How many times are you using your brass?

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I fired a case in a Mauser, once, I got all the use there was out of that case in one firing, I removed the barrel, then screw it into another Mauser receiver and fired the same load in it, same thing, not much left. I repeated the process until I had tested 5 receivers. I was informed the receivers were suspect, the receivers held together, the cases failed, changing cases would not have changed anything.

As to how many times can a case be fired? It is not easy to go from reloading to firing a case 40 times +, as usual, it is always about bench-resters. It is always “Bench resters full length every time” not far after that “Bernch resters purchase cases for their rifle once and them shoot them (the cases) forever”, No one ever wonders if there is a difference in the the chamber size and the dies ability to to size cases to match.

I determine the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face, I form cases to fit, I do not neck size 5 times after forming then full length size to start over because I find that impossible to do, after firing the case 6 times it can have more resistance to sizing than my press has ability to overcome, I avoid full length sizing back to minimum length, and I am not vain, I have nothing to gain by firing 45 times, BUT! if I did I would keep up with the effect 45 firings had on the case starting with the weight of the case and I would save an unfired case from the same lot for comparison.

Again, a proud owner of a custom rifle handed me a case, I ask to see the case for examination, after looking at the case I ask? “Is this the only case you have and are you loading and reloading this case over and over and over etc.." I then offered to form 200 cases for his rifle for free, he was not happy with my critique, he was sent to an unbiased 3rd party, he became more unhappy, without the offer of forming cases for him, the 3rd party ask him the same question. I can only guess some cases are except from the riggers of having been fired 40 plus times and or some chambers are less stressful on the case than others, I have nothing to gain by firing a case more than 6 times, again, I have fired cases once, in the once firing I have used up all the case use built built into the case. Then there are receivers with different designs, one paragraph does not cover all designs.

F. Guffey
 
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