Brass and accuracy

[pahoghunter]

I have some used Lapua brass (223) that I got when I purchase a rifle some time ago. I have no idea how many times he fired them. But I have fired them over 40 times. I'm now just starting to split necks. My question is it possible to loose accuracy with this brass due to lets say flash holes getting larger?

 

[DocBII]

pa,

Yes, but more likely you're losing accuracy by not annealing the cases regularly.

HTH,
DocBII

 

[pahoghunter]

That's possible I don't anneal at all!

 

[Toolbreaker]

That's possible I don't anneal at all!

40+ loads on the brass and you don't anneal? Whew! If anything goes, it should be either the primer pockets or the cases getting thin at the webbing from sizing. If they still look good in both of those areas, I'd say send them to DJ's for annealing & see how far you can stretch them.

http://www.djsbrass.com/

 

[billlarson]

yes worked brass gives non uniform neck tension............anneal........ trim.......resize

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

New vs old brass CAN be like screwing on a new barrel. It can make a big difference in accuracy. A lot of variables come into play in why brass from a given chamber and die lasts longer than most, but About 40 firings is what I can expect from my brass from my 30 Major. That's being shot pretty hot, too. I went 50 on some but started having some crazy stuff happen on target. New brass was night and day better. That was before annealing became as common, but it had been annealed 1 time during that 50 firings. I don't recall where I decided to anneal but it wasn't from what I would call accuracy issues, that I decided to do it. It shot well until just a couple of firings before the 50. FWIW, primer pockets were done at about the same time, or a little sooner. I remember culling some for loose pockets.