Author Topic: 454 Brass life (Read 641 times)

Varmint Hunter · « **on:** October 11, 2003, 01:39:27 PM »

I'm curious to know about how many reloads I should expect to get from my 454 brass.
I'm using Hornady brass with a moderate load of W296 which shoots a 300gr JHP @ 1,400 ft/sec, according to my Oehler.
Any ideas?

My 454 brass gets filthy. I have been dipping them in IOSSO Quick Brite brass cleaner. It does clean them up but leaves a very dull finish. What are you guys using?

VH

454Puma · « **Reply #1 on:** October 12, 2003, 05:22:00 AM »

First -STOP using that cleaner!!!! It will ruin your brass!!!!! It make's them brittle :shock: Now that they are ruined them, get new brass. I've been shooting my original Hornady brass for the last 3 years-probably about a dozen or so reloads in them from mild to heavy. These are those famous lot 99 brass-the soft ones. Now Win brass seem OK but if you can find some FA brass- they are stout and will last for ever!! :grin:

Varmint Hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2003, 08:44:54 AM »

I had been previously using Lyman tumbler media in a vibratory tumbler. The media is greenish-yellow and leaves dusty residue all over the cases, inside + out. It really doesn't clean that well either. It may be beter for polishing clean brass.

How do you clean and/or polish your 454 brass?

I was thinking of buying Starline 454 brass. I believe that you can get it direct for about $65 per 250ct. Any good?
VH

Duffy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2003, 11:20:44 AM »

I use starline brass and have 50 that are used just for load development that have over a dozen loading without a hitch. Always have had good luck with their brass.

For the polisher, Midways polish additive and corn cob or walnut for the real dirty ones works for me. I used to use a liquid cleaner that didn't harden the brass but it's kinda messy and time consuming.

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2003, 05:41:12 PM »

If I ever wear out any .454 cases I'll let ya know. If you are using mild loads as stated they may last longer than you do. I'm still loading .44 mag cases that I know must have been loaded over 100 times.

I don't agree on the ISSO cleaner. I tested it and it works fine and does not contain anything that will damage the cases. They make it specifically for that purpose. It is not like brass polish that has ammonia in it. Dunno what is in it but it is not ammonia and doesn't harm the cases. If you doubt this contact ISSO and ask them.

GB

Bluedog · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2003, 04:22:54 AM »

My 454 brass lasts for 8-11 loads. The part that wears out most often is the primer pocket expands to the point where i can push the primer in with my thumb.

I've been thinking of getting an anvil for this, but by the 9th or so reload I start getting split mouths anyway on some of them. I trim them between each loading, because they grow a little and I want consistency.

My loads are generally very light to medium. My heaviest in general is a 255@1500 and 325@1400, although I occasionally load to higher velocities for experimentation. 325@1550, 255@1880 and 225@2000 are about the stoutest experiments I've pushed.

I think much of it depends on the gun itself. A good inspection between loads is recommended.

volshooter · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2003, 10:56:15 AM »

I use WW and Starline brass and get from 2-6 loads per case. My case failure is split cases. My load is a 340 gr WFP over 30 gr of WW296 pushing 1534 fps from a 6" Raging Bull. I had about a dozen cases split and oddly they have all been WW except one.
Rick

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2003, 06:24:39 PM »

You guys are either holding your mouth wrong or ain't living right er sumpin. I've not lost a .454 Case to splitting or any other failure yet. No I don't really put them in lots and count the number of times each is fired. But heck some of them I know have been fired 10-15 times at least.

Might be I'm just not loading as hot as you guys do. Admittedly I'm not trying to wring the last 100 fps from every load. I also flare the case mouth only as much as needed to get the job done. Those two things alone will add tremendously to case life.

I have .44 Mag cases I've been loading over 20 years and they still do just fine. Hold a tight crimp and loads with them are just as accurate as with new brass. Some of those suckers have to have been loaded 50-100 times.

GB

Duffy · « **Reply #8 on:** October 23, 2003, 07:12:57 PM »

I use the Lyman M die exclusively to flare all of my cases and have noticed that the splitting has been pretty much eliminated. It really helps on 38/357 cases to keep them from splitting. Am now going on the 20th loading of my test cases in 454 and so far so good. Have noticed that the Encore bbl is much tighter than the SRH so there should be less wear and tear.