How many reloads?

[jaybray]

Hi guys, question is, I have loaded and fired my lapua 6br brass around 40 times or maybe even a bit more and all I have ever done was bumped the shoulder with a forster bump die. Now even after bumping some are getting tight to close the bolt on, so I was going to resize them with a redding full length die. The brass still shoots real good but after that many firings should I bother or throw it out. My concern is full length resizing after that many rounds, could the brass have weakened enough to be a safety concern from squishing it down to original dimensions from full length resizing?

 

[Lapua40X]

IMO, if you've got that many cycles on your brass, it's time to start fresh.

 

[dkhunt14]

I believe Donovan hit the problem. They were probably that hard from sizing that many times they are not bumping anymore, just springing back. I would anneal a few and try again. Matt

 

[jaybray]

I will give it a go in regards to anealing again and see how it goes. I definately am not complaining on the quality of the brass that's for sure. 40 rounds per case is lot's of abuse. Thank's again guys.

 

[Grimstod]

40 reloads and counting. Wow. Wish my bushing die would get here.

If you have any doubts about the brasses integrity cut one in half to see if the base is getting to thin.

1+ Donavan too

 

[ttfreestyle]

WOW 40 loads , I have 100 that have 19 on them and I thought I was doing well. I am noticing some inconsistent pressure seating the bullets after sizing with a full length bushing die. They have never been annealed since new, I am sure they would benefit from that as well.

 

[jaybray]

I annealed them about every fourth load or so but I have never felt even seating pressure while seating bullets, each case is different. But I still have good accuracy for the distance I shoot. Around half inch to three quarter 5 shot groups at 200 yards. Sometimes I get fliers though but It is what it is, I only shoot for fun and have no clue yet how to read the wind and I'm even worse with mirage, I hate it. I should also add that I only use 28.7 grains of varget so maybe that is why I have made it to 40 reloads.

 

[Hoier]

Jim Ohara says he has some Dasher brass with over 100 firings on it. I have some old gold box Lapua that has 22 firings on them, I never annealed them either. I've had 3 or 4 split necks but that's it and the primer pockets are still tight.

 

[Hoier]

And those were running 30+gr of Varget.

 

[Shynloco]

I got 35 reloads on my 100 pcs before I ever annealed them. I got to 40 before some started splittin necks and the majority of the time I used only VVN133, with a few Varget tests in between. I rarely ever had to FL resize them and mostly Neck Sized only. The older they got though, the more movement on the shoulders although .002 is the most I've ever had to resize any of them. I'm starting out with a new barrel shortly and I'll start again with new Lapua brass when that happens.

Alex

 

[Outrider27]

I have brass used in a rifle caliber Contender set aside for IHMSA unlimited and production class matches with well over 40 reloadings on it. Stiff but just short of max powder charges; checked case length and annealed every 6 reloadings, and accuracy was more than adequate (and never fell off) with iron sights to 200 meters up to the time I retired that project. If I start shooting IHMSA metallic silhouette again, I'll simply load it up again and go.

 

[DogBuster]

Been running my Lapua 6BR brass for 10 years now...have lost a few...

Pockets still tight....rifle is a heavy table gun used for p/dogs.

I would estimate the brass has 45+ loadings using 30.5/BM & 70 NBT's

 

[dkhunt14]

I annealed them about every fourth load or so but I have never felt even seating pressure while seating bullets, each case is different. But I still have good accuracy for the distance I shoot. Around half inch to three quarter 5 shot groups at 200 yards. Sometimes I get fliers though but It is what it is, I only shoot for fun and have no clue yet how to read the wind and I'm even worse with mirage, I hate it. I should also add that I only use 28.7 grains of varget so maybe that is why I have made it to 40 reloads.

If you are not using an arbor press and Wilson seater you will not feel a difference in seating pressure. If you can feel it with a press handle you really have a difference. Jim Ohara anneals every loading. He also uses an arbor press with the dial indicator on to tell seating pressure. Matt

 

[remaction]

Curious as to how many times you have had to trim them?

 

[Hoier]

My first 6br, I trimmed them about every 6 firings.

 

[jaybray]

Curious as to how many times you have had to trim them?

I only had to trim them once after the 2nd firing and they have stayed at 1.555 ever since.

 

[jaybray]

I annealed them about every fourth load or so but I have never felt even seating pressure while seating bullets, each case is different. But I still have good accuracy for the distance I shoot. Around half inch to three quarter 5 shot groups at 200 yards. Sometimes I get fliers though but It is what it is, I only shoot for fun and have no clue yet how to read the wind and I'm even worse with mirage, I hate it. I should also add that I only use 28.7 grains of varget so maybe that is why I have made it to 40 reloads.

If you are not using an arbor press and Wilson seater you will not feel a difference in seating pressure. If you can feel it with a press handle you really have a difference. Jim Ohara anneals every loading. He also uses an arbor press with the dial indicator on to tell seating pressure. Matt

I am just using a rock chucker press and some are easier to seat than others. I can tell the neck tension in lacking. My annealing technique consists of running the case in a cordless drill on high and spinning it in the torch flame for 6 seconds. I got the idea from this site so that is what I do. Maybe I should anneal every fireing instead of every four. So if the neck tension gets out of wack, could groups go from say half inch to say one inch because of the different neck tension?