How do I know if its time to replace my brass?

Hoag

Hoag

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I reload for a few different calibres, but I am noticing something with my .260 Rem that has me wondering if it is time to replace my brass.

A little background:
  • I'm using Nosler Brass
  • My "recipe" is: 40.5 gr IMR 4350 with 139 gr Lapua Scenar bullets seated to 2.250" (at the Ogive) giving a Muzzle Velocity of about 2590fps. (Definitely not a "hot" load, but it is a very accurate one in my rifle.)
  • I do not have an exact count of how many times this brass has been used, but it is about 10 times.
  • There are no visible problems with the brass (after wet tumbling with SS Media, they look brand new)
  • The Brass shows no signs of wear or stress and it still chambers effortlessly in the rifle.
  • There is no noticeable drop in accuracy
  • I am using a Forster Co-Ax press and Redding Series A dies (I typically only neck size.)

Here is my dilemma:
The last couple of times that I have reloaded this round, I have noticed that it is getting very easy to seat the bullets and/or the Primers. It is not getting to the point where accuracy is being affected, and it certainly isn't so loose that anything can be moved by hand, but I have noticed that things are getting very easy to put into place.

Here is my question:
Given that there is no apparent wear or signs of stress on the brass and that accuracy remains consistent, should I just keep using this brass or is the ease with which the components are seating an early sign of a potentially larger problem and it may be time to change out for new brass?

Thanks for your advice.
 
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When the brass will not fit in the shell holder, not an issue with the Forester presses, the primers will not stay in, or the brass can not be sized enough to chamber in the rifle, are all very good indication that your brass is ready for the recycle bin.
My Lapua brass seems about done after 10-12 firings.
 
ron hilchey said:
When the brass will not fit in the shell holder, not an issue with the Forester presses, the primers will not stay in, or the brass can not be sized enough to chamber in the rifle, are all very good indication that your brass is ready for the recycle bin.
My Lapua brass seems about done after 10-12 firings.
Click to expand...

Thanks. None of those are factors for my brass though. The only thing I'm seeing is that it is very easy to seat the bullets and sometimes to seat the primer. The ammo still chambers fine. (I'll edit my original post to reflect that.)
 
Hoag said:
Thanks. None of those are factors for my brass though. The only thing I'm seeing is that it is very easy to seat the bullets and sometimes to seat the primer. The ammo still chambers fine. (I'll edit my original post to reflect that.)
Click to expand...

Just a guess, but if it's very east to seat the bullets maybe your sizing die needs attention. Very easy to seat primers is an indication that the primer pockets may be worn out.
 
I'd check and maybe strip and clean your neck sizing die. And if it's a collet style, which I'm sort of assuming it to be, then use a light wipe of a good grease on the tapered areas thet push the sectors of the collet inwards to size the brass. It may not be sizing the brass down onto the core anvil as much for the same force as it did when newer, clean and lubricated correctly.

Another likely option is that the brass is work hardening a bit and becoming more springy so when sized they spring back to a larger than planned diameter. If you have not annealed the cases up to now then you are well past due. From my reading around it's common to anneal the necks about every 3 to 5 loadings.
 
pmt said:
Just a guess, but if it's very east to seat the bullets maybe your sizing die needs attention. Very easy to seat primers is an indication that the primer pockets may be worn out.
Click to expand...

Once the case necks work harden, they want to spring back more when they are sized, so I would anneal the brass before being concerned about the sizing die. As for the primer pockets, they don't wear out, they become stretched from the pressure created from firing.
 
stubblejumper said:
Once the case necks work harden, they want to spring back more when they are sized, so I would anneal the brass before being concerned about the sizing die. As for the primer pockets, they don't wear out, they become stretched from the pressure created from firing.
Click to expand...

What he said.

Consider proper annealing every 2 to 3 firings

As long as the primer can't be knocked out of the case or leaks, you should still be able to use the brass. Eventually, the pocket will get so big, the primer will not stay in.

Keep an eye on things and enjoy the brass for a few more firings. If you don't want to prep, then just replace.

Jerry
 
Thanks everybody. Since I don't have (or have access to) an annealer, it looks as though it is likely time for some new brass.
 
Hoag said:
Thanks everybody. Since I don't have (or have access to) an annealer, it looks as though it is likely time for some new brass.
Click to expand...

This is what I use. It isn't fancy, but it works.

WoodchuckDenSeriesIIannealertip008.jpg
 
One quick follow up question ...

Since I have not seen any change in the accuracy when shooting, can I assume that I can still continue to safely use them without annealing? I assume that annealing simply prolongs the case usage in an optimum condition.

OK one more ...

Is annealing a safety issue or an extended life issued?
 
Hoag said:
One quick follow up question ...

Since I have not seen any change in the accuracy when shooting, can I assume that I can still continue to safely use them without annealing? I assume that annealing simply prolongs the case usage in an optimum condition.

OK one more ...

Is annealing a safety issue or an extended life issued?
Click to expand...


Annealing is an extended case life issue, except at times where it is required, to get a work hardened case that won't go into a rifle chamber because of spring back after FL resizing.
 
Hoag said:
One quick follow up question ...

Since I have not seen any change in the accuracy when shooting, can I assume that I can still continue to safely use them without annealing? I assume that annealing simply prolongs the case usage in an optimum condition.

OK one more ...

Is annealing a safety issue or an extended life issued?
Click to expand...

Take this with a grain of salt as I mainly do pistol calibers but annealing is mainly for extend case life but also acts as a "safety". If the brass is brittle enough then there is a chance the neck will split during firing. If you start getting necks splitting then it's definitely time to start annealing the rest of the brass in that batch. But based on what you said I would annual before reloading for the extra case life.

What I've seen done and do is find a cheapo socket set and use a socket slightly bigger then the case diameter to hold the brass while annealing. Attach it to a drill and hold the brass in a flame and slowly spin the case via the drill.
 
If you do not plan to do any annealing then reduce the diameter of the expander button and this will increase your neck tension, As others have stated your necks have become work hardened and have lost their elasticity and not springing back smaller after the expander button has past through the neck.
 
Thanks for all your help so far.

Based on what everybody said, I watched a lot of YouTube videos, (Which makes me only as smart as the guy making the video, and that could be a pretty low threshold.) and I also read a fair bit and decided to give annealing a try.


Here is what I did:
First step: Buy a Propane torch, 1/2 in semi-deep socket & a socket drive adapter to connect to my drill.
Second step: Light torch & with casing in the socket, hold the mouth of the casing in the flame (just above the light blue part) and rotate at a medium to slow speed until I start to see the colour begin to change on the wall of the casing
Third step: Drop hot casing in water.
Fourth step: Come on here and ask some followup questions. (This post is step 4.)

Here is my drill/socket set-up:
i-9tXPsJf-L.jpg

... and with a casing in it:
i-wJrqXHs-L.jpg


... and here are a couple shots of some of the finished product:
i-v5VmSpZ-L.jpg
i-g9QDL22-L.jpg


Am I heading down the right path? (This is, after all, the 1st time I have tried this.) And how do the ones that I have done look?

Cheers.
Hoag
 
Hmmm...

Honest question here; doesn't dropping them in water actually temper them? I thought with annealing they are supposed to be let cool slowly, at room temperature.
 
ironsighter said:
Hmmm...

Honest question here; doesn't dropping them in water actually temper them? I thought with annealing they are supposed to be let cool slowly, at room temperature.
Click to expand...

I think he means just below the neck to stop the heat flow. Obviously heating and dumping is quenching the metal therefore making it harder/brittle? Or have I completely forgotten how annealing/quenchingwork.
 
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