Reload Aluminum Case

tws3b2

tws3b2

Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
1,162
Location
Asheboro NC
New to reloading. I just reloaded my first rounds. I have a bag of mixed casing, brass and aluminum. The aluminum cases are from 38 spl Blazer rounds that I bought some time ago, all I could find at the time.
I loaded a few of the aluminum casing. I've never seen anywhere that they should not be reloaded. But, then I got to thinking, I've never seen where they could be reloaded either.
So, can anyone educate a know nothing new reloader on reloading aluminum casings, ok to reload?, if so how many times? ok to use the same load as brass.
So far I've only loaded mild 38 spl. .3.9gr., 231 powder, 158gr. xtp.
 
The common consensus is that it's a bad plan to reload aluminum cases. Aluminum works hardens very quickly and there is no way to anneal that easily, unlike brass. That said I have also reloaded 45 ACP aluminum cases (mostly because everyone told me it wouldn't work). I did a bunch of it playing around and found that I could get two reloads out of them most of the time and then the case would split the third time I pressed a bullet in or on the third time firing them. The only reason I got that many reloads out of them was it was a relatively light load for 45 ACP and 45 ACP is already a relatively low pressure cartridge. I think you will find similar with 38 special. You will get two or three reloads out of them and then they will start splitting. You might get one or two more with 38 Special due to the smaller caliber and similar low pressure to what I was doing.

If you got lot of aluminum case go for it but I would not go out of my way to use aluminum. Brass cases are much better and just as available. Have fun and be safe.
 
Last edited:
Jim Watson said:
Early Blazer Aluminum cases had Berdan primers so you couldn't reload them.
Click to expand...

You beat me to it. I'm not sure if current Blazer aluminum is still Berdan...


There are people who reload all the difficult stuff... aluminum cases, steel cases, Berdan cases. Why? The Easy Button is brass case, boxer primed... scrap the rest and move on.
 
Jim Watson said:
Early Blazer Aluminum cases had Berdan primers so you couldn't reload them.
I guess it is just cheaper to use regular Boxer primers than to handle another type.
Click to expand...
Same story with steel cases. A lot of the ComBloc stuff was Berdan but I guess the later free-ish market sellers found Boxer easier and cheaper to deal with.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Same story with steel cases. A lot of the ComBloc stuff was Berdan but I guess the later free-ish market sellers found Boxer easier and cheaper to deal with.
Click to expand...

Even NATO stuff can be Berdan primed... much of my Euro M80 7.62mm surplus is Berdan, which is a real shame, since it is very good brass. There are some guys that reload it, and I even entertained the idea of it, also. They make this crazy jig thingy to pop the primers out externally on Berdan primed brass, but all those cheap Wolf Berdan primers dried up some years ago, so it's become a 'why bother?'
 
Thanks guys. I only have 1 box of aluminum cases and only loaded 10. I guess I will shoot that 10 and toss the others or maybe put them back in the just in case junk box.
 
Just say NO.

These cases are marked NR (Not Reloadable). Do not use in carbine style firearms. Use in Carbine rifles can result in firearm damage and/or serious injury.
Performance data derived from industry test barrels: provided for reference. Velocities from production firearms may vary.
Click to expand...

www.cci-ammunition.com

Buy Blazer Aluminum for USD 20.99 | CCI

Shopping for the Blazer Aluminum - Learn more about the latest Blazer Aluminum and other hunting or shooting gear at CCI.
www.cci-ammunition.com www.cci-ammunition.com
 
mcb got it 100%. I too, being a "I wanna see for myself" guy and tried reloading some 45 ACP aluminum cases. Same results as most above; once OK, twice big maybe, 3 time nope. Could you reload aluminum cases? Yes. Should you reload aluminum cases? Normally nope...
 
Charlie98 said:
Even NATO stuff can be Berdan primed... much of my Euro M80 7.62mm surplus is Berdan, which is a real shame, since it is very good brass. There are some guys that reload it, and I even entertained the idea of it, also. They make this crazy jig thingy to pop the primers out externally on Berdan primed brass, but all those cheap Wolf Berdan primers dried up some years ago, so it's become a 'why bother?'
Click to expand...
I used to reload Berdan .303 and 7.92x57mm using Berdan primers from Portugal. They were actually pretty common when I was doing it in the 80's but those sources dried up about ten years ago and now if you can find them they are WAY overpriced. I had a little two-prong thingy that fit in the regular decapping pin spot. Pull the handle until you get resistance, spin the case until you feel the pins align, punch it out and move on. There were three or four types with different pin sizes and spacing. I lost all that when I moved to Vero. The bouncing trailer incident. :(
 
Rule3 said:
Just say NO.



www.cci-ammunition.com

Buy Blazer Aluminum for USD 20.99 | CCI

Shopping for the Blazer Aluminum - Learn more about the latest Blazer Aluminum and other hunting or shooting gear at CCI.
www.cci-ammunition.com www.cci-ammunition.com
Click to expand...
That NR must be on the back of the box in all the other fine print. I think I read the back of the box back in ???????? Well, if I did I'm sure I knew what the nr meant. New Rounds?
 
tws3b2 said:
That NR must be on the back of the box in all the other fine print. I think I read the back of the box back in ???????? Well, if I did I'm sure I knew what the nr meant. New Rounds?
Click to expand...
Regardless, aluminum is not good to reload
 
  • Like
Reactions: mdi
GeoDudeFlorida said:
I had a little two-prong thingy that fit in the regular decapping pin spot. Pull the handle until you get resistance, spin the case until you feel the pins align, punch it out and move on.
Click to expand...

I remember reading about those in 'The Handgunner, Ltd.' back in the 1970s. There was a British hand loading industry in those days with some novel approaches to local problems.
 
Jim Watson said:
I remember reading about those in 'The Handgunner, Ltd.' back in the 1970s. There was a British hand loading industry in those days with some novel approaches to local problems.
Click to expand...
Most of my Berdan reloading tools came from Germany. The old guys in the shooting club in Titusville were generous with tools and advice. Most of them were refugees from War Two who had to fight to survive starting at a very young age. They taught me some much more valuable lessons than just reloading and shooting.
 
I tried reloading some berdan primed cases, 7.5x54, using the "hydraulic depriming method" ( water and a dowel). way back when berdan primers could be purchased. Slow, messy and not worth the trouble.
 
tws3b2 said:
New to reloading. I just reloaded my first rounds. I have a bag of mixed casing, brass and aluminum. The aluminum cases are from 38 spl Blazer rounds that I bought some time ago, all I could find at the time.
I loaded a few of the aluminum casing. I've never seen anywhere that they should not be reloaded. But, then I got to thinking, I've never seen where they could be reloaded either.
So, can anyone educate a know nothing new reloader on reloading aluminum casings, ok to reload?, if so how many times? ok to use the same load as brass.
So far I've only loaded mild 38 spl. .3.9gr., 231 powder, 158gr. xtp.
Click to expand...
You can reload them ...But aluminum is not as ductile or tough as brass ... it Cracks in short order .
You can get about 3 loadings of mild 38 special ...then the case mouths start to develop cracks from the expanding and crimping ... the alumn. work hardens and cracks / splits and there is nothing you can do to stop it ...you can't anneal alumn.
Also make sure the alumn cases are Boxer primed (one large flash hole) and not Berdan Primed (two tiny flash holes) ... you can't easily reload Berdan primed cases .
Load them , shoot them and inspect each for cracking ... when the first crack shows ...Discard it .
Best thing you can do is buy / invest in some good Starline Brass ... having a supply of good brass is just so nice .
50 years ago I started loading 38 special with range brass swept up off the local public range floor ... didn't know you could buy new brass back then ...loaded range pick-ups for 30 years before buying a few hundred new Starline cases ... Sooo Sweet !
Gary
 
gwpercle said:
the alumn. work hardens and cracks / splits and there is nothing you can do to stop it ...you can't anneal alumn.
Click to expand...
That’s not entirely true. Read this article on strain relief of work hardened aluminum. It’s done routinely in industry.
clintonaluminum.com

Stress Relieving Processes for Aluminum Alloys

Informed manufacturers understand the benefit of knowing about the full variety of stress relieving processes available for aluminum alloys. Having a stable, durable aluminum product able to withstand stresses is a requirement no matter what industry is being discussed. That’s why it’s helpful...
clintonaluminum.com clintonaluminum.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
  • Locked
Aluminum vs Brass Casings
Replies
15
Views
2K
BigJakeJ1s
B
3
  • Locked
Aluminum Boxer Primed Cases
2
Replies
32
Views
1K
jcwit
J
G
  • Locked
Reloading Blazer Aluminum Casings
2
Replies
28
Views
10K
kingmt
K
D
  • Locked
Anyone reload Blazer aluminum?
Replies
19
Views
2K
jcwit
J
3
  • Locked
Reloading Aluminum Cases
Replies
13
Views
4K
moxie
M
Back
Top