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Offline TopperT

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Brass Life Question
« on: January 17, 2012, 01:29:46 AM »
I have begin to wonder what others find to be a safe lifespan for brass.  I shoot 38-55 & 45-70 Starline.
 
Some I have spoken who shoot 'smokeless', clami to replace their brass after 5 reloadings!  I'm getting back into shooting my BPCR after a layoff and paying close attention to my loading.  So the question came up, what do others find to be an "average" life span for their brass or do you simply 'retire' brass after so many reloads?
 
Many thanks, Jim.
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Offline Ranch13

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2012, 03:40:54 AM »
I have brass that have been loaded dozens of times. I don't think with blackpowder loads you'll ever wear any brass out.
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Offline TopperT

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2012, 05:15:14 AM »
Frankly THAT is exactly what I thought.  I figured at the very low case pressures we could reload any number of times as long as the case itself was still in good condition.
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Offline Ranch13

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2012, 05:26:36 AM »
You'll loose more cases from oopsiedoo' :-[ s during the loading process than any other cause.
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Offline Ray Newman

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2012, 01:33:36 PM »
 Once read in a re-print of a Sharps catalogue in which Sharps Rifle Company claimed their tests indicated their factory shells could be reloaded 500 times. Well, since they threw down the gauntlet, I picked it up.
 
I took one Bell Basic Brass case and reloaded the Sharps .45-2.4" at the range with White powder (AKA smokeless), Black Powder, and Duplex. I carried preloaded plastic test tubes with powder, de- and recapped with my hand tool, and utilized a Lee press to seat the bullet. Cleaning out the BP fouling from the case and primer pocket with a brush and scrapper was bothersome.
 
After about a dozen plus trips to the range and on the 538th. reload, the old Bell case started a small split at the neck. If often wonder had I regularly annealed the case, how long would it have lasted??….
 
I think the key to brass longevity is keeping it clean and polished.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2012, 01:34:34 PM »
I just shoot them until they split.
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Offline Cleburne

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2012, 01:45:09 PM »
I have no scientific studies to offer, but my experience with loading black powder .45 Colt cartridges for cowboy action shooting leads me to believe cases will last indefinitely. I have yet to see one split. A friend gave me several hundred nickle plated cases to use and I think his feelings got hurt when, after months of shooting, he's not seen me use one in competition. But the fact is, I haven't had to replace any of my brass cases yet and they've been reloaded dozens and dozens of times. But I can't say whether or not bottle necked or tapered cases will have the same long life.
 
Cleburne
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Offline John Boy

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2012, 03:36:28 PM »
Quote
After about a dozen plus trips to the range and on the 538th. reload, the old Bell case started a small split at the neck.
Welcome Jim
Knowing Ray, I'll bet that case was initially annealed!  This being said, annealing is the key to long life of a brass case with a temperature no greater than 650 F (a bluish/green or dark straw color depending on the brass alloy)

Some folks anneal several times during the life span of the case.  I do a subsequent annealing when I see abnormal blow back at the mouth.  The mouth is not adhering tightly in the chamber

So Topper, when you have shot one of your cases for 538 plus 1 time - drop us all a line.  ;D
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Regards
John Boy

Offline Ray Newman

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2012, 05:35:41 PM »
 John Boy: I really can not recall when or how many times I annealed the case. Do know that case was annealed and reloaded numerous times before I started the experiment.
But all I do know for a fact is that on the 538th firing, a split started at the neck. By then the rim edge was getting a bit rounded and the primer pocket a tad loose.
 
My SWAG (Scientific Wild Arsed Guess) is that after that amount of firing and reloading, if the case would not have split, the pimer pocket would have become way too loose.
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Offline john777

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Re: Brass Life Question
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2012, 01:07:18 AM »
Been hiding in the walls waiting for a topic to pop up where I need to know..
I have some Win. brass that has been annealed and shot several times...Lately while
experimenting with paper patch bullets,I noticed I am getting a lot of blow back.
Of course the bullets are barely in the case you know...I personaly think the brass is
to thin on the mouth area to hold the bullet upon exnition..So just to see I am going to
load up some the same way only with some new brass to see what happens..I suppose
the old brass would still be ok for standard groove bullets as they are seated so much
more deeper into the case....What do you think?
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