how many times can you expect to reload remington and winchester brass and maintain accuracy? just order some lapua brass but have alot of win and rem i have reloade about 10 times each and they have hardened but how do you know when it is time to get rid of it?

If you neck size with honed neck die, a bushing die, or a collet die, AND you have a no turn neck chamber, you might get 100 firings.

With a factory SAAMI chamber and standard dies, you could see split necks starting to pop up in 10 firings.

That assumes you have not annealed the necks.

Depends on what calibre and how hot you're running it. Some of the more common stuff, I just got tired of reloading the stuff --it just got to lookin "shop worn" and I pitched it. Other stuff, I started getting neck splits on a regular basis from work hardening --I don't anneal-- and it got pitched.
Stuff like 30-06, 7-08, and such that you're motoring at about an 85-90% loads, you'll start getting thickened necks before you get too many case failures.
It's kinda like saying how long is a piece of string. You reloading technique has a lot to do with it.
Brass that has been reloaded numerous times is not less accurate than brass that has been reloaded a few times.

i usually see the case neck take a set to the fired size [you resize it and it won't apply tension to the bullet], then it either needs to be annealed or chucked.

i didnt think accuracy would change as long as you trim and check your sizes but a friend of mine that has been reloading since the 60s told me they would change but he is also known for stretching the truth a bit

I don't know. Maybe his thinking is that as the neck work hardens, the neck doesn't swag back into specs as readidly after being fired and doesn't give you the same bullet grip????

I just ditched Norma .308 Win cases after their 16th firing. I use Redding competition dies, turn necks and neck size (bushing). Cold working hardened necks so that a bullet could be slipped through the sized neck. Annealing necks would probably grant them a new life but it's a lot of hassle and I have plenty of brass in reserve.

Sako-cases now 56.time. I have custom barrel with "tight chamber" and use LEE Collect die. Never anneling.

I have been using fed, win, and rem cases. My win cases didn't last all that long. My friend called all the fed cases sense he bought most of them. He is new to reloading and has probably 5 reloading so far. No loss in brass yet. My rem cases have maybe seen close to 20 loads in FL dies. I see no reason to max out powder charges so my cases seem to last a bit longer then my friends. I shoot both cast and copper jacketed bullets. Depending on what kind of powder used when shooting cast will extend or shorten case life. I'd keep away from your pistol powders. Those will shorten case life. The last time I used pistol powder I had a primer pocket expand and leek into my face when firing. I got of of that one lucky.
So just be modest with your powder charges and anneal your brass and you will be shocked how long you keep your cases around!
I just now started to lose life in my cases and just picked up a case annealer from Hornady from Midway USA.
Check it out.
Truly
James

Accuracy may change, may not. t depends on how you load & what brass & what load. I have seen soft Federal brass stretch primer pockets in as little as 2 firings. Same load in Norma or Lapua brass lasts 10X. A chrono helps to see vel. changes due to lack of neck tension, but ultimately, accuracy is the final word & you have to actually shoot them to see.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
Accuracy may change, may not. t depends on how you load & what brass & what load. I have seen soft Federal brass stretch primer pockets in as little as 2 firings. Same load in Norma or Lapua brass lasts 10X. A chrono helps to see vel. changes due to lack of neck tension, but ultimately, accuracy is the final word & you have to actually shoot them to see.

I agree fully, working up loads is key.
Using a crono when testing and grouping will help you find out how well things are working out. Sometimes when you have a flyer the crono will give you what you need to know why.
If you screw up your annealing job most often you will know why its not grouping well with out a crono.

I m just starting to anneal myself. Ask me in a week how I did annealing.
When testing loads remember to give you cases a quick once over. That should help you figur out whats going on too. I have found if I have a flyer and there is a damaged case, it tells me most likely its probably due to that.

Treat you cases well and they will do the same. Any brass will last as long as you treat them well. Tumble, anneal, size, trim.
I just started using the RCBS Case Master to mesure the case too. Finding out the run out helps too.
Good luck, great shooting.
James

Here is a photo of a case that expanded at the bottom of the case. When the bolt opened, it was very stiff to open, when opens there was smoke rising from the mag, which was full.
So when using cast bullets use the slower powders in which the case was developed to use. This is a result in using Unique.
I now use mostly IMR3031 when loading my cast lead.
This case had seen its share of loads. Must have had 15+ run though it.

My loads are mild enough that I expect the primer pockets to wear out from pressing primers in and out. If I think the necks are getting hard I lightly anneal them with a pencil torch. After 20 or 30 loadings a few may split in the body if I am FL sizing. The rest last so long it is too much trouble to keep track of.

well i am kinda new to reloading only get to do it in spare time and only for past year or so . i didnt know what annealling was so i googled it found what looked to be a good article called the art and science of annealling . so i am going to try it with my hardened brass .

quote:

Originally posted by rick boggs:
well i am kinda new to reloading only get to do it in spare time and only for past year or so . i didn't know what annealing was so i googled it found what looked to be a good article called the art and science of annealing . so i am going to try it with my hardened brass .

I was given this site on top of doing my own research. If I m lucking I could possibly make a annealing machine in my machining class, possibly for the "final project".
6MM B.R. - The Art and Science of Annealing
This will explain many methods, just find what works for you and stick with it. Don't let people say your way is the wrong way if it works for you. Many people have asked and told me about this and if all our methods work for each of us, that makes all of us right! I first started using old brass to practice so I don't ruin my good brass.

Remember to trim your brass if you have the equipment. I found taking each step to reloading and trying to master one at a time. One thing that helped my grouping is using a trickler. That way you can have your powder weight with in .02GR of each other. I found my FPS not to jump more then 20 to 80FPS range. That helps a lot with fliers!
Once the brass is annealed that too if done right should help with your groups.
Best of luck! I m sure you can PM any of us if need be.
Midway USA Annealing -Hornady Annealing System

quote:

Originally posted by rick boggs:
how many times can you expect to reload remington and winchester brass and maintain accuracy? just order some lapua brass but have alot of win and rem i have reloade about 10 times each and they have hardened but how do you know when it is time to get rid of it?

I dispose of brass when the neck develops a crack, and not before.