.308 Brass 4x loaded

Aprilia Man

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I have 50 pcs. .308 Brass (mixed stamps) that have been re-loaded 4x. I know the history of these brass since I re-loaded them since new. I always full size every time and they were trimmed to spec on the 3rd re-load.

What to do with them?

Check for damage, pressure signs, paper clip test and anneal?

If still OK load again?


..... or just straight to the metals recycling bin?


:redface:
 
Unless they have been used for very high pressure loads, or you have sized them with the FL die excessively, I would think they should be good for a while yet.

Annealing is a good idea, but other than that, I would carry on.

I have some 6mm cases that are on their 12th reloading, and still doing fine.

Regards, Dave.
 
^^^

Full sizing using Redding Die and following Redding instructions.

All brass were loaded with 45gr Varget every re-load. Is this considered "high"?

Nope. If you haven't got excessively loose primer pockets, split necks, or other obvious signs, there's no reason to believe the brass is no longer any good. Keep shooting it.
 
^^^

Full sizing using Redding Die and following Redding instructions.

All brass were loaded with 45gr Varget every re-load. Is this considered "high"?

To know if it's a hot or warm load, we need bullet spec.
45gr Varget under 200gr bullet is hot. Under a 110gr bullet isn't.

I have some .308 brass that I loaded 14 times with 44gr Varget/168gr projectile. I've never annealed a case.

If the primer pockets are good and the brass isn't springing back, load 'em up.
 
To know if it's a hot or warm load, we need bullet spec.
45gr Varget under 200gr bullet is hot. Under a 110gr bullet isn't.

I have some .308 brass that I loaded 14 times with 44gr Varget/168gr projectile. I've never annealed a case.

If the primer pockets are good and the brass isn't springing back, load 'em up.

45 gr Varget and 168gr Nosler CC seated at 2.8 OAL
 
Aprilia Man

I have 30-30 cases over 25 years old and full length resized countless times and only die from split necks and never from case head separation. On the flip side of this I have seen Winchester .303 British cases start to separate "if full length resized" the third time they are reloaded.

As Eagleye stated above high pressure and excessive full length resizing will shorten your case life. If you full length resize using minimum shoulder bump (.001 to .002 shoulder setback) your cases will last a very long time.

We live in a plus and minus manufacturing world and if you have a chamber on the long side and a resizing die on the short side you can over resize your cases "IF" the die setup directions are followed. Meaning if the die is making hard contact with the shell holder you "may" be "over resizing" your cases.

If you get a Hornady cartridge case headspace gauge you can measure your fired cases and adjust your dies for minimum shoulder bump (shoulder setback)

Below is a fired case from my AR15 carbine.

headspacegauge005_zps20685e73.jpg


Below is the same case full length resized with the shoulder pushed back .003 (shoulder bump or shoulder set back)

headspacegauge004_zps4465b7bc.jpg


Below is an exaggerated illustration of full length resizing, the distance you push the cases shoulder back between the red and green dotted lines will effect your case life and how much the case can stretch when fired. If you keep your shoulder bump to the minimum the case will not stretch beyond it elastic limits and last much longer.

shouldersetback_zps59bf1b04.jpg


Below are just some of my .223/5.56 dies and I said we live in a plus and minus manufacturing world. I have a standard Lee full length die that will size the base of a .223/5.56 case a smaller diameter than my RCBS small base die. This same Lee die will push the shoulder back .009 shorter than the GO gauge, meaning .012 shorter than my fired cases if the die makes contact with the shell holder.

dies003_zpsf9af9a52.jpg


Below, these cases were fired in a brand new Savage .308 and reloaded over and over till the cases failed. Also note the shooter just wore safety glasses and was not hit or injured by escaping high pressure gas.
The problem is the rifles actual headspace was not given and the die was setup to make hard contact with the shell holder. Meaning the actual shoulder setback was not stated so your mileage will vary.

308fail-1_zps30d387ab.jpg


308fail2-1_zps3ca31f6b.jpg


If you were to run this same test on a M14/M1A with its longer headspaced chamber and .002 larger in diameter the case life would be far less.

In over 46 years of reloading I have never had a case head separation and the key to my luck is minimum shoulder setback and reasonable chamber pressures.

Below using a RCBS case mastering gauge to check for the cases thinning in the base (super bent paper clip that measures in thousandths )

IMGP5204-1_zps5590eee6.jpg
 
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I sort, store and use my brass in 50 round plastic boxes. I make a check on the inside of the lid each time I reload the box. Each box is assigned to a specific rifle, so brass does not get FL sized very often. I keep loading the brass till i start to get failures. Then I know that box is pooched.

Depending on the brass, caliber and rifle, I get 10 to 20 reloads. One box of Winchester brass I got from the US Marine rifle team lasted me 24 loadings.
 
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