Getting the most of your belted magnum brass?

[death-junky]

Hey all I'm wondering what is normal amount of times a belted magnum brass (300 win mag in my case) can be reloaded and what we can do to lengthen the intervals that we need to replace the brass. I know that keeping with in the specs laid out in the manuals will lengthen the duration and hot loading will drastically reduce the duration. But I guess my question is what extra dies are you all using to lengthen case life other then a FL resizing die.

 

[track]

I use full length dies and only bump the shoulder at .002", this saves on brass wear and tear by not working the brass as much in the die.. Annealing is another method of prolonging life of the brass, and of course, as you mention, reduced powder loads.

 

[huntingfamily]

The same as all brass really. Don't overwork your brass when FL sizing. Size the shoulder back .001" - .002" from fire-formed brass.
This simple tool helps,
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[Gatehouse]

Welcome back D.J.

Other than not over working your brass, annealing will extend it's life. Annealing isn't super hard to do but I just send mine to tod bartell these days and he does them on his AMP machine.

I usually like to hunt with once or maybe twice fired brass and then relegate it to range use, but truthfully your brass should be trouble free for at least 4-5 firings even without annealing. Assuming you don't over pressure them, that is.

 

[death-junky]

Welcome back D.J.

Other than not over working your brass, annealing will extend it's life. Annealing isn't super hard to do but I just send mine to tod bartell these days and he does them on his AMP machine.

I usually like to hunt with once or maybe twice fired brass and then relegate it to range use, but truthfully your brass should be trouble free for at least 4-5 firings even without annealing. Assuming you don't over pressure them, that is.

I've always been creeping in the shadows hahaha but ya time to get more active and learn a thing or two.

 

[Hitzy]

Neck sizing works for me. Brass lasts longer, don't need lube, trimming is reduced. After several firings the shoulder will need a small bump, then back to neck sizing.

 

[South Pender]

Neck sizing works for me. Brass lasts longer, don't need lube, trimming is reduced. After several firings the shoulder will need a small bump, then back to neck sizing.

Hitzy, how do you achieve the shoulder bump? Do you do this with a body die or do you just run the case through a full-length sizer?

 

[Peecos]

The first firing is the most critical. Neck up your brass then size the neck back down in your die until you can close the bolt with slight resistance. Creates a false shoulder saving the stretch at the belt. Neck size or slight shoulder bump and will last much longer.