[apollo11]

I am new to reloading, and load for the 9mm and 45 ACP. I am wondering if you guys keep track of how many firings the handgun brass has on it, or just measure and toss them after a while.

I am loading to 775-850 f/s on the 45, and 1100-1150 on the 9mm. Not sure if this matters on brass life or not.


Thanks!

[beatledog7]

I have some brass that I bought new and have tracked pretty well, and some that I acquired that was most likely shot just once.

Either way, with straight-walled handgun brass, I figure I'll shoot it until it shows signs of being worn out, which will likely be a mouth split upon flaring.

[jcwit]

Shoot/reload "or the other way around" till it splits, if ever. I've got 45 ACP cases that you can hardly read the headstamp.

Oh, another thing as to when to toss, when the primer pocket becomes lose.

[Josh45]

Pretty much what they said for pistol brass.
Rifle brass on the other hand is a little bit more details needed. At least, To what I have read considering you have to trim them unlike pistol brass.

[wrench]

I don't keep track, I load it until I lose it, or it splits. If the primer is loose going in, I mark the case with a magic marker, and when I shoot that piece, I junk it.

[cfullgraf]

Handgun brass I shoot till I lose it or it splits. I don't bother tracking number of loadings.

Some rifle brass i keep track of number of reloadings.

AR-15 blasting ammo I don't.

[Trent]

Handgun brass? No way. I couldn't imagine even TRYING to keep track of my pile that I've collected over the years. :)

Rifle brass that's not 223? You betcha! I know exactly what generation each one is on and what rifle it's been shot in, if I have more than one of the same caliber. Since I either bought all virgin brass, or shot the original factory ammo myself, I know with exactness. I never "pick up" rifle brass (on the rare occasion someone leaves a casing or two behind).

223? I keep factory 223 and milsurp 5.56 separated.

One oddity, I keep S&B factory ammo separate from other factory ammo until it's been deprimed, cleaned, and reamed.

[James2]

I don't try to keep track of the number of loadings on handgun ammo. Like others have said, if the primer goes in too easy it gets marked and tossed after firing, and if they split they get tossed.

[1SOW]

For straight-wall pistol brass, keep loading them until they split (usually at the mouth), OR the primer hole starts to loosen up.
Your 9mm loads are hotter than my light loads. Light loads (124/125 gr at 1050-40'/sec) can be reloaded many many times.

I don't "track" my cases, but I do "rotate" mine. I store cases in coffee containers that are labelled. As I empty one, I start refilling it but it goes to the back of my stock. This just prevents loading the same ones over and over until failure. I have LOTS of coffee containers of cleaned brass, so it'll be a while before any given case fails due to repeated loadings.

Edited to add: I also paint the bases black for those with 'loose primer holes' so I don't reload them again. They go in the salvage yard can.

[Fishslayer]

Handgun brass? No way. I couldn't imagine even TRYING to keep track of my pile that I've collected over the years.

^^^ This. Even though I've only been at it a couple of years. Most of my brass is pickups so I don't even know how many times it was fired before I got it. I suspect in most cases it was once. If the shooter was reloading the brass wouldn't be there. ;)

[evan price]

I don't track handgun brass at all. It all goes in big buckets. It gets shot, it gets picked up, it gets lost. Now and then one splits.

[J_McLeod]

Handgun brass? No way. I couldn't imagine even TRYING to keep track of my pile that I've collected over the years. :)

Rifle brass that's not 223? You betcha! I know exactly what generation each one is on and what rifle it's been shot in, if I have more than one of the same caliber. Since I either bought all virgin brass, or shot the original factory ammo myself, I know with exactness. I never "pick up" rifle brass (on the rare occasion someone leaves a casing or two behind).

223? I keep factory 223 and milsurp 5.56 separated.

One oddity, I keep S&B factory ammo separate from other factory ammo until it's been deprimed, cleaned, and reamed.
Why the difference between 223 and other rifle calibers?

[dnmccoy]

I dont track handgun brass either, I'll lose it before it goes bad

[rsrocket1]

Why the difference between 223 and other rifle calibers?

.223 and 5.56 have different interior volumes. If you load hot for .223, you will be overpressured for 5.56 and the velocity will be higher so even if you don't harm the gun, your point of impact might be off.

Secondly, for blasting purposes, .223 is so common, you usually shoot it till you lose it or you see split cases or the primers get loose. You do need to measure it and make sure it doesn't get too long also. Most shooters take better care of the less common rifle cases.

[MrOldLude]

Only once-fired. After that, it gets mixed into my multi-fired pile.

[apollo11]

Wonderful, thanks a lot everyone.

[Hondo 60]

Yes, I keep track (kinda anal that way).

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/168892/mtm-peel-and-stick-reloaders-labels-rifle-handgun-package-of-50-and-colored-box-stickers-package-of-48

[FROGO207]

I only keep track of bottle necked brass and then only to be able to anneal every four reloads, other than that I reload them till I find a problem and just toss them.

[Nick93]

I keep track of handgun brass only for bullseye but when i get 20 loadings in 9mm and 35 loadings in .45 acp(all cases in perfect visual conditions but with less neck tension) i just let them in my big bucket for IPSC loads since most of them get lost in no time and you get them mixed with other brands ... (i buy an exclusive brand of ammo to keep my brass the same brand most of the time and it´s a brand that produces really good brass)

For rifle the same ...

[Trent]

Oh, one other oddity I remembered about my sorting. I also keep nickle and brass cases separate for handguns.

There's no practical reason for me doing so, except sheer vanity. It looks frigging cool.

[beatledog7]

Good tip, marking brass with pretty loose pockets. I need to start doing that.

[Friendly, Don't Fire!]

I also do not count the reloads for any handgun brass. I do, however keep all brass trimmed and mark any loose primers (black on the entire base) so those get left where I shot them.

I have had brass that has been loaded over 20 times, in fact, so much that I actually lost count, it just keeps on going and going and going and going!

Occasionally, I will see a bit of a crack at the mouth that comes right out when I trim it.

[HOWARD J]

I toss mine when the mouth starts to go bad or they are getting a mark that is a head separation getting close to happening.
With light loads cases last a long time.
Have fun

[bergmen]

Like others, no tracking of handgun brass, just toss them when they split or have loose primer pockets. Revolver brass is always accounted for, auto brass always comes up short since I lose a few here and there no matter how careful I am at the range.

Rifle brass definitely. I use a method where I mark the base of the case with an automatic center punch after each firing:

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/46993/2495839310053667879S600x600Q85.jpg

Otherwise it is too easy to lose track.

Dan

[lono]

I shoot both 45 acp and 9 mm brass until it splits. I use no counting method for number on times fired. I get my brass from the floor of the range so I would have no idea if a piece had been fired once or ten times.

[howlnmad]

My empty brass goes in one can and the loaded rounds go in boxes. As far as how many times they get loaded... til the mouths split or I lose them. Which usually comes first.

[One78Shovel]

My system is I rotate brass from bottom of heap toward top. Recently fired brass goes at the lowest levels under my bench then works its way into the containers pictured. Keeps the circulation going.

As others have said, once the case mouth splits or has a deep scratch, I toss them into the recycle bag.

-178S

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff207/Geaux-4it/photo-4.jpg

[BigN]

I don't keep track of any brass. I do inspect it thoroughly before loading, if it's bad in any way as unsafe, into the trash it goes. Why destroy brass because it's been fired 2/3 times if it's still serviceable? I've got about 15 different calibers with over 10 shots per pc of brass. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[StaTiK]

Those of you who mark their loose primer pockets, does the mark survive a trip through the tumbler? Or do you do some sorting before dumping the box into the tumbler?

-StaTiK-

[StaTiK]

I also do not count the reloads for any handgun brass. I do, however keep all brass trimmed and mark any loose primers (black on the entire base) so those get left where I shot them.
I shoot both 45 acp and 9 mm brass until it splits. I use no counting method for number on times fired. I get my brass from the floor of the range so I would have no idea if a piece had been fired once or ten times.

May you two never meet.
-StatiK-

[EMC45]

I shoot till case failure. Side splits or casemouth splits. In rifle I look for head seperation rings. I shoot mainly cast in rifle and handgun so my brass tends to last a looooooonnnnnggggg time.

[mgmorden]

I don't track it at all. A lot of what I shoot is at matches and I often come back with a mix of of my own cases and random others shot by different shooters. As long as it isn't split/cracked and looks to be in good shape I'll keep loading it.

I'm a miser when it comes to brass though - I use all of it that I can. Even when crimped military brass makes its way into my pile - most people would toss it but I use a metal bottle opener nearby. Couple of turns with that and the crimp is gone and I prime and load those along with the rest.

[Master Blaster]

I keep my Pistol brass together in batches of 1000-2000 pieces, and write the number of loadings on the big 2 gallon ziplocks I store it in after its cleaned, and on the load note I put in with the loaded rounds, and on the milk jug I keep the fired brass in till I clean it. After its cleaned I add one to the number of times reloaded.

I do this because when I load hotter loads in .357 mag, 9mm, and .44 mag its best to use brass thats been loaded few times.

Same for rifle brass

JMHO YMMV