Approximate amount of times you can reuse pistol brass?

Ice05

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Hi Guys,

still fairly new to the world of firearms and completely new to reloading. Ive read a few posts and I know (at least it seems for riffles with the trimming) that you use the brass till it shows wear... I don't think I would be trimming a 9mm round (though I could be wrong)... so I don't know if that makes a difference.

because Im so new, I've been asking a bunch of people what reloading machine they like and the Dillon XL650 looks good. Given, being so new, I don't know if I should just get a single or progressive press type.

generally speaking, approximately how many times can a 9mm brass casing and I guess a .38 casing be reused?

thanks in advance
 
As far as how many times handgun brass can be reloaded, that is a good question. I have never kept track of mine.
I just go by the look of them and if a case looks like it has been fired a number of times, I will pitch it.
If the headstamp looks faint or the rim has some marks, out it goes.
Obviously any signs on splits in the case also go out.
Brass cases last longer than nickel ones which are more brittle.

I think that after you have been reloading for a while you can tell when used cases need to go out.
Plus it also depends on how hot or mild the loads are.
I have some .38 special cases used for very mild PPC loads that have at least 10 reloads on them
and still look good.
 
a couple of years ago I bought 100 new.44mag brass. at this time it has been fired 25 times and 7 rounds have been discarded due to split case necks leaving 93 still going. I now only use these for light plinking loads with cast bullets. good luck
 
wow. well 10-25 with only a few discards is a MUCH better number.

trying to learn more and may not be the best idea but I'm still working on getting my Lyman manual so I'm watching youtube and the guy who was doing a demo for reloading for beginners with a 9mm said he only uses his 4x which both surprised and disappointed me
 
Do not be disappointed, better he tell his students 4 times than 10 times and they blow up a gun or become injured, remember it is a class and after 4 times maybe the students will get someone to look at their brass at that time

TORT LIABILITY

Jeff retired lawyer


wow. well 10-25 with only a few discards is a MUCH better number.

trying to learn more and may not be the best idea but I'm still working on getting my Lyman manual so I'm watching youtube and the guy who was doing a demo for reloading for beginners with a 9mm said he only uses his 4x which both surprised and disappointed me
 
Do not be disappointed, better he tell his students 4 times than 10 times and they blow up a gun or become injured, remember it is a class and after 4 times maybe the students will get someone to look at their brass at that time

TORT LIABILITY

Jeff retired lawyer



I see the benefits of underestimating for safety... I guess ill be pleasantly surprised if its more than 4...


Speaking of loading... is the Lyman's Guide (or Hornady, etc) just strictly a guide for what loads need to be with the brass/ primers?

Can't I get that data online instead of having to buy a general guide (especially if i know all I'm loading will be 9mm with a specific powder, primer, projectile?)? I do eventually want to get a guide...but if all I need is for what I have now, is there anything in a guide that should be read before trying to reload (not counting the ABC of reloading...that I am reading)
 
Do not be disappointed, better he tell his students 4 times than 10 times and they blow up a gun or become injured, remember it is a class and after 4 times maybe the students will get someone to look at their brass at that time

TORT LIABILITY

Jeff retired lawyer


What a crock. Even if the number 4 did represent a threshold where the risk of case failure become greater (it doesn't), so what? Reloaded cases fail during firing every day, it's inconsequential. Case head separations are not common in pistol cases but even if they were they are harmless. Neck and body splits are a complete non-event.

Edit: I suppose if you are shooting one of these notorious unsupported chamber autos it could be an issue. Case head failures are disastrous. I've never loaded for one, but it shouldn't be an issue for anything outside of .40 cal.

To answer the question, low pressure pistol cases like the .45 auto and .38 special can be expected to survive at least 50 reloads if they are not pushed to excessive pressures, often they go over 100. Higher pressure cartridges like 9mm or .40 S&W will probably only last in the 20-50 reloads range (unless again you are dealing with a badly designed chamber).

The correct time to throw a case away is after it has failed. This means visible splits, loss of neck tension (to the point you can twist the bullet in the case after it has been fully seated) or primer pockets that are downright sloppy (does this happen in these calibers? I've never seen it). Fired so many times that the headstamp has worn off is not a good reason to throw pistol brass away, load those suckers up.
 
What a crock. Even if the number 4 did represent a threshold where the risk of case failure become greater (it doesn't), so what? Reloaded cases fail during firing every day, it's inconsequential. Case head separations are not common in pistol cases but even if they were they are harmless. Neck and body splits are a complete non-event.

Edit: I suppose if you are shooting one of these notorious unsupported chamber autos it could be an issue. Case head failures are disastrous. I've never loaded for one, but it shouldn't be an issue for anything outside of .40 cal.

To answer the question, low pressure pistol cases like the .45 auto and .38 special can be expected to survive at least 50 reloads if they are not pushed to excessive pressures, often they go over 100. Higher pressure cartridges like 9mm or .40 S&W will probably only last in the 20-50 reloads range (unless again you are dealing with a badly designed chamber).

The correct time to throw a case away is after it has failed. This means visible splits, loss of neck tension (to the point you can twist the bullet in the case after it has been fully seated) or primer pockets that are downright sloppy (does this happen in these calibers? I've never seen it). Fired so many times that the headstamp has worn off is not a good reason to throw pistol brass away, load those suckers up.

Thank you! thats exactly the estimates I was looking for... I mean I know statistically some may last longer or shorter but I thought reloading would be saving because you can reuse the brass a whackload of times

I reloaded a batch of 45ACP brass 40 times, could hardly read the headstamp because of the ejector marks. there was still more life left in them.

Ill be very lucky if I get to 40x but Ill be happy if I can reuse it even 10-20x
 
I use it until I lose it.

When loading, the odd case gets tossed for a slit or crack.

I suggest you start with a simple single stage, and size a bucket, bell a bucket and then load a bucket.

Much better way to learn the basics.

When you switch to a progressive (I use a Dillon 550 for pistol) all the gear can be re-used.
 
I can't even guess how many times some of my 9mm has been loaded. Headstamps are almost illegible on some. They either get lost or the primer pocket gets too loose. I have some old nickel plated stuff that the nickel has almost completely worn off. It still loads and shoots fine.

Auggie D.
 
I use them till they show signs of failure. Typically a vertical split.

I expect I get 40 to 50 loading's from 45 acp and 38 special. Maybe 25 to 30 with 357 magnum.

As battleRif noted, it is pretty safe to push usage in most guns until signs of weakness occur.

Usually lose a few at the range, although a few days ago I fired off 40 rounds and found 48 cases. Sweet.
 
I use it until I lose it.

When loading, the odd case gets tossed for a slit or crack.

I suggest you start with a simple single stage, and size a bucket, bell a bucket and then load a bucket.

Much better way to learn the basics.

When you switch to a progressive (I use a Dillon 550 for pistol) all the gear can be re-used.

I think I'm leaning towards going for the Dillon XL650 so I don't have to buy later on next time :S Its a really nice reality check how expensive this hobby can get :bangHead:


I use them till they show signs of failure. Typically a vertical split.

I expect I get 40 to 50 loading's from 45 acp and 38 special. Maybe 25 to 30 with 357 magnum.

As battleRif noted, it is pretty safe to push usage in most guns until signs of weakness occur.

Usually lose a few at the range, although a few days ago I fired off 40 rounds and found 48 cases. Sweet.

That is pretty sweet...sadly at my range its like people police the brass as soon as they shoot...you see like a mad dash for their brass lol. Ive resigned myself to buying empty brass for now..then ill be one of them hustling for my used brass
 
thanks for joining the conversation, was your last public display of legal knowledge protesting your innocence just before taking a short vacation on her majesty's dime?

to be blunt if the case explodes or a squib and another right behind it and the gun blows up and injures the owner or user or spectator are you going to be their defence council or the expert witness,it is all fine and dandy until someone loses an eye,

a firearms instructor would be quite foolish to say cases can go 100 times because that is all most students will remember and not the caution to check cases and so on

a middle aged fellow who now builds gun barrels for a living had his reloads explode and destroy the gun at rocky range a couple of years ago, lucky no one was hurt, would the guy next to him have said, oh I will not sue as the cases would be good for 100 reloads or 30 for a rifle?

accidents do happen and people sue, careful with advice on gun nuts, the op said he is completely new to reloading, so complete proper advice is needed and that takes a page of notes and not some hot shot saying have at it,

the barrel builder will never shoot next to me, ever and if I see him at a range I will make it a point of asking how his ammo he is using was prepared,
and yes I would go so far if the answer was not satisfactory to tell the next person to get up off the bench until I explained his,past behaviour. Range bully, no just careful

have a nice day folks. Jeff


What a crock. Even if the number 4 did represent a threshold where the risk of case failure become greater (it doesn't), so what? Reloaded cases fail during firing every day, it's inconsequential. Case head separations are not common in pistol cases but even if they were they are harmless. Neck and body splits are a complete non-event.

Edit: I suppose if you are shooting one of these notorious unsupported chamber autos it could be an issue. Case head failures are disastrous. I've never loaded for one, but it shouldn't be an issue for anything outside of .40 cal.

To answer the question, low pressure pistol cases like the .45 auto and .38 special can be expected to survive at least 50 reloads if they are not pushed to excessive pressures, often they go over 100. Higher pressure cartridges like 9mm or .40 S&W will probably only last in the 20-50 reloads range (unless again you are dealing with a badly designed chamber).

The correct time to throw a case away is after it has failed. This means visible splits, loss of neck tension (to the point you can twist the bullet in the case after it has been fully seated) or primer pockets that are downright sloppy (does this happen in these calibers? I've never seen it). Fired so many times that the headstamp has worn off is not a good reason to throw pistol brass away, load those suckers up.
 
Whatever equipment you buy you should include a tumbler or some other means of cleaning the brass. I don't really care if it looks good but when they are clean you can find failures. Each of my casings gets at least 3 visual and tactile checks/tests by the time it is reloaded. That is the best way to see if it is still good and depending on your load it may be good for dozens upon dozens of firings.
 
Whatever equipment you buy you should include a tumbler or some other means of cleaning the brass.

thanks! how essential is it that I get the same tumbler and separator brand as the loader? Ie... do I HAVE to buy Dillon for the separator and the media tumbler?

Im looking and I see the brand Frankford is more economical... but since I'm new to this world, Im not quite familiar whats good and whats not
 
Do not be disappointed, better he tell his students 4 times than 10 times and they blow up a gun or become injured, remember it is a class and after 4 times maybe the students will get someone to look at their brass at that time

TORT LIABILITY

Jeff retired lawyer

This is one of the dumber things I have read on CGN. Over used cases suffer from one of two primary problems, neither of which will ever result in a blown up case or personal injury.

Either the primer pocket will get too loose to hold the primer, which makes the round unshootable.

Or the case neck will split, which is not at all dangerous. Even if the neck splits upon seating the bullet, the round is safe to fire as long as it will chamber.
 
thanks! how essential is it that I get the same tumbler and separator brand as the loader? Ie... do I HAVE to buy Dillon for the separator and the media tumbler?

Im looking and I see the brand Frankford is more economical... but since I'm new to this world, Im not quite familiar whats good and whats not

A brass cleaner is about the last piece of equipment I'd consider. I reloaded 9mm and 45 for 15 years without ever cleaning a case.

There is no reason to match equipment brands. Buy whatever you want. It will all work together.
 
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