Starline 44 magnum brass on the 11th load

[Shrinkmd]

There are many "how many times can I load brass?" threads, so I wanted to contribute some data. I have successfully shot Starline 44 magnum brass 10 times. Most of the loadings were medium to full (20 gr of 2400 with a 240 lswc) and a light loading with trail boss fired one time in an 1894. The other firings were in my 629. I have been using the Redding dual ring carbide dies and tried not to over expand the mouths or over crimp (redding profile crimp)

I didn't chronograph the last firing, but accuracy seems fine.

Are there any other things I should be wary of, or just carry on till they split? I am really glad I got to 10 firings with all 200 cases. When you plug more than 10 firings into the reloading calculator it doesn't save all that much more.

 

[788Ham]

I've got some Remington .223 brass I've reloaded 14 times. After the initial factory firing, I've just neck sized the brass, every 4th firing, I Fl resize the brass, course, I don't shoot them at warp speeds either, 3200 fps for the 52 and 53 grain pills. After every loading, and before resizing, I check the primer pockets and case necks and mouths for any splits or weakness, have been lucky in this regard so far.

 

[Reefinmike]

pssh, just shoot em til they crack at the mouth! with just over 20k reloads in the measly 14 months ive been reloading, I have yet to see a split case on anything but old nickel plated 357 cases with a nice hot charge of h110. I can count the splits ive seen in the past 20k on two hands.

I also have 5 38spl casings with headstamps from 1961-1965 that I reload and take with me to the range each week to empty. Im on 27 loadings and am hoping to push em all to 80+. Heck, I also have 8 tula steel case 45 that that's on reload #5. Its all just for the sake of brain thinkins. I can find enough brass in one day of any common caliber at my range to last me darn near a lifetime.

 

[gamestalker]

I used to count the number of loadings on my brass, but I quit doing that quite a few years ago. Now I just watch for mouth splits or loose primer pockets. If I had to guess, I probably get some where around 15-20 cycles off my .357 and 44 mag brass, and that's with full tilt H110 jacketed loads. Just keep an eye on them for signs of splitting or loose pockets, and you'll be fine.

GS

 

[caz223]

I've loaded some REM headstamp .41 magnum roughly 50 times, and still had 96% of it. Lost most of it due to my error, like setup errors, overcrimps, overbells, etc.
Most of those cycles were through a Lee loader kit, and all of them were full power loads.
At the second or third split neck I took a look at them.
The brass was getting work hardened, and I only anneal brass once (Had annealed them at 20 firings or so), so I retired the lot and started over.
There were only 300 in the batch and I still had 288.
Bought a new batch of 2000 starline, and think they will last me until I'm in the ground.

 

[Shrinkmd]

Someone gave me 18 cases of Hornady once fired 500S&W, so since it is a smaller batch I will try the same test with those. I am really hoping for 10 worry free reloads with my plinking load of 34gr 2400 and a 330 gr lead boolit.