I have been reloading the same brass for my 300 WSM, they are on their 4 or 5th loading,

- how do I know when the necks are too "hard" ( need to be annealed, or thrown out)

- how many loading are resonable for this brass? What part of the brass will fail 1st?

I'm just starting my 5th reloading also on my 300WSM brass.

Necks are too hard when they start to crack.

For me brass usually starts to fail first when the primer pockets get loose.

I haven't started to feel any difference in the force required to seat the primers yet and I'm watching them closely.

fjold- I am using some winchester , and some Federal brass, what are you using?