Aul. & Steel case reloading

[jcwit]

I have seen some of the Alu. CCI & Steel Wolf cases are now being loaded with boxer primers. I tried reloading 5 of each with no ill effects, however I wonder what long term problems may come up doing this. I'm asking this not for myself as I have thousands of rounds of brass, but for newcomers who might be trying this. BTY this concerns .45 ACP, have not seen this in any other cal.

 

[The Bushmaster]

In the past ithas been the policy of all reloaders to disgard aluminum cases. Period...In the future I would continue this policy. Aluminum does not like to be flexed too many times without failing...Like maybe twice?

As far as steel cases...If you wish to reload them, go ahead. Some do and some don't...

 

[Jim Watson]

I have reloaded a few Wolf .45 ACP to see if it could be done, and they work ok for at least a couple of cycles.

Aluminum Blazer is Berdan primed, and while I have heard that a strong decapping pin will rip the anvil right out and allow repriming with a Boxer primer, it is nothing I want to fool with.

 

[ants]

As noted, certainly both metals can be reloaded. They were loaded once, so they can be loaded again.

As you know, brass (like all metals) has a certain 'spring back' after being formed. Sizing dies intended for brass are dimensioned slightly tight to let it spring back to the correct dimension. Sizing dies for aluminum and steel are dimensioned differently because those metals spring back differently. Steel springs back a lot, aluminum springs back more or less than brass depending upon the alloy.

So you can do it successfully and the resulting ammo will shoot, but it may not be perfectly optimum for your chamber dimensions. You'll have to try it and see how it works in your gun.

I once carefully removed some Berdan primers from 9mm Steyr cases, but the pockets were too tight for boxer primers. Perhaps the primer diameters are different.

 

[Walkalong]

Brass is too cheap and so much safer there is no real need to play with Aluminum or Steel.

 

[rcmodel]

Berdan primers are a different size then Boxer primers.
And they are getting to be very hard to find.

Load steel cases if you must, but the aluminum ones should go in the nearest trash can.

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should!

rcmodel

 

[jcwit]

People; you're not reading my post. I said I tried it to see if it would work, it did. I have thousands of rounds of brass available to reload. Was wondering about new people doing it and what the long term effects would be if anyone knew. BTY, both companies load this ammo with boxer primers--CCI with small pistol, Wolf with Large pistol. Berdan primwers do not even come into the equation here.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, EXCUSE ME!

All of the aluminum case Blazer ammo I ever fired was Berdan primed.

But that was long ago and far away.

All I have for referance now is one partial box of .44 Spl., and it is Berdan primed.

rcmodel

 

[evan price]

Newer Blazer aluminum cases are now Boxer primed.
The problem with aluminum is that it does not react to stress the same way that brass or even steel will- steel, as long as flexing does not exceed the fatigue limits can theoretically last indefinitely, aluminum that is flexed or stressed has cumulative effects even if it is not loaded to fatigue levels- which is why airplanes must be inspected regularly to spot impending failures of the aluminum skin (Anyone remember Aloha Air flight 243? The world's first Boeing 727 convertible?) resulting from pressure changes during flight. It's the same thing that happens when a cartridge is fired.
Sure, you might load aluminum cases once or twice, no problem. But it will not react to stress the same way as brass and an AL case that is loaded even well within pressure specs can suddenly fail with no warning due to fatigue failure.

Steel is certainly reloadable- the problem with steel is that it must be coated with something to prevent corrosion and lacquer or polymer coatings tend to flake off or craze when the case swells with firing pressures, exposing raw steel. (Think about it- lacquer or polymer coatings are basically paint, and if you flex the steel the paint will split or flake away.) The raw steel will rust quickly in any moisture. Even plated or galvanized cases, if the finish is disturbed (such as by being pressed through a resizing die) will rust. Zinc galvanizing actually is designed to sacrificially corrode to protect the steel underneath. If corrosion is present it can alter the dimension of the round and cause chambering problems.

If you have a way to prevent moisture from corroding steel cases sure, steel is reloadable. But another factor is that steel cases were never designed to be reloaded so that stresses on the steel during the pressure cycle may exceed fatigue limits, and then you get sudden failure once the metal has become fatigued. Brass is much more forgiving off these types of stretching and flexing processes than steel, without becoming brittle.

Do what you wish, but as for me I will reload brass only.

 

[The Bushmaster]

jcwit...We are trying to tell you NOT to promote the reloading of ALUMINUM cases no matter WHO makes them or how they are primed...Some idiot will try it and get hurt... Steel...Yes, if you wish, but brass is sooo plentiful. Why?

And yes we ARE reading your post...

 

[scrat]

ya i agree with the guys here alum and steel go in the trash just not worth it

 

[jcwit]

Thanks for the input, I reload brass only, this was done as an experiment after some new reloaders had asked me about it. I suggested they not reload alu. or steel till more info is found out, main reason was that they were only ment to be loaded once. Thanks again and will pass on the info. Believe me I wasn't promoting the reloading of alu/steel cases.

 

[Walkalong]

You asked the question. We said we thought it was a bad idea, although doable. Simple enough.

 

[jcwit]

Right Walkalong, however most posters implied that I was doing this as common practice, not so. I had tried an experiment that worked as a 1 time deal. Poster evan price gave the most intellingent answer and I was asking for other beginning reloaders. I am closing in on having close to 200,000 45 ACP cases and don't need to worry about it for my own personal use.

 

[sniper7369]

I think it would be interesting to see how many times a steel or AL case could be loaded. I just don't want to be the guy that finds out.
I would think, in theory, that steel would be OK. AL would probably work as well, it would most likely just split a lot faster than brass before it had a catastrophic failure.
Something interesting to ponder, but like I said, I wouldn't want to be the guy to test the theory.

 

[rcmodel]

Aluminum is as aluminum does.

http://www.afte.org/announcements/CCIopenboltwarning.htm

This is not a problem with brass case ammo.

rcmodel

 

[bullseye308]

I never thought reloading aluminum was a good idea, and personally would not try it. As for steel, I won't mention that I have reloaded wolf 223 6 times so far with mild loads and only lost 1 case out of 200. That would be irresponsible of me to do so. I would not advise anyone to load their berdan primed wolf 223, but instead, send it to me to make cute little grey pointy things that fill up ammo cans. I will absolve anyone of any responsibility for my "improper" use of those steel cases if they are donated to my cause.

The popular opinion of steel and aluminum is that they should not be reloaded, and maybe that is for the best. I would not advise anyone to do it when they could send them to me for "recycling".


Noticed you mentioned 45, haven't tried it yet personally, but I will down the road. I think it is safe as long as the loads are mild or midrange. That is my opinion and as fair warning, I have been wrong twice so far this year already. Take from that what you will.

 

[Walkalong]

I am closing in on having close to 200,000 45 ACP cases

We should all have that problem.

 

[bullseye308]

How about this? Aluminum maybe could be reloaded one more time if you could find the primers, steel maybe 5 times if loaded middle of the road, and brass 10 or so loaded middle of the road. Lots of variables involved, but maybe use that as a guideline?

 

[ar10]

but the aluminum ones should go in the nearest trash can.

What I save all mine in big 10gal buckets. Then I take to the recycler along with my "crap" brass. At least it pays for bird litter and a few other odds & ends that i think I need.

 

[jcwit]

Well I guess I got my question answered. Didn't really think I would open such a hornets nest by asking this question. Oh well my experiment worked for the first and only reload & will continue to use my brass cases. Have no wish to find out how many times I can reload them, brass works for doz.'s of reloads.

 

[nambu1]

The aluminium cases I recycle and do not reload the steel. I believe that the steel ones will harm my dies.

 

[Sunray]

"...so they can be loaded again..." No they can't. Brass is elastic. Al and steel are not. Neither will resize correctly.

 

[jcwit]

Well Sunray all I can say is YES THEY CAN-I DID IT and they worked and yes they resized. Will I continue to reload them NO as I have more than enough brass cases. As I have stated this was an experiment and it did work. Do I recommend it NO, but it can be done. Jeeeesssss

 

[shinz]

Brass is much more forgiving off these types of stretching and flexing processes than steel, without becoming brittle.

In fact steel has a far higher fatigue threshold than brass does b4 it gets brittle, I have reloaded steel case with no problems, like jc, just to see if it would work. I found I had to take the neck expander button out of the FL die otherwise I had almost no neck tension. This was with both laquered 7,62x39 cases & copperwashed 7.62x51 cases. Both were berdan primed, its not too big a hassle once you're geared & if you can get the primers. I stuck with middle of the road loads. I don't feel obliged to look for the cases once fired in the field.

Brass is elastic. Al and steel are not. Neither will resize correctly.

Brass is SPRINGY, steel & ali are not, steel is actually much more elastic than either brass or aluminium both of which will fatigue crack & rupture long before steel will. I WOULD NOT ever try to reload ali cases, even if I could knowing what I know about the lack of malleability of aluminium
Steve