new to reloading

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bighoss

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I'm new to reloading and would like ask why alluminum cases can't be reloaded?
 
Aluminum work-hardens very rapidly. That means it'll get brittle on you after one or two firings (and it's already had one firing before you reload it once.) And I don't think aluminum-cased ammo uses standard Boxer primers.
 
They can be reloaded. As said before, they will harden and split very quickly! Maybe even in the firearm! Just not worth it! Plenty of cheap brass all over the forums.

My 2 cnts.
 
Speer used to Berdan prime their Blazer aluminum case handgun ammo to try to prevent their being reloaded though the box clearly had "not reloadable" printed on it. I have't shot any aluminum Blazer in many years but that's another reason its considered to be not reloadable.
 
"...They can be reloaded..." No, they can't. Al isn't elastic like brass is. Al doesn't expand then go back to near original dimensions like brass does. Steel cases don't either.
"...alluminum..." Aluminium.
 
Aluminum and steel CAN be reloaded. Even if the spring back isn't the same as brass, they can be reformed to the correct dimensions with dies. However from a practical stand point, it's not worth the effort. As mentioned, the aluminum cases use Berdan primers, as do many steel cases. That alone makes reloading very difficult. Both will also work harden quickly and split. Also, steel cases would be harder on your dies (even carbide dies) for obvious reasons.
 
Young legs can jump off a roof and run along, but old legs will not fair so well. The old legs can still jump off the roof if they want to of course. Which one is a better idea?


Sunray is correct. They are not intended to be reloaded since they do not have the necessary properties that brass does. Certainly not something for the novice reloader to play around with.
 
Have to agree with Walkalong here. We need to get a proper perspective here about a couple of things. In a pinch you can do it. In a pinch you can use sr primers in a pistol case. In a pinch you can interchange different powders that some say you can't. What is a pinch? To me it's the end of the world and all I have are steel rifle cases in 223 and small pistol primers with W231 on hand. They are coming to kill me and I'm surrounded with only the components above (plus bullets) and a single stage press you better believe I'm reloading. That's the only scenario I would reload steel or alum.

Kinda wish somebody would write a book on what can be done in a pinch.
 
I had an aluminum case Blazer split and jam up my

Marlin just from sitting in a full tube mag. 44 mag, the case split just below the bullet and came out in 2/3 pieces, the bullet still kinda held in the top of the case. Had to pull the tube spring and the lever to unjam, I won't be trusting Blazers for anything important any time soon.

If it can't handle just sitting with an occasional unload/reload for cleaning, I'd hate to try reloading it except in a teotwawki situation.......
 
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