Brass life???
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This is a difficult question to answer in a straightforward and helpful way. The simple answer about case life is; 'it depends'. There is no substitute for knowing what you are doing here. Generally speaking the hotter the load, the more severe the sizing, the poorer the brass, the fewer uses you will get. The variables I have actually measured that affect case life in my firearms include; how hot the load is; how the head space is in the rifle; quality of the brass; what kind of resizing one is doing and how you set your dies, e.g. neck size vs full-length resizing, partial resizing and so on. To elaborate a bit, I had a 303 Savage lever action that was my grandfather's rifle. It was very old with a 4 digit serial no. When you shot it using the mild loads, by modern standards, that such a rifle shot, the case stretched near the web and reloading was simply not on. On the other hand, I had a 7-08 that I was neck-sizing the cases for and shooting the mildest loads I could find commensurate with accuracy, and I easily got 8 uses per case. After about 8 uses the chambering got a little stiff and I full-length resized them and used them some more. I think most people would simply buy new cases after that many uses in that particular rifle. Cases aren't expensive and it certainly can't hurt. I'll leave the pistol reloading to pistoleros as I haven't done enough to know about case life though I have seen some things that would suggest such considerations may well apply in some cases.
As for cleaning the cases, I have wondered about this myself from time to time and I have seen as many different approaches as I have reloaders ranging from a quick wipe with a rag to hours of vibration. One main reason for cleaning, of course, is to avoid contamination of your reload, e.g. powder, primer. One source of contamination is the lube you use for resizing as well as the dirt it can pick up. An interesting idea I read years ago, forget who wrote it, was that one might clean cases too much and make them too slippery. I still have no idea if this is true and I mention it only for interests sake. I did just clean a bunch of 6BR cases and left them in the vibrator for an extended period (forgot them actually). They were very clean and actually quite slippery when I took them out. Maybe someone here knows more about this. What makes sense to me is to be reasonably clean. Get something that works for you and stick with it. One clearly doesn't have to go overboard. A couple of things to look for when cleaning: Be sure to clean the flasholes in your rounds after vibrating them in any kind of media. Use some form of liquid in your media to deal with media dust. I have used a cap full of paint thinner for years, but others do different things.
As for cleaning the cases, I have wondered about this myself from time to time and I have seen as many different approaches as I have reloaders ranging from a quick wipe with a rag to hours of vibration. One main reason for cleaning, of course, is to avoid contamination of your reload, e.g. powder, primer. One source of contamination is the lube you use for resizing as well as the dirt it can pick up. An interesting idea I read years ago, forget who wrote it, was that one might clean cases too much and make them too slippery. I still have no idea if this is true and I mention it only for interests sake. I did just clean a bunch of 6BR cases and left them in the vibrator for an extended period (forgot them actually). They were very clean and actually quite slippery when I took them out. Maybe someone here knows more about this. What makes sense to me is to be reasonably clean. Get something that works for you and stick with it. One clearly doesn't have to go overboard. A couple of things to look for when cleaning: Be sure to clean the flasholes in your rounds after vibrating them in any kind of media. Use some form of liquid in your media to deal with media dust. I have used a cap full of paint thinner for years, but others do different things.
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If you're not loading your 45 acp to nuclear levels, your brass should last almost forever. Some people have been shooting the same 45 cases since the sixties and the headstamp has worn off. Other calibres are a different story.
If you don't clean your cases before loading, the grit on them may scratch your dies, or the brass. This may lead to something unsafe if you do it enough to alter the dimensions of your die or scratch the hell out of your brass, but you'd have to do it a lot for that to happen.
If you don't clean your cases before loading, the grit on them may scratch your dies, or the brass. This may lead to something unsafe if you do it enough to alter the dimensions of your die or scratch the hell out of your brass, but you'd have to do it a lot for that to happen.
I have 45ACP brass that I have loaded 25 to 30 times. They let you know by the strange jingle they make when one is cracked. In a pinch I would reload without cleaning in a tumbler, but I don’t recommend doing it all the time. If you don’t polish the brass, clean your brass with a rag before resizing so you don’t scratch your carbide resizing die. I inspect all the brass after polishing for cracks and enlarged flash holes. I’ve reloaded 4000 – 45 ACP cartridges in the last 6 months.
The things that wear brass out faster are hot loads and heavy crimps.
Another point to make life easier, lubricate your brass before resizing. Make sure that they all are lying down, that none are standing up and spray brass with case lube, then shake them around & resize. I use Lyman Qwik spray case lube. It makes my Dillon 650 purr.
The things that wear brass out faster are hot loads and heavy crimps.
Another point to make life easier, lubricate your brass before resizing. Make sure that they all are lying down, that none are standing up and spray brass with case lube, then shake them around & resize. I use Lyman Qwik spray case lube. It makes my Dillon 650 purr.
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- North West of Superior
Some of my 45 brass has been in use since 1983, I cannot read the headstamp on many. I inspect all my brass and class it as 'on condition' if it looks like I should replace it I do. I always clean my brass in a vibrating tumbler in order to spot defects. Cracks are a no no. Signs of high pressure are a no no. I have never had to trim my pistol brass. I use a carbide sizing die and check every 10 rounds or so of reloaded cartridges in an old 45 barrel to ensure they drop on in (even with the barrel hood). If it does not fit into the shell holder easily, that is another sign i use for rejection. I used to reload crimped primer military brass but I constantly had some sort of a problem with it and my Hornady projector. Anything that creates a problem should be discarded. If it looks like the leaning tower of Pisa...pitch it. Others might flame me but I never bother cleaning primer pockets and always use a firm taper crimp. Thats my story and time has tested it, now where is my tinfoil hat, looks like a storm is brewing!
If you do a Google search, most sites say about 7 times.
However, in real life, 45ACP just seems to last forever. I've certainly reloaded some of mine more than that.
Just looking at some of the range brass, or other people's reloads, I've seen some brass that is so old that the markings on the headstamp are worn away. I have some friends who don't even remember how many years ago that their 45 brass was new.
Just be safe and inspect your brass regularily and toss any suspect ones. And if in doubt, toss it. Better to be safe than have a KABOOM.
However, in real life, 45ACP just seems to last forever. I've certainly reloaded some of mine more than that.
Just looking at some of the range brass, or other people's reloads, I've seen some brass that is so old that the markings on the headstamp are worn away. I have some friends who don't even remember how many years ago that their 45 brass was new.
Just be safe and inspect your brass regularily and toss any suspect ones. And if in doubt, toss it. Better to be safe than have a KABOOM.
Why would anybody flame you? I don't know anybody who cleans their primer pockets, either. Myself included.
The only time I clean primer pockets is when I first get Once-Fired and clean it real good before putting it in storage. For my IPSC rounds I clean them but don't know why I bother.
For my regular practice or all-around-fun-shooting ammo, I can't be bothered with primer pockets. Eventually when the .357 and 9mm wear out (or all those 45's that get lost) then I go into the bucket and get more of those that I cleaned real good.
Now the flash holes are another matter. But the resizing/depriming die usually takes care of any media that might get stuck in there.
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Sounds like true words to me!
After awhile I got a 22 with a floating dot scope on it so I wouldn't have to reload and I could see what I was aiming at.Would like to correct an earlier statement where I said one should clean flashholes. I should have said check them for media after cleaning and clean if necessary. I don't believe in sitting there cleaning each flashhole either.
It is true that resizing will take care of media concerns when resizing after cleaning and maybe I should consider changing my approach. But with some bottle neck rifle cases the media will occasionally stick in the case and break your decapping pin if you miss what is going on.
