44 mag loads in once fired cases

[under_dawg]

A friend gave me some once fired Remington & Winchester .44 mag brass. I usually load my heavy magnum loads in new cases, then relegate those cases (once fired) to plinking loads after shooting them once. Am I pushing the brass too hard if I load say 23.5gr of H-110 with a 240gr xtp into 2nd or 3rd time fired brass?

 

[SASS#23149]

No,using them just once is being over-protective,imho.

 

[Shimitup]

I'm pushing my Federal and Win brass to 13 reloads, 23 gr of H110 and Hornady 240JHP before retirement. The chambers on my Redhawk seem pretty tight thus I suppose the long life. I've had only a couple of splits over the years.

 

[NCsmitty]

That's a waste of good brass under_dawg. You're not at Max so just keep an eye on the brass length for consistent crimps and for loose primer pockets and load them up.

NCsmitty

 

[Walkalong]

Like they said, just once is too conservative. You should get several firings out of it at full power.

 

[748]

The brass gets harder and stronger after each firing. Untill it cracks.

With my 44mag I have used up to 33gr of H110 with 180gr XTP. But I don't use magnum primers. And yes that is a hot load. (May not be safe in all guns.)
I have loaded 30 and up to 33gr H110 powered 44mags up to 3 and 4 times. I haven't been able to shoot my 44mag as much as I would like or else I would have reloaded them more.

My plinking load is 44mag shells, 180gr XTP with 10 gr or unique. That is a real light 180gr bullet charge it also makes good a 240gr cast bullet charge.
I use 10gr of unique for safety, it fills the case half way up.

The funny thing is some factory rounds just start to show signs of high pressure some times, and my hot loads don't. Strange.

 

[under_dawg]

Thanks guys. I thought I was being a little too conservative. With brass getting kind of scarce, I need to be using it a little more wisely.

 

[Walkalong]

The brass gets harder and stronger after each firing

but less ductile, which is why it splits eventually.