Tracking # of firings with Handgun Brass?

[something vague]

How many people keep track of how many firings each piece or lot of brass goes through with handgun rounds? I guess this includes revolver rounds as well. I try to but it just has gotten way out of hand with me and keep losing track more and more every day. How neccessary do you suppose this is with handgun rounds like 9mm, .38spl, .357mag, and 45ACP? All my rifle brass is def tracked but I would love to just forget about handgun brass.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I have plastic bags marked '2 fireings', 3 fireings' and so on up to 6 then it all goes into a bag I use to load my 'shoot&scoot' rounds I leave laying at the range.
or my Marlin Camp guns which fling brass afar.
when the primer pocket is loose or the rim very dinged up I chuck 'em.
I've loaded revolver brass 12 or more times with mild cast slug loads and still good.

 

[RSVP2RIP]

I use ziplock bags and write the # on them. I keep all the brass to one chambering in a cardboad box and throw all the bags in, using cardboard for file folders kinda. It works for me and when I get to the point that the brass is reached it's life (depending on gun, loading, etc.), it goes in the bucket that says "Recycle". I have gotten case splits with the 5th reloading on 9x19 with moderate loads, so I would say it is just as important as with rifle brass, although there is alot less gas comming back at your face with a pistol load. I try not to leave any brass on the range if it is what I consider junk. You never know who might pick it up and load it just one more time...

 

[rcmodel]

I have clear plastic wide-mouth jugs of odd caliber new brass like .380 ACP, 32-20 WCF, .44 Special and such, and do try to load them all up before starting over again.

On the otherhand, I have .50 cal ammo cans and buckets full of more common stuff like .38 Spl & .45 ACP.

Those I just shoot till the necks crack or they get lost in the weeds.
No attempt at all to keep track of how many times they are loaded.

High-pressure rifle brass is another matter, and I attempt to keep on top of how many times they have been loaded.

rc

 

[Historian]

+1 for RC. I just shoot my .40S&W until they wear out. I don't really keep track. Now with my .223, it's a different story. I keep careful records on each batch.

Historian

"Democracy requires wisdom."

 

[D. Manley]

I used to track number of firings but, no more. I do sort & store my brass by headstamp (just 'cause I can) but having an abundant inventory for every caliber I load, I no longer bother tracking firings.

 

[something vague]

Thanks, I feel a little better about my handgun brass. I do inspect all brass probably twice each reloading session and watch for junked up peices. I just can't possibly keep very good track of all the different times I've loaded each peice of brass as I often shoot a few different batches each session at the range to test different loads out that I've been playing with. But again, all rifle brass I keep very close records of.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

I'll track the first 5 loads which are usually full tilt magnum fodder. After that, they just go in the plinking brass buckets and get shot 'til they split the neck.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

the reason I leave hulls laying at the range I go to is Mexicans live nearby and come early in the morn to gather 'em for scap sales. if I get there of the late p.m. I check the area for good brass myself. I've found full boxes laying around of good hi-dollar brass - but lately hardly any at all. folks must be piocking it up for reloads.
the only rifle brass I 'shoot&scoot' with is my Mini 30 and it's well worn for sure.

 

[Encoreman]

No marlin they are shooting the .22's cause that's all they can afford. LOL It ain't funny though is it??

 

[eflatminor]

Shoot 'em till they split.

 

[NHSHTR]

I used to keep track of my pistol brass, but since I shoot light power loads and don't crimp, I found that it didn't much matter. Now, I just polish and inspect every one anyway, so I shoot 'em until they show a problem.

 

[Walkalong]

I don't keep track of pistol brass any more. I just shoot it until it fails. If one case fails, I toss it in the scrap bucket. If a batch has a significant number fail the same time through, the whole batch goes in the scrap bucket.

Rifle brass, however, is carefully monitored, and checked for potential case head separation after every firing, before it is reloaded.

I don't trim auto pistol brass. I do trim revolver brass once, occasionally more, and I check rifle brass length after every firing, trimming when needed.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I just inspect my brass. I reload 380 and 9mm. I don't load them really hot so I'm not that worried about them. IT they show signs of stress I'll just throw them out. I also reload 7mm Remingtom Mag. I really inspect them and I trim them every time. But I still don't keep track of how many times they have been fired.

 

[RustyFN]

I don't mostly because all of my brass are range pick-ups. No idea how many times they were shot before I found them but I don't really care. I shoot them until they split.

Rusty

 

[Ky Larry]

I have 2 types of brass. One is for practice and one is for serious social work. I keep 1000 rounds of 125 grain JHP's loaded for my .357's and 1000 rounds of .45 ACP 230gr JHP's loaded for WTSHTF situations. The rest of my brass is loaded with target and plinking loads. When I get 50 split or dinged up cases, I shoot up 50 of my social work ammo and buy new brass and load it up with JHP's. Fired brass gets put in with the plinking ammo.

 

[Mal H]

Like several here, I used to try to keep track of the number of firings. It turned out to be more of a hassle than a help. Now I just shoot 'em til they break or get lost. The latter usually occurs before the former.

 

[GodGuns&Guitars]

My magnum rounds I keep track of in handguns, like the 44 mag. When it starts to fail, if I can trim it down to 44 special I will. Other stuff like 45, 44 special, 38 super I don't keep a real close eye on, but can get a general idea from my log book I keep when reloading. My 300 Weatherby brass, I keep a real close eye on.

 

[evan price]

I don't bother. I dump them all in buckets and every now and then shake up the bucket. When they split they go in the scrap bucket. When I lose them- They are gone. I used to care. Now I use the time spent trying to mark and sort and record brass to scrounge for more brass.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I don't bother tracking the brass anymore, especially revolver brass. I fire them until they either split at the mouth or the primer pockets get sloppy. I've been reloading the same 1200 pieces of Remington .38 Special brass for over 2.5 years now and not one has gone bad yet. I would guess they are well over 25+ reloads on each already.

 

[JCisHe]

I've got small ammo box size forms that I fill out with the brass lot no. (that I make up/ something like W (win.) 72709 (date) L (lot) 1 - W72709L1) that has a place where I can write the no. of times fired and place a slip in every ammo box. To make it easier to keep track of I keep a copy of the lot (usually 500 pcs) no. in my load manual with the data, a copy in each ammo box, and I load all 500 at once (of course after I've worked up a good load).

Then after I get through the 500 I grab all of the boxes (now filled with dirty brass) and dump them in my tumbler and then remake all the tags and fill out my load book for load no.2 and so on until they start to split then I start with the next batch. It's interesting this way because I can see how many firings the brass has gone through verses load strength. I never shoot them passed 10 reloads though. I just stick with the manuals recommendations.

From there I start with 10 new boxes of factory WW or something cheap and get a new set of lots.

Regards...

 

[KenWP]

Some place I seen tiney stamps with numbers for keeping track of the reload times. Have no idea where I saw them.