I've got a bunch of 300 Winnie rounds that are on their 10th and 12th cycles. I've been partial resizing in a full length die for quite some time, but about half my rounds are getting very difficult to chamber and extract. The brass shows no obvious defects but I know that defects are not always obvious.
Should I just full-length resize this brass and continue using it, or toss it and start over? I don't shoot particularly hot loads (75 grains of H4831SC -- 2979 fps). Heck, I went elk and mule deer hunting this past season with reloads on this cycle. When I got there I had to segregate my ammo since about half of it was too difficult to chamber easily. Still got my elk and muley though.
In my opinion 10 or 12 loadings is alot. Especially with a belted cartridge. I wouldn't risk screwing up a $ 3,000 hunt with a separated case over $ 30 worth of brass.
Toss them. The best I've ever done with any belted case is 15 reloads before the seperated. The average is 13, depending.
Presumably you are checking the insides with a bent paper clip or dental pick to detect the ridge near the web. That is the first sign of seperation.
If you partially full size at about 5 reloads and set the shoulder back about .002", chambering will be easier. I also anneal at the same time to restore the necks for uniform neck tension. That also helps.
Posts: 1261 | Location: Placerville, CA, US of A | Registered: 07 January 2001
That case is the only thing separating you from about 60,000 psi of hot gas. Why push things to get one more firing from a 25 cent piece of brass? I arbitrarily toss my cases after 11 or 12 firings. I figure they have given long and honorable service by then and have certainly given me my money's worth.
Take a saw and cut one in two and you can see what shape they are in.Possibly the brass moved to the shoulder,so the case body became to long, don't know a cure for that. Maybe someone knows one? Hugh.
