How Many Times Can U Reload .223 For an AR15?

[charliemopic]

My AR15 and probably other ARs will put nics on the shoulder and/or the neck of the ejected case.
I'm wondering if these nics can cause a weak spot sometimes called a stress riser where upon firing even with once or twice fired cases can break thru?
How many times do you reload .223 for an AR15?
Are nickle plated cases better than plain brass? Are they stronger or more durable?
What is the reason for nickel cases in any caliber?

Thank you much

 

[ants]

Here are my measley little responses:
Will minor dents in an otherwise healthy .223/5.56 case cause a weak spot than burns through? No.
How many times do I reload a .223/5.56 case? I load them until they split (or show signs of imminent failure). Usually 6 to 10 times, maybe more.
Nickel better than plain brass? No. No advantage or disadvantage.
Why nickel? They are pretty.

 

[CBS220]

About 6-10 loadings sounds fair.

Nickel will last shorter. It tends to flake off, as well.

Just size it as little as possible and you will get many loadings.

 

[Walkalong]

Minor nicks and dents won't hurt a thing. When it gets work hardened from several firings/resizings it will fail, but not from nicks or dents.

Keep an eye out for potential case head separation. That IS important. Excessive sizing and or powder charges can cause that. Use a feeler to check inside the brass just in front of the case head. You can feel a "crevise", for lack of a better word, forming there if there is a problem.

 

[ClarkEMyers]

For purposes here nickel has no advantage but

For purposes here nickel has no advantage but there are some real advantages and disadvantages for some purposes.

Hornady claims, I think correctly, that their black nickel is just a tad smoother feeding - this has been true for nickel in some cases

Nickel cases polish better and avoid verdegris when carried in belt loops - or dump pouches - or otherwise subjected to corrosion. I don't suppose the question arises any more but putting a cartridge in the bottom of a web gear pocket to make a 1911 magazine sit a little higher and other such can lead to a corroded cartridge case as well.

Bullet pull for bench rest purposes is sometimes a tad less consistent with nickel cases as something like electrolytic corrosion can occur depending on bullet jacket and neck tension.

Regular cases can be colored - see e.g. model railroad techniques - to distinguish loads or for range pickup and nickel cases come precolored. Blue pills are usually in nickel cases but so are some other - usually expensive - loads.

Magazine lips can also or even more scratch a case but most people find the savings from reloading is enough of a lure to go a little to far in an effort to get more loads out of a given case - I suppose that's my practice too - If I had unlimited funds I'd buy all new and sell my brass as honestly once fired. Until that glorious day I'll shoot the brass until it's obviously ready for retirement - but I will keep good enough records not to use the most fired cases for the most critical needs.

 

[Idano]

Without seeing the damage it hard to say how bad your brass is getting bang up; what you're thinking is bad most likely is normal. If you're using the RCBS X-Die to resize and your not loading them really hot you can shoot them until the primer pocket gets too loose; I have some I am shooting that has been loaded between 10 and 15 times and still look good. Since I have been using the RCBS X-Die I haven't had any neck splits yet. Federal and Winchester brass have a tendency to wear out the primer pockets after about 10 reloads.

 

[tsidorus]

Not to hijack the thread... But...
Clarke:

Regular cases can be colored - see e.g. model railroad techniques -

Could you elaborate on this? Is it just sharpie on the brass or a better solution that is more permanent? I tried a google search but came up with nothing.
-Tsi

 

[ClarkEMyers]

Nosler advertises 38 reloads and still going on their site probably a bolt action.

Nosler advertises 38 reloads and still going on their site with their brass probably a bolt action.

Coloring brass cases has been written up in Handloader and occasionally discussed on the reloading boards. A fairly bright reddish hue and a brass black are more common - Birchwood Casey sells or has sold chemicals for that. Caveat - it's said don't soak too long and settle for a scratchable surface color. A search on the reloading boards should find chemical formulae and techniques as applied to cartridge brass. A model railroad shop will have information on coloring brass for model locomotives and such and may have chemical kits for the purpose. If I run across specific references I'll mention them or PM them. My Handloader back issues are in dead storage many miles away. I don't vouch for anything beyond the Handloader article which goes mostly into reds - something fairly easy to achieve with copper.

Re: Colored Brass


The Coloring of Brass
by Royce W. Beal
written on 17 March 1995 specifically for the readers
of the rec.guns newsgroup.
questions should be directed to me at SLQZ4~CC.USU.EDU


Read this entire essay before attempting any one
treatment. If you choose to just "cut and paste" part
of this, please make sure you get the safety instructions
and warnings after the recipes. Under no circumstances
do I consider myself liable for any accidents which occur
while using any of these chemicals. Also, I do not consider
myself an expert in this field and am still doing research
for the FAQ. This will be a temporary article. Because I
am still experimenting, I cannot vouch for all of these
colors.
Concentrations and conditions Do matter. (Concentration
is more important than actual volume, so if you want to
use less, make sure that you use proportionately less of
each ingredient) If you want good results follow the
recipes closely. Above all it is important that the brass
surfaces be clean. This means an extra hour or so in the
tumbler for the cases and then touch them only sparingly.
I have tried to collate recipes which will require the
acquisition of the more common chemicals. I have also tried
to steer clear of the really hazardous arsenic and cyanide
salts (which you probably can't get anyway) If you feel
that you've been cheated by this, please refer to the
references section of this report and find the books for
yourself in any well stocked library.
It is my understanding that these are all surface
coatings and should not damage or weaken the brass.
obviously you will want to do this treatment with unprimed
brass. Do NoT USE METAL UTENSILS (ok maybe stainless steel)
Glass or Plastic containers are the preference. If you are
really worried about what this is going to do to your brass,
refer again to the reference section below.


TIFFANY GREEN:
Copper Sulfate................. 8 ounces
Ammonium Chloride......... .....4 ounces
Sodium Chloride........... .....4 ounces
Zinc Chloride............. .....l ounce
Acetic Acid............... .....2 ounces
Water..................... .....l gallon

VERDE:
Copper Nitrate................. 16 ounces
Ammonium Chloride.............. 4 ounces
Acetic Acid.................... l quart
Water.......................... l gallon

GREEN:
Iron ( ferric) Nitrate......... 2 ounces ( Fe(III)(No3)3)
Sodium Hyposulphite............ 8 ounces
Water.......................... 1 gallon
(use at boiling temperature, brass can be immersed
or the solution may be "painted" on)

HARDWARE GREEN:
Iron (ferric) Nitrate.......... l ounce (Fe(III)(No3)3)
Sodium Thiosulfate............. 6 ounces
Water.......................... l gallon
(use at 160F)

RED:
Iron (ferric) Nitrate.......... 6 ounces (Fe(III)(No3)3)
Sodium hyposulphite............ 6 ounces
Water
(use at 170F will speed up this reaction)

BLUE:
Sodium Hyposulphite............ 8 ounces
Lead Acetate................... 4 ounces
Water.......................... l gallon
(use at boiling temperature)
or
Lead Acetate................... 2 to 4 ounces
Sodium Thiosulfate............. 8 ounces
Acetic Acid.................... 4 ounces
Water.......................... l gallon
(use at 180F. This color will change if
not lacquered [Do NoT LACQUER FIREARM CARTRIDGES]
Take your chances with the color change.)

BLUE BLACK:
Copper Carbonate............... 1 pound
Ammonium Hydroxide............. l quart
Water.......................... 3 quarts
(Add the water after the carbonate and hydroxide
have been mixed. There must be excess Copper
Carbonate. Use at 175F. This color can be fixed
(made more permanent) by quickly dipping in a 2.5%
Sodium Hydroxide solution.)

BLACK:
Ammonium Hydrosulfide........... 2.25 ounces
Potassium sulfide............... 1 ounce
Water........................... 1 gallon
(use at room temperature or COOLER for best results)


BROWN:
Potassium Chlorate.............. 5.5 ounces
Nickel Sulfate.................. 2.75 ounces
Copper Sulfate.................. 24 ounces
Water........................... 1 gallon
(use at boiling temperature)



SAFETY:
1. NEVER taste any of these chemicals.
2. Keep very far out of the reach of children.
3. Most Nitrates are good oxidizing agents and
should not be stored with anything flammable.
4. Acetic Acid has a VERY strong pungent odor.
Use in well ventilated areas. This acid can
be airborne in vapor form. If you feel that
you have breathed enough of it to feel
uncomfortable, leave the area and drink a
carbonated soft drink. "Have a Coke" Do not
underestimate this chemical.
5. Many of these chemicals may stain your skin or
clothing. Wear rubber gloves and protective
clothing including glasses of some sort.
6. Steam can cause serious burns. Solutions of salts
can actually exceed the boiling point of water.
The steam from these solutions can be very dangerous.
BE CAREFUL WITH STEAM AND BoILING SoLUTIoNS.
7. Feel free to change concentrations for experimentation
purposes but do not change the ingredients in any
one recipe.
8. Always be fully awake and alert around chemicals.

CONVERSIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS:
Ounces are assumably troy ounces, even when dealing
with liquids or solutions. Do not use fluid ounces.
1 ounce = 31.103 grams = 480 grains
1 quart = 0.25 gallon = 946.4 mL
1 gallon = 3.78S L

REFERENCES:

Meyer, Walter R. title: Plating and Finishing Guidebook
ninth edition - 1940 pp.72-75 (cited)

Metal Finishing Guidebook-twenty-eighth edition - 1960
article by Hall, Nathaniel
Title: Coloring of Metals pp. 477-479 (cited)

Krause, Hugo title: Metal Coloring and Finishing

Hiorns, A. H. title: Metal Coloring

Field, S and Bonney, S.R.
title: Chemical Coloring of Metals (not cited)

 

[2sigs]

Fired from a AR platform I would say if your shooting outdoors and with brush etc. you will lose the brass before you split or seperate one if you load standard charges in mil cases.

-2sigs