How Many Reloads?

[arcpest 6]

Hi all how many reloads do you get or would expect from new .308 Lapua brass?

I ask because I was given nearly 200 cases from a friend who reloaded 1 lot 12 times and the other lot 13 times, I am regularly getting split cases! iv had 1 complete separation and about a dozen with cracks splits in, I had 1 today with the lowest load which showed a split and burnt around the rim so they are doing it on even the low loads and not because im stocking the load up.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

Iv got a pick so you can see the ring its making on the cases

 

Rick

[dicehorn 38]

Will reply tomorrow - knackered!!

[Apex 3]

I was told that if you neck size then bin them as soon as you start getting cracked necks. If you full length re size then personally I don't use them for more than 8-10 reloads depending on the quality of the make of brass.

[rimmer 33]

I have some federal thats on its 15th, i anneal them every 5 or so and only neck size.

[dicehorn 38]

Hi all how many reloads do you get or would expect from new .308 Lapua brass?

I ask because I was given nearly 200 cases from a friend who reloaded 1 lot 12 times and the other lot 13 times, I am regularly getting split cases! iv had 1 complete separation and about a dozen with cracks splits in, I had 1 today with the lowest load which showed a split and burnt around the rim so they are doing it on even the low loads and not because im stocking the load up.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

Iv got a pick so you can see the ring its making on the cases

 

 

Rick

Rick

 

200 from a friend been reloaded 12 or 13 times - some friend - sounds like a gift box with adders in it.

 

Your problem with this sort of gift is the unknown factors, yes you know 12 or 13 times, but were you aware if after say 4 reloads at neck sizing he then full lengthed them or did he full length them each time (some rifles like them 'full lengthed' each time - my 6.5 does).Some peoples set up with their dies need extra pressure to draw the expander on the decapping rod back through the neck causing unnecessary pressure between the expander and the shellholder which can be the main cause of case separation - this becomes more obvious if you forget/don't bother to scrub out the inside of the necks before going into the neck/FL dies. Did he shoot loads to the max - longevity of case compromised. These are some of the vagaries of buying unknown used cases.

 

I repeat what I said to you in your other thread before I read this post:

 

Your fracture rings I assume are occurring about 1 cm from the headstamp? If so, it could well be that due to a combination of too many firings without annealing and subjecting the cases to too much powder has caused this situation. If this is happening, you really need to inspect your remaining cases - take a paper clip and straighten it out, at one end make a right angle of about 5 mm, then push the right angled bit of the paperclip down the case to the headstamp, when withdrawing it if you feel a 'dip' in the brass about 1 cm up - that is your warning that the case is separating. With your cases separating you are relying upon the strength of the bolt from protecting you from serious injury.

 

Bearing in mind what you have now written, If it was me I would shovel your remaining cases into the bin and buy yourself a 100 new Lapua - that way you are starting off on a level playing field.

 

How many reloads? Hm... can depend on quality of brass, how many times you full length them. It must be appreciated that well before you encounter case separation you will have the obvious signs of split necks and very loose seating of primers.

How can we extend the life of our brass? Well, I will tell you my method {s} on my 3 rifles and when I reload for others. Firstly I do not use the decapping rod - you are making the neck brass move twice - once to contract the neck then expand with the expander when withdrawing the case from the die, so for me just one movement of brass, it also means that I get approx. 2 more thou of grip - ie 1 thou each side which is neither here nor there.. To remove the primer I simply use a universal decapping die.

 

My 6.5 is more accurate when 'full lengthed' so my Lapua brass would never be expected to last more than say 8 - 10 firings. But I have a batch that is on its 14th reloading - what normally kills them will be loose primers. I anneal after every 4th firing - that helps the necks from splitting but of course annealing has no effect on primer pockets. However I do not use a F/L die, instead I have a Redding Body die (Sometimes called a Shoulder bump die) this does not full length the whole case but just pushes the shoulder back and with the use of a body die comparator bushing I can measure exactly what measurement I need to ensure a bolt closure that has very slight resistance - perfect fit to the chamber - that is why on my targets I write the words 'shoulder datum' and the relevant numbers.

 

My 22.250 uses Remington brass but F/L (body die) every 4th firing after annealing and N/K in between - some are over 20 firings.

My 20 Tac uses Dakota brass (made by Lapua) as above but F/L (body die) after 5 firings and after 13 firings are still perfect.

After making up a batch I write the number of fired times on the case near the headstamp with a sharpie pen so that I know where I am with regard to F/L and annealing - continuity !

 

Finally whilst I have a tumbler and an ultrasonic, they are both gathering dust somewhere at the back of my garage - when some one can prove that shiny smooth brass shoots more accurately than dull smooth brass I will rush down to the garage!!

[arcpest 6]

Hi dicehorn I think mark said he only neck sized them for his rifle but I had to full length size them because they wouldn't chamber in my rifle, I only full length sized them twice since iv had them, I don't know if he annealed them but I haven't and I haven't seen any signs of the neck splitting they all look perfectly ok.

Im not sure how hot he ran them but he was loading them to shoot to the 1000 yard mark so im guessing quiet hot to get the 2900+fps to get there.

From the bottom of the case to the split line is 0.283" or 7.21mm, I will give the paper clip a try on the other cases to see if I can find any before they split and possible jam in the chamber.

I uniformed and sized all the cases when I got them and some of the primers are really easy to get in with the hand primer and I just put it down to me over doing the uniforming and took too much brass out! I have had no primers pop out yet and the only other sign iv had is a black ring round the primer which is carbon from the firing where the primer is a bit loose I was told by the ro yesterday.

One of the other guys at the club has some once fired Lapua brass he said I could buy and he assures me they have only been fired once and I believe him hes a nice guy.

Once iv used the brass iv already primed I will not be reloading it any more! there are too many split or showing signs of getting ready to split so before I get one stuck il just have to wait until I get some other cases.

I ultra sonic mine before I de-prime and again before I process them then reload them as I was told if I don't do them before de-priming I could bugger my die with the crap left in the case after its been shot.

 

Rick

[3175darren 1,093]

Is that a split or a crease??and just check your re-sizing die is set up right,and clean,

[dicehorn 38]

 

One of the other guys at the club has some once fired Lapua brass he said I could buy and he assures me they have only been fired once and I believe him hes a nice guy.

 

If genuinely fired once - they should be ok as long as you F/L them back to SAAMI spec

 

Once iv used the brass iv already primed I will not be reloading it any more! there are too many split or showing signs of getting ready to split so before I get one stuck il just have to wait until I get some other cases.

I ultra sonic mine before I de-prime and again before I process them then reload them as I was told if I don't do them before de-priming I could bugger my die with the crap left in the case after its been shot.

 

The only part of your die that comes in contact with the internals of a case is the neck - that is why we give the neck a scrub. The internals of the chamber wall will get a coating of burnt powder which does not increase each time you fire the case.. Lets face it, if there was a gradual build up of burnt powder, then 20 firings later the case capacity would shrink and your favoured load weight of say 44 gr would be coming out the top and the pressure would be huge!! As for the outside, as long as there is nothing sticking to it that should not be there - then no problem. I have not used my tumbler in 10 years - one set of dies I use must be nearly 20 years old - all I do after every reloading session is to strip and clean them, something we all should do even if a tumbler is used not forgetting the shellholder recess that holds the case in place.

 

Peter.

 

Rick

[arcpest 6]

Hi Peter I trust tony when he says there only fired once and I will be full length sizing them before I start reloading them, I do scrub the neck with a small bottle brush after they have need cleaned, I did strip my die the first couple of times I reloaded but then just forgot to do it recently but I will start doing it again.

 

Rick

[shootlodge 143]

scrap them ! If I had that many splits from & seperations from lapua brass, I would know been a quality case there FUBAR ! Be safe not sorry

[arcpest 6]

Yeah im up the club Wednesday as a friend says he has some once fired Lapua brass I can buy so once I have them il get shot of all the other cases.

 

Rick