I use to shoot a 243 alot,I mean an awful lot.I dont remember retiring many brass.Im sure I had 100 rounds through some of it.I never kept my brass in any real order in the 70's I would load a 100 and use them up on fox and jackrabbits in short order. Now I keep all my brass in order, once fired twice fired ect.How many times fired for 17 rem. 223 22-250 ect?
how long does your brass last?
- Thread starter J.Mark
- Start date
RePete
New member
Originally Posted By: J.MarkI'm sure I had 100 rounds through some of it.
WOW!
In my 17Rems using Remmy brass I anneal at the fifth reload and again at the tenth if the primer pockets hold out that long but they seldom do.
Same thing with my 17FB using Remmy brass and 17AH using Winny brass.
I figure at 10-12 reloads I've got more than my money's worth anyway.
My 222's using Lapua brass is another story. I've got as many as twenty reloads without loosing primer pockets. Not sure it would go "100" but it dang sure lasts longer than Rem/Win. I also anneal these every five reloads and I don't hot-rod any of em.
Can't say I ever remember tossing any 243 brass either but neither one my 243's were high volume rifles.
WOW!
In my 17Rems using Remmy brass I anneal at the fifth reload and again at the tenth if the primer pockets hold out that long but they seldom do.
Same thing with my 17FB using Remmy brass and 17AH using Winny brass.
I figure at 10-12 reloads I've got more than my money's worth anyway.
My 222's using Lapua brass is another story. I've got as many as twenty reloads without loosing primer pockets. Not sure it would go "100" but it dang sure lasts longer than Rem/Win. I also anneal these every five reloads and I don't hot-rod any of em.
Can't say I ever remember tossing any 243 brass either but neither one my 243's were high volume rifles.
K-22hornet.
New member
I've got some DWM brass for my 270 that dates back to 1970. I started with 60 pieces and am down to about 27. None have been lost to wear-and-tear, only to loosing them in the weeds when I take a shot at game and reload. I've probably loaded this brass 15 times or so.
I think that the higher quality brass, such as Norma, Lapua, RWS, etc. just lasts longer.
And, I load them pretty warm.
I think that the higher quality brass, such as Norma, Lapua, RWS, etc. just lasts longer.
And, I load them pretty warm.
OldTurtle
Moderator - Deceased
I think you will find that the life span of brass is highly dependent on your loading practices...I seldom load "hot" loads for my firearms unless that is the only accuracy node I can find...
While I have a bunch of brass from which to work, I generally use the same 100-200 pieces until it just won't hold a primer anymore...
Normally, my AR brass is turned over much sooner, just due to loss and replacement, but my bolt action brass is generally neck sized and annealed on a regular basis...
If I could find a decent tool that would allow me to retighten the primer pockets, I doubt if I would ever need to buy another piece of brass...I have 400 rounds of virgin Lake City .223 brass that has been sitting on the shelf for about three years, 1,000 rounds of 10mm and 500 rounds of 9mm virgin Starline pistol brass that is still in the original packages that I've had for over four years...
While I have a bunch of brass from which to work, I generally use the same 100-200 pieces until it just won't hold a primer anymore...
Normally, my AR brass is turned over much sooner, just due to loss and replacement, but my bolt action brass is generally neck sized and annealed on a regular basis...
If I could find a decent tool that would allow me to retighten the primer pockets, I doubt if I would ever need to buy another piece of brass...I have 400 rounds of virgin Lake City .223 brass that has been sitting on the shelf for about three years, 1,000 rounds of 10mm and 500 rounds of 9mm virgin Starline pistol brass that is still in the original packages that I've had for over four years...
I have been loading most of my .223 brass since the late 70s. Most of my .223 brass has 50+ loads on them.
Just last year I started to loose a lot of them due to stress cracks, sperating etc finally.
I do not keep them seperated at all or counted. I do keep an exact round count through each gun & thats it.
I do have over 6k of 1x fired brass I get free to replace the old stuff.
Just last year I started to loose a lot of them due to stress cracks, sperating etc finally.
I do not keep them seperated at all or counted. I do keep an exact round count through each gun & thats it.
I do have over 6k of 1x fired brass I get free to replace the old stuff.
Sounds like I need to learn how to aneal my 17 brass.I have never done that.I talked to my brother today and he use to shoot up to 120 rounds of 243 in a day fox and rabbit hunting.He and I would keep shooting out to 500 plus yards just for practice.He still has all that brass from the 70's and still uses it for deer hunting.