So when is enough, enough?

[bushmaster]

My biggest gun is a .338 win mag and i only shoot reloads through it.  Accuracy has been a breeze from the get-go and i have had no issues with the cartridges.  I've reloaded 300 cases 4 times now and they still look great.  However, considering the power of this caliber i am deathly afraid of overlooking the possibility of a head separation. Actually, any rupture scares the crap out of me.  So what i'm lookin to hear from you guys is this.  WHEN DO YOU KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT ITS TIME TO RETIRE YOUR CASES??

[5 SHOTS]

I'm not an expert but the .338 is a belted case. They head space on the belt and do not stretch nearly as much as a rimless case. Their life is considerably longer if the dies are adjusted right. I think the necks will crack before you get head separation. but remember, I'm no expert.

[FinsnFur]

I've wondered the same thing about my own brass.
I dont reload, I got a guy that does it all for me but, I've asked a few times already...dont ya think we should get some new brass?

[alscalls]

I checked on new brass for my 6mm and it was over $50 for a hundred now that Obutthead is pres.

[bushmaster]

i FEEL FOR YA AL.


Hey Jerry!!  Where are ya buddy??

[HuntnCarve]

I've been reloading for alot of years, but I'm no expert.  But here goes:  I usually start looking for the formation of a" ring like", discoloration of the brass.  It can be down low on the case, slightly above the belt or rim.  Or even further up on the case.  If and when I detect this ring, I will take a stiff wire with one end bent over 90°, and a sharp burr on it(cut the wire at an angle with sidecutters to form this burr).  And insert it into the case mouth till the bend in the wire is in the area of the "ring".  If the burr on the wire catches, or picks up a valley in this area, the case should be discarded.  What is happening is that the brass is stretching severely in this area, and thinning out.  The term "case separation" can be applied.  Continued reloading will eventually cause the case to crack here, or seperate completely.  Not a good thing!

[Hawks Feather]

Well, it all depends on your definition of enough.      While it is not something that I do any longer, I used to reload brass that had splits down the neck and into the shoulder.  The key that saved me was that I was not shooting max loads and also had a decent action.  With that confession out of the way on to the topic.

The real answer depends on several things.  One of the first things is how heavy or light of loads you are shooting.  That would include both the amount of powder and the weight of the bullet.  Light loads and light bullets will give you longer brass life.  The hotter the loads the more the brass will stretch (technically, it flows) and the more it will need to be reshaped to get it back to the original size.  This resizing is what starts taking a toll on the brass.  The other factor that comes into play is the size of your chamber.  There are specs for the chamber and they are usually slightly oversized so that all different manufacturers of ammo will fire in your chamber.  That is a good thing in that you don't have to only use one brand of ammo, but is also a bad thing in that your brass expands more.  Benchrest shooters have what is called "tight neck" chambers so that there is very little expansion of the brass when the round is fired.  It also only need a few thousands (at most) to return the neck to a tightness that will hold the bullet in the case.  Benchrest brass last a loooooong time because there is so little expansion. 

If you want to get the best life out of your brass you need to only resize it as much as necessary.  Hornady makes a comparator that will show you how much you are resizing your brass.  It is a good investment that will allow you to keep your resizing to a minimum.  You only want to resize so that your brass will chamber and it is easy to oversize your brass - which causes the brass to start developing cracks.

If you keep watching your brass you will possibly start to see a dark line along the neck of the case.  Try cleaning it to see if it is gas blowback along the inside of your chamber or if it is the start of a crack.  Needless to say, if it is a crack it is time to retire the brass.  Checking the interior of the case as Dave said is also a good idea. 

If you are not resizing too much, and if you are not shooting hot loads, you should be able to get at least 8 to 10 shots.  Keep checking after each shot and again after you resize to be on the safe side.

Jerry

[Huntinbull]

Brass that has been fired in your gun generally only needs to be neck sized. Be sure to check the overall case length, etc. to be sure of this. Brass fired in your gun expands to fit your chamber. The neck needs to be resized to hold the bullet properly. Brass used in this manner generally lasts longer than brass that is full length resized repeatedly. Watch the neck for discoloration/malformation. Do i need an "I'm not an expert" disclaimer, or does everybody understand that advice is just that, advice? LOL

[Ridge Runner]

if the pockets are good and tight, you see no rings around the brass above the belt indiicating insipient casehead separation, and the brass isn't work hardened to the point that neck tension is causing accuracy issues, keep shooting it.

I have loaded cases dozens of times with no ill effects. keep your dies adjusted to min. headspace and brass will last quite a while.
RR

[slagmaker]

I am not an expert but I did stay in a Holiday inn Express once.

Make yourself a feeler. straiten a paper clip and bend a sharp 90* on one end. Just need a little bit. Sharpen the little tip you just made and you can use it to feel/check the inside of your casses. If you feel any cracks or thin spots you know that case has reached the end of its usefull life.

[FinsnFur]

Is there an echo in here :roflmao:

[KySongDog]

Great minds think alike. 

[Hawks Feather]

Or they all go to a Holiday Inn Express . . . . .

Jerry