

hey guy's,
I'm new to reloading & i just had a few questions.
1. is there a safe # of times to reload brass.
2.besides the obvious,like split cases is there any thing else to look 4.
mine are win.cases and have been reloaded 4 times,for my 243 mauser
everything looks ok except for the cases look to be a little swollen,but they cycle good in my rifle .thanks

Taurus Fan · 04-02-2008, 08:00 AM

You're checking the case length and trimming them, right?

243custom · 04-02-2008, 08:13 AM

thats a big tin foil.

rfc357 · 04-02-2008, 09:03 AM

Read your loading manual. It will contain a lot of safety tips, including examing your brass for safety. There is no set number.

SL11 · 04-02-2008, 01:46 PM

There is one thing to look out for in repeated loading of bottle neck cases. That is case stretch in the body wall back near the case head. If the shoulder is being bumped back too far on each resizing, the cases will tend to stretch there and can eventually result in a head separation when fired one too many times. (You do NOT want a case head separation - - it sends hot gases back through the action and into your face!)

The appearance of a bright ring around the case wall, just behind the pressure ring (biggest bulged area) in the case wall is the classic sign of incipient head separation. But, if you polish the brass enough, you may not notice. The best way to check cases is to take a stiff wire (like a straightened paper clip), bend a short section to a right angle, and insert it into the case neck. Push the bent end down to the web inside the case, then drag the end of the wire up the side of the case and "feel" for a groove around the inside of the case. If you find a groove, you are pushing that case to the edge and need to scrap it.

It may help you visualize what you are feeling if you section an old case. Just drill a 1/2" hole into a scrap piece of wood deep enough so that, when you stick the case into it, about 3/4" to 1" of the head end sticks out. Hold the wood in a vise and use a hack saw (or a razor saw if you have one) to saw axially down the center of the case to the wood surface, then saw in from one side along the wood surface to remove one side of the case. Now you can see what you are feeling with the wire in that particular case. Since that ruins a case, it is best done with a case that seems to have a groove inside that would cause you to scrap it. You may find that the case is not as grooved as it feels, depending on how much of a worrier you are. You need to teach yourself what a groove that matters really feels like.

SL11

GlockMeister · 04-02-2008, 02:02 PM

Is there a tool or something that measures the wall thickness of brass?

mitch_mckee · 04-02-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 243custom

hey guy's,
I'm new to reloading & i just had a few questions.
1. is there a safe # of times to reload brass.
2.besides the obvious,like split cases is there any thing else to look 4.
mine are win.cases and have been reloaded 4 times,for my 243 mauser
everything looks ok except for the cases look to be a little swollen,but they cycle good in my rifle .thanks

I inspect rifle brass several times during the reloading process. I look for neck cracks and case bulges or anything odd.

If you are on the upper end of the power scale for whatever you are reloading, you will find that the cases don't last nearly as long.

If you are neck resizing only, then your .243 case may well be expanded a bit to fit the chamber of YOUR gun. This is called fire forming and is a good thing for bolt guns as long as the ammo chambers smoothly.

w3bmstr · 04-02-2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 243custom

hey guy's,
I'm new to reloading & i just had a few questions.
1. is there a safe # of times to reload brass.
2.besides the obvious,like split cases is there any thing else to look 4.
mine are win.cases and have been reloaded 4 times,for my 243 mauser
everything looks ok except for the cases look to be a little swollen,but they cycle good in my rifle .thanks

I load for the 243 winchester also and when I use the full length dies I get four to five
shots , but when I use the neck sizer I seem to get seven to nine shots out of them .
Shoot Straight and Shoot Often ..

243custom · 04-02-2008, 02:31 PM

ok, all the information is appreciated,& i'm loading
46 gr. imr 4350 with 85 gr sierra bthp thats a little below compressed in my manual.
thanks everyone!!!

lefty o · 04-02-2008, 03:04 PM

if you dont already have them, pick up a couple of loading manuals. they will answer 90% of your questions. if you cant find it in a book though, feel free to ask.

Taurus Fan · 04-02-2008, 05:37 PM

There are so many variables, it would be presumptuous of anyone to tell you how many reloads to expect before your brass starts cracking and needs to be retired, but since I'm a world class firearm authority and know everything worth knowing about shooting, I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that you should expect at least one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w3bmstr

I load for the 243 winchester also and when I use the full length dies I get four to five
shots , but when I use the neck sizer I seem to get seven to nine shots out of them .
Shoot Straight and Shoot Often ..

That sounds about right for full-power loads.

04-02-2008, 07:55 AM	#1
243custom Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: west virginia,charleston Posts: 54	how many times hey guy's, I'm new to reloading & i just had a few questions. 1. is there a safe # of times to reload brass. 2.besides the obvious,like split cases is there any thing else to look 4. mine are win.cases and have been reloaded 4 times,for my 243 mauser everything looks ok except for the cases look to be a little swollen,but they cycle good in my rifle .thanks

04-02-2008, 02:02 PM	#6
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 6,257	Is there a tool or something that measures the wall thickness of brass? __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

04-02-2008, 08:00 AM	#2
Taurus Fan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cobra Command Headquarters Posts: 903	You're checking the case length and trimming them, right?

04-02-2008, 08:13 AM	#3
243custom Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: west virginia,charleston Posts: 54	thats a big tin foil.

04-02-2008, 09:03 AM	#4
rfc357 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 741	Read your loading manual. It will contain a lot of safety tips, including examing your brass for safety. There is no set number.

04-02-2008, 01:46 PM	#5
SL11 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 85	There is one thing to look out for in repeated loading of bottle neck cases. That is case stretch in the body wall back near the case head. If the shoulder is being bumped back too far on each resizing, the cases will tend to stretch there and can eventually result in a head separation when fired one too many times. (You do NOT want a case head separation - - it sends hot gases back through the action and into your face!) The appearance of a bright ring around the case wall, just behind the pressure ring (biggest bulged area) in the case wall is the classic sign of incipient head separation. But, if you polish the brass enough, you may not notice. The best way to check cases is to take a stiff wire (like a straightened paper clip), bend a short section to a right angle, and insert it into the case neck. Push the bent end down to the web inside the case, then drag the end of the wire up the side of the case and "feel" for a groove around the inside of the case. If you find a groove, you are pushing that case to the edge and need to scrap it. It may help you visualize what you are feeling if you section an old case. Just drill a 1/2" hole into a scrap piece of wood deep enough so that, when you stick the case into it, about 3/4" to 1" of the head end sticks out. Hold the wood in a vise and use a hack saw (or a razor saw if you have one) to saw axially down the center of the case to the wood surface, then saw in from one side along the wood surface to remove one side of the case. Now you can see what you are feeling with the wire in that particular case. Since that ruins a case, it is best done with a case that seems to have a groove inside that would cause you to scrap it. You may find that the case is not as grooved as it feels, depending on how much of a worrier you are. You need to teach yourself what a groove that matters really feels like. SL11

04-02-2008, 02:31 PM	#9
243custom Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: west virginia,charleston Posts: 54	ok, all the information is appreciated,& i'm loading 46 gr. imr 4350 with 85 gr sierra bthp thats a little below compressed in my manual. thanks everyone!!!

04-02-2008, 03:04 PM	#10
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 5,103	if you dont already have them, pick up a couple of loading manuals. they will answer 90% of your questions. if you cant find it in a book though, feel free to ask.