reloading expenses for a plinking rifle, brass life

[labnoti]

For plinking in a rifle, I was considering the differences in expenses between reloading .223 and a straight-walled handgun cartridge like .357. Most of the .223 components are just a little more costly, but what about brass? Starline .223 cases are just a little more than .357, but I reload .357 indefinitely. Most of it should continue good service past 10 reloads, 20 reloads? Maybe more? But I read people that only reload .223 brass four, six, maybe seven times.

I don't currently reload a rifle or bottleneck cartridge, and the last time I did was 20-something years ago. What is it that shortens the brass life? I understand they stretch and then need to be trimmed, but is it the higher pressures for rifle cartridges like 55,000-65,000 psi vs 35,000 psi for handguns that makes the brass flow or is it the bottleneck design that has to keep getting trimmed for headspace that results in shorter brass life? If .223 was loaded to 35,000 psi would it just last and last or would it still end up getting trimmed down too thin and crack? If some big straight-walled magnum like .454 was loaded to 60,000psi, would the brass also have a short life or would it just keep on keeping on reload after reload?

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I don't think the difference in the cost and/or life of 223 or 357 brass would amount to very much. Loaded to lower pressure any cartridge brass will last longer. I would base my decision on which cartridge is best suited for my intended use.

 

[cheygriz]

.454 should not be reloaded to max more than once.

.38 Spec, loaded light, can be used 30-40 times.

If all you want to do is plink, go with the lever gun and load .38 special 158 SWC or LRN loads to about half way between start and max.

 

[Blue68f100]

I anneal most all my bottle neck rifle brass. Doing this I have yet to have a neck split, some over 12 reloads. The failure is the primer pocket looses up so it no longer holds a primer in. Switch to a different brand primer some times will get you a couple more reloads. Depending on mfg you should be able to 3-5 handloads before the necks split without annealing. I've had neighbors that have brass split on the first reload.

 

[cheygriz]

As cheap as .223 is, when I get a neck split, usually after 8-10 reloads, I pitch the lot and order 2 or 3 thousand more.

IME, good MilSurp brass lasts a long time.

 

[Random 8]

Depends on what you want to do. I'm looking at the .38/.357 route for the same reasons as a short rang plinker. As above, with .38 special level cast loads, brass life is nearly indefinite and quality "once fired" brass is available cheaply. Haven't run any of my .357 brass long enough to get failures. I do have experience with similar straight walled cartridges loaded to full power in .41. They do have a finite lifespan. My records of number of firings got corrupted, but probably somewhere in the 8-10 range I started getting cracked cases.

In .223 I'm loading 5.56 NATO level heavy match bullets. With most lots of LC, WCC and TAA military brass, I'm getting 4-7 firings (including the military firing) before I get a split neck or 2. I generally relegate the box to practice ammo after 4 firings, and discard after I find a split neck. I'm over 5 firings with a batch of HSM commercial brass. I suspect with a lower pressure loading in a bolt gun, the life would be longer, but in terms of case prep time alone, I am much more interested in a .357 caliber plinking rifle. You're also looking at 20+ grains of powder vs 4-7 gr of HP38.

 

[armoredman]

I load 223 and usually lose the brass before it breaks. On the other hand, I load cast rounds in 7.672x39mm and have some brass with so many ejector marks that it is difficult to read the head stamp. It's all how you use/abuse.

 

[243winxb]

What is it that shortens the (223)brass life?

Neck, shoulder cracks from over working the brass, for me. A bushing FL die would help .

The quality of the brass is one the biggest factors.

I have neck turned 223 Black Hill Match brass at 19 loadings, no annealing , with only a few neck cracks. Using neck turned brass in standard RCBS fl die. Bolt action rifle. Autos would be harder on brass.

 

[Texas10mm]

If you're using the brass in ONE rifle then just neck size it. For plinking in a non semi-auto .223 I like to use cast bullets and 6.5 gr Unique.

 

[PapaG]

One problem with very light loads in bottleneck cases is that the shoulder can move back and increase headspace, which is not good if used for full power loads later on. I prefer 357, 44, and 45-70 for light loads. If I want light loads in 223, 222, 30-30, 308, 30-06, I have dedicated batches of cases and use cast bullets.

 

[sparkyv]

As cheap as .223 is, when I get a neck split, usually after 8-10 reloads, I pitch the lot and order 2 or 3 thousand more. IME, good MilSurp brass lasts a long time.

.223 plinking ammo is so inexpensive these days that I don't save much $$$ at all handloading it. Same for 9mm. .357 is an entirely different animal. You will save money reloading .357 even if the brass is pricier, as it will last a very long time if your loads are not too hot.

 

[blue32]

223 will give me 8-9 reloads, but thats after full length resizing and running them through an AR. I typically toss them when they develop neck splits or when they need a second trimming. 38/357 will last indefinitely but I've only run them through revolvers. I run 32-20 through revolvers and rifles, and in addition to FL sizing, get about 12-15 loads. Even with 223 littered on the ground, the lack of trimming and cost of components keep my 32 the cheapest and easiest rifle cartridge to load. 38/357 is not far behind.

 

[Bartojc]

Bottleneck cases if sized correctly will generally last until the neck splits. In some cases that may be as quick as 3-5 reloads, it depends on the brass and how much you're working it. I have some that I am on the 5th reload with no splits. When I start seeing splits I'll throw them all out. If you anneal you can expect more, in some cases much more.

I load .223 for an AR. I never buy brass. If I need brass I buy loaded ammo and save the brass. I load general plinking ammo in .223 for about .17-.19/round assuming free brass and buying bulk FMJ bullets.

I'd rather load my own ammo for every caliber I shoot rather than buy. I only buy if I need brass. Even then I bought 45 Colt brass rather than the ammo.

-Jeff

 

[boom boom]

For longer life, avoid nickel plated brass in .38 spc or .357. Tends to crack a bit earlier than brass.

 

[mdi]

Those cartridges mentioned in the OP are so common, one can get away with just using range pickups. I gave away 1,000 223/5.56 cases collected over a period of a year to 14 months, all range pickups, all reloadable. In that same period I may have found 50-100 or so 357 and mebbe 200, 38 Special (I lost count of 9mm brass!) . Even purchased new the costs per reload are so low as to not even be counted and "once fired' is even cheaper. Sometimes I'm reminded of the saying "if ya gotta ask how much, you prolly can't afford it"...

Long ago, when I got a new to me gun, I'd buy one box of factory ammo, and save/reload the brass while I build up a stash of. Now I usually buy guns in a caliber I already reload for...

 

[Whiterook808]

There is more brass prep on a bottle neck case like .223. You have to lube cases, worry about trim length, etc. You can turn out .357 much faster, especially if you have a turret or a progressive press.

 

[bluetopper]

I don't get many failures in 357 Mag but when I do, usually the brass splits length ways right down the side nearly the length of the brass.

 

[Toprudder]

Yeah, the advantage of 223 (at least at my range) is the abundance of once-fired brass left on the ground. The ones with crimped primer pockets lets you know they are truly once-fired. The disadvantage is the amount of prep involved (swaging or cutting primer crimps, trimming) and having to lube them. If shot from a semi-auto, then the chance that you lose brass increases.

Disadvantage of 357mag is that very few end up on the ground to pick up, so you may have to buy your brass. (Why don't those dang revolver shooters throw their brass on the ground like everyone else?). Advantages include not having to lube (carbide sizing dies) and most 357 guns are not semi-auto, so losing brass not as much of a problem.

 

[ATLDave]

Separate from the cost issue, the hassle factor of bottlenecked reloading (especially the lubing and de-lubing and trimming parts) would make me prefer the straight-walled option if the straight-walled option were otherwise sufficient for my purposes. If you intend to ventilate empty coke cans at 50 yards, I think the 357 would be more than up to the task! If your plinking occurs at 300 yards, maybe not.

 

[armoredman]

I tried my reloads in my first AR-15, (home built from a WIDE assortment of parts), and the chamber was so tight they would not go fully into battery. Factory works just fine, when the trigger isn't going binary on me. But, I digress - small base dies may be what I need if I keep this barrel, I think. The BREN 805 eats up my reloads, including cast, like candy, but this Bear Creek barrel seems quite finicky.