Wally, I think you're right on the money--I wouldn't want to think that Black Hills is using just any old range sweepings for their brass, and I'd think that there'd be a better way to inspect cases, like some kind of x-ray machine or something; but it's possible, I guess, that even once-fired military brass could be stretched enough in a military chamber to be unsafe after only one trip through the sizing die. I've never bought reloaded ammo since I make my own, but I do look at my fired brass and if that bright ring at the end of the case web goes all the way around the case, I toss it. I left an entire batch of empties (about 500) in the trash because many of them were showing this ring--I do not know how many times they'd been fired but I do know this batch is the first big lot I bought when I started PD shooting 13 years ago so they'd been fired at least 8 times apiece, with near-max loads.
Yes, the best method is to keep your lots together and record the number of firings and trimmings. after two trimmings, they're pretty much on their last legs I've learned not to trim a third time.
cdknox, I've found that a bronze bore brush or M-16 chamber brush, will work good to pull what's left of a separated case from the chamber. Just put it on a short rod, like a pistol rod or one segment of a break-down type rod, and push it into the case from the chamber end (for a 223 case I used a 30-caliber bore brush) and pullit out. The ends of the bristles will grab the case and pull it out.
Please do not ask how I know this.
