How many times do you fellas reload your brass before you toss it?

Until it breaks.....

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I seem to find that after 4 - 5 loadings I have to trim the case length again , but I am the same reload it until it breaks!

There's a lot of variables,but I think it depends on how hot you load the rounds.

"Varies" is the correct answer. Depends on how much the brass is worked between your sizing and firing. Also depends on whether you anneal necks or not. If your die and chamber are closely matched and you don't overwork the brass either in the neck or by setting the shoulders back too far each time you size, you can easily get near 10 reloads. If you anneal at around 5 reloads, on unbelted cases you might be able to fire them many, many times. Belted cases seldom last more than about 15 reloads even in optimum conditions, usually because of the initial stretch of the body at initial fireforming. I've gotten near 50 reloads even with hot loads in a 22-250. Also I average 13 reloads on belted brass before case head seperation. I've seen some belted brass seperate at 3 or 4 loads also, where the cases aren't properly sized.

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that when the brass needs it's 5th trimming it's time to junk it. All that brass your trimming has to be coming from somewhere, and it's getting thin in the body by the time it needs it's 5th trim. I have always followed this "rule".

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.

Cases like the 30/06 fired in front locking lug actions with correct headspace last almost forever.

Belted Magnums last maybe 10 to 20 shots in the best chambers. They are not a good design.

Actions with rear locking lugs need to have the cases checked at every reloading. See my comments on the "stuck case removing" thread.

One way to check how helthy a batch of brass is to cut one from primer pocket to mouth, of course, case head sepparation can be felt with a staightened paper clip.

All the best

//Jens

With all the work I put into case preperation etc, I want them to last as long as possible....here's the steps I take.

#1....don't try to shoot the maximum possible load.
#2....don't full-length size the brass all you need to do is bump the shoulder back a bit.
#3....anneal the brass every 4th or 5th reloading.
#4....keep it trimmed properly and if needs trimming to often, you are doing something wrong.
#5....inspect and cull the brass everytime before you load it.

Doing all of this will allow you to wear a barrel out with 150 rounds of brass.