I have been collecting brass for several years and have accumulated a good amount of several magnum cases. Most are 300 Win, 7mm Rem, 270 WSM, 300 Rem Ultra and 7mm Rem Ultra. I have been invited to go on an Elk hunt next year and considering purchasing a magnum rifle for this trip (I have a 270 and a 30-06, but thought I might want something with a little more kick for this once in a lifetime trip). I do intend to reload for whichever gun I get so I am hoping to get some idea as to which of these cases last the longest. I have heard that you can only reload the belted magnums 2 or 3 times. Is this true also for the Ultra's without the belts? Right now I'm leaning towards the 300 Winchester as I already have a couple of hundred pieces of this brass on hand. However, if I can reload the Ultra's more than 2 or 3 times it may be wiser to go with one of these. Your suggestions and recommendations appreciated. Thanks!
Reloading the Magnums
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rcmodel
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Just so you know, a 30-06 will kill an elk just fine without the "extra kick".
Many people find that "extra kick" causes them to start flinching and shooting worse then they did with that old 06.
Belted mag case life can be as good as any other brass running the same pressure.
The trick is to size it to fit the rifles chamber and headspace off the shoulder, rather then the belt.
If you headspace off the belt as the factory does, case stretching raises it's ugly head and you will get shorter case life.
rc
Many people find that "extra kick" causes them to start flinching and shooting worse then they did with that old 06.
Belted mag case life can be as good as any other brass running the same pressure.
The trick is to size it to fit the rifles chamber and headspace off the shoulder, rather then the belt.
If you headspace off the belt as the factory does, case stretching raises it's ugly head and you will get shorter case life.
rc
Strongbad
Member
You should get double that atleast. Even my 300 H&H's which are notorious for excessive stretching/thinning due to the long slender shape go 5 or 6 reloads without too much fuss. Something with a good shoulder, with some judicious reloading practices should go atleast that if not more. If you're really stoking them up, you might run into a situation where the primer pockets are getting loose before the brass gets to thin in the web (the area just above the belt or bottom of the case). You can check for thinning with a dental pick or similar. You can feel a little ditch in the inside of the case when you run the pick over it.
RC wrote:
Belted mag case life can be as good as any other brass running the same pressure.
The trick is to size it to fit the rifles chamber and headspace off the shoulder, rather then the belt.
Do you mean these cases should be neck sized instead of full length? How would you set the neck back using full length dies without headspacing off the belt?
Chuck
Belted mag case life can be as good as any other brass running the same pressure.
The trick is to size it to fit the rifles chamber and headspace off the shoulder, rather then the belt.
Do you mean these cases should be neck sized instead of full length? How would you set the neck back using full length dies without headspacing off the belt?
Chuck
Neck sizing is only good for cartridges fired in YOUR rifle, not range brass or whatever youve picked up. If you intend to use these fired cases for your load development, I highly recommend that you full length resize those cases. The reason being that chambers are going to be slightly different in dimensions, and may or may not chamber on a neck sized case fired from another weapon
JimKirk
Member
Here we go again!
For long brass life... the two datum points of a belted case must connect with the chamber wall at the same time. The two points are the shoulder and the belt. If you slam them in the FL die and just use the belt for head spacing... each time you fire the round the 60,000 PSI + pressure slams the shoulder forward until it meets the chamber wall. Guess where that brass is going to stretch at, the area right in front of the belt.
So to prevent that you only set the shoulder back just enough to make sure the rounds will chamber properly. You can do the measurement with one of those $$ tools or you can smut the case with a candle on the shoulder area, chamber the brass and see if you're getting the smut wiped off. I like to set mine where you can see just faint marks from the chamber shoulder area. Adjust your sizing die so that it barely touches the shoulder and still chambers ok.
This does not work with the belted rounds that have no shoulders or small shoulders like the 300 H&H, 375 H&H, 458 Win. and others.
Read this link ... it save some time...
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=495828
Jimmy K
For long brass life... the two datum points of a belted case must connect with the chamber wall at the same time. The two points are the shoulder and the belt. If you slam them in the FL die and just use the belt for head spacing... each time you fire the round the 60,000 PSI + pressure slams the shoulder forward until it meets the chamber wall. Guess where that brass is going to stretch at, the area right in front of the belt.
So to prevent that you only set the shoulder back just enough to make sure the rounds will chamber properly. You can do the measurement with one of those $$ tools or you can smut the case with a candle on the shoulder area, chamber the brass and see if you're getting the smut wiped off. I like to set mine where you can see just faint marks from the chamber shoulder area. Adjust your sizing die so that it barely touches the shoulder and still chambers ok.
This does not work with the belted rounds that have no shoulders or small shoulders like the 300 H&H, 375 H&H, 458 Win. and others.
Read this link ... it save some time...
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=495828
Jimmy K
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Grumulkin
Member
1. All the brass you mention should have similar case life. The 300 Win. Mag. should be most available and cheapest so I'd recommend that if your really must have a new elk gun. As mentioned above though, a 30/06 would work fine.
2. Rifle type magnum brass loaded to the high pressures it's designed for will probably give you no more than 3 to 5 reloadings. Be sure to check the inside of your cases with a bent wire (especially the range brass) to be sure the groove isn't forming above the web that indicates a head separation is imminent.
2. Rifle type magnum brass loaded to the high pressures it's designed for will probably give you no more than 3 to 5 reloadings. Be sure to check the inside of your cases with a bent wire (especially the range brass) to be sure the groove isn't forming above the web that indicates a head separation is imminent.
First, I want to than everyone for their comments and suggestions. Second, I have come to the conclusion that the older "I" get, the harder it is for me to comprehend some things without actually seeing how they are done. I am having a very hard time understanding how one accomplishes a combination resize (part full and part neck). Do I just back the full length die back a couple turns to start and see if the brass fits the chamber once I establish the case length? Sorry to sound so dense, but I've always either did a full-length or neck only resizing, not both. I have had case separation on some Swiss reloads but thought that may have been caused by bad head space in the rifle, not because I had resized the brass using full length dies. If I bump the shoulder back too far using the proper full length dies for a particular caliber then this could cause the case to split? I've been reloading for approximately 15 years now and this is the first I have heard this. I have always been told that for the Swiss that I should always use a full length die as the bolt can't be used to assist if the round is a little too tight. Learning something new every day, now just wish I could figure out how to do it right. Thanks again!
Sidewinder72
Member
Use your full length die. Back it way off, and run case and check to see if it chambers. Keep doing this till the case chambers. Thats it. Makes your brass last longer. On the 300 RUM , primer pockets get loose after about 3 firings.
I don't mean this to be rude, but it's seems a bit silly to me to be biased towards a particular caliber (or set of calibers) based off of the fact that you have some once fired brass for it. A standard grade rifle is going to cost between $400 and $1,000 before adding the scope and sling and a couple hundred cases of once fired brass is probably worth around $100.parker51 said:
Your .30-06 (or .270) will get the job done, especially if you load up a nice premium bullet in it. Stick a Barnes TSX, a Nosler Partition, or whatever other premium bullet floats your boat and knock that elk to the ground.
If you are looking for a reason to get a new rifle (we've all been there!
) handle a number of different makes and models of guns in any of the calibers you mentioned and pick your favorite. Find that one that fits you and take her home. You can always swap or sell the brass you have to a fellow reloader to get some for your new caliber.I think you're right, I was being silly and I was probably looking for an excuse to buy another rifle. I have taken several moose and whitetail with a .270 so I know that a magnum isn't needed for hunting elk, it was just something I thought I wanted. Based on the suggestions received I think I will probably end up taking a .270, 30-06 or a 7.5 x 55 (Swiss K-31) on this trip. Thanks again for all your input.I don't mean this to be rude, but it's seems a bit silly to me to be biased towards a particular caliber (or set of calibers) based off of the fact that you have some once fired brass for it. A standard grade rifle is going to cost between $400 and $1,000 before adding the scope and sling and a couple hundred cases of once fired brass is probably worth around $100.
Your .30-06 (or .270) will get the job done, especially if you load up a nice premium bullet in it. Stick a Barnes TSX, a Nosler Partition, or whatever other premium bullet floats your boat and knock that elk to the ground.
If you are looking for a reason to get a new rifle (we've all been there!
Chuck
I've removed the primers and cleaned it with Walnut, this is what I do with all the brass I get from the range or buy online. This particular brass is not brass that was just lying on the ground, it was once fired brass that was either given to me by individuals doing the shooting or by a friend of mine that works at the range. Recycling sounds like a good idea for this brass (especially the belted cartridges).
Parker,
sounds like you have a reason to buy 5 different rifles. Who hasn't bought a rifle or handgun because you now have brass to handload for it.
Seriously, if you need a good elk gun, 30-06 will do just fine but if you really want a magnum caliber rifle, go get it.
I want a 50BMG but not because i want to have enough rifle to shoot a "fill in the blank..." but because I want one.
Good luck to you.
LGB
sounds like you have a reason to buy 5 different rifles. Who hasn't bought a rifle or handgun because you now have brass to handload for it.
Seriously, if you need a good elk gun, 30-06 will do just fine but if you really want a magnum caliber rifle, go get it.
I want a 50BMG but not because i want to have enough rifle to shoot a "fill in the blank..." but because I want one.
Good luck to you.
LGB
JimKirk
Member
If you like to throw away money go ahead and recycle, if you know it was once fired, use it. Sell it as once fired brass if you don't want it. There are lots of folks out there that would be willing to purchased once fired brass.
I hunted some brass for a 300 WSM for five months before finding some at a reasonable price.
Jimmy K
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