How many times can you reload 45-70 cases?

hatman1793

hatman1793

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 95.1%
36   2   3
Location
Kanada is lost! Trudeau's socialist utopia keeps g
I started with new, unprimed *Starline* 45-70 brass. Have loaded all the cases once.
340 grain LEE medium cast & powder coated RNFT bullets.
Used the LEE factory crimp die too, but not at all aggressive.
Not hot loads, average FPS is around 1600 FPS.

Question: how many times can I reload this brass? Thoughts.
 
I have reloaded my starline brass 16 times so far with no issues using Trail Boss (reduced loads) and a 405gr bullet.
 
A very large number of times. Mild cast bullet loads in an action where there is no stretching going on can basically last forever. As an example, I have .32-40 cases that have been fired 200 times.

My rule of thumb though is to go by how many times you trim them. I only trim cases three times. In my Marlin .45-70 when I used to shoot hot loads I trim the cases probably every three or four firings if I remember correctly. In my single shot rifles with cast bullets the length generally doesn't change.
 
Seems you have the answer,
But my 2¢;
My Starline, (102 pieces) has been loaded and fired an average of 12.8 times last summer.
405 cast
With 30gr of D4198.
I Lee factory crimp each one. I expect this stresses the brass more than uncrimped?
 
Burton Urnie said:
Seems you have the answer,
But my 2¢;
My Starline, (102 pieces) has been loaded and fired an average of 12.8 times last summer.
405 cast
With 30gr of D4198.
I Lee factory crimp each one. I expect this stresses the brass more than uncrimped?
Click to expand...

That is a good point with the crimping. I think sizing and crimping will affect the lifetime. In my single shots I never crimp and only size as little as possible, sometimes not at all. In my lever guns I do both.

Chris.
 
I shoot a Perdosoli Sharp 1874. Starline brass.. resized only the lengt of the bullet , no crimp , annealed twice a year and I am at my 23 rd loading on the same lot of brass... in my Winchester 1886 .. got 17 reload before a few needed to be discarded. I started annealing them at #15 and so far no more mouth crack - split. The Win 1886 brass is full lengt resized each time - taper crimped. Roll crimp are working too much the brass and shortern their lifespan.

45-70 brass last a long time..
 
Would using a Gibbs Arms Frontier Rifle change anything ? Just wondering as I know the chambers of Enfield's are all different, and being a bolt action.
 
RE; crimping...I started out loading 45-70 in the mid 80's with 100 brass, now I'm up to 300 or so. Some of that brass has probably been through 30 or more loadings (all lower pressure spectrum), used in many different guns (I don't separate at all, just dig into the stash when loading for a certain bullet weight or rifle), full length resize every one, never anneal, very heavy roll crimp every one....and had the first split case mouth a week ago.
 
Try without full length sizing. If it holds the bullet and fits easily into the chamber than there is no need for sizing.

If you are firing from different guns be aware there may be slight differences in chamber diameter. I try to keep the brass from each gun separate.
 
hatman1793 said:
I started with new, unprimed *Starline* 45-70 brass. Have loaded all the cases once.
340 grain LEE medium cast & powder coated RNFT bullets.
Used the LEE factory crimp die too, but not at all aggressive.
Not hot loads, average FPS is around 1600 FPS.

Question: how many times can I reload this brass? Thoughts.
Click to expand...

It depends on how much you work the brass when you resize, and that depends on how big your chamber is. Annealing might extend brass life but it could also be the primer pockets that tap out first, and there's not much you can do about that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom