Reloading Steel Cases (Boxer Primed)

[RMM]

My latest tinkering has led me to try something new: reloading steel cased 223 ammo (boxer primed).  I have a ton of this stuff and figured it would be cool if it could be done.  Of course, a quick Google search was in order.  I found a couple of articles/posts were guys had done it so I figured I'd give it a shot. 

My process:
1.  Lightly tumble (walnut w/ NuFinish car wax, approx 1.5 hours).  The polymer coating was still in tact.
2.  Decap/resize.  I have been using Hornady's Unique case lube and haven't had any problems.  (I am using an RCBS small base die set)
3.  Check case length.  Most are under 1.760" so I don't trim them, but I have trimmed a few.
4.  Chamfer/debur case mouth (even if you don't trim this is necessary because of the sharp lip on these cases)
5.  Load! (seat primer, charge case, seat bullet, crimp (depends on bullet)

The steel is soft and resizes with similar effort to brass.

Case capacity seems to be a few grains less with these cases than with brass, reduce your loads and work back up accordingly.  I have only used once-fired cases so far, but from all reports you will only get 1-3 firings out of these before the necks split.  Great for shooting when you won't or can't pick up brass!

Primers fit snugly and neck tension is good with my setup.  I picked up a few rounds from each batch and pushed then HARD into the steel table, no movement.  As always, your mileage may vary so be careful and check your setup as you go!

A crappy cell phone picture: (left to right)
50 gr. V-max
55 gr. FMJBT w/ cannelure
55 gr. SPSX
65 gr. Game King
Some of the bullets/cartridges have extra scratches from feed ramps etc. because I cycled them through a few different guns to verify function. (these were my test cartridges)

[The_Shadow]

It takes a little investigations to be sure the brass is "Boxer Primed" and not "Berdan Type".
Use a good case lube while sizing to prevent galling of the sizer dies.  If you ruin a set of dies it will be an expense not worth the effort!
You will want to insure neck tension to bullet fit.  Some said the necks sometimes spring back even after sizing...

Good luck!

[RMM]

It takes a little investigations to be sure the brass is "Boxer Primed" and not "Berdan Type".
Use a good case lube while sizing to prevent galling of the sizer dies.  If you ruin a set of dies it will be an expense not worth the effort!
You will want to insure neck tension to bullet fit.  Some said the necks sometimes spring back even after sizing...

Good luck!

1. These are all cases that I've personally fired. The newer Tula and Wolf boxes state whether the ammo is boxer or berdan primed (most of the newer lots are boxer).
2. I do use a good case lube and plenty of it. The polymer coating is pretty slick anyways so I don't anticipate any problems but I'll let you know if I have any.
3. Please re-read my original post as I address neck tension there. (really good tension so far but always check your own cases to make sure)

[gandog56]

I tried it once, but the sizing did not seem to work too well with steel cases. Neck tension was insufficient to hold the bullet tightly. Steel seems to spring back to where it was more so than brass.

[DenStinett]

Small Base Dies or just Neck Resized ?

[gandog56]

Regular full length sizing/depriming die. It wasn't the bases giving me the problems.

[RMM]

I find it interesting that you didn't have enough neck tension because my steel cases appear to have MORE neck tension than my brass cases!  Could be a difference in dies, case steel, or both.  I absolutely cannot get the bullets to budge once they're seated with any reasonable force pushing on the bullets.  I also cannot pull them with a kinetic puller while I was able to pull the same bullets out of a brass case (although with a lot of smacks! Stupid lightweight bullets...) 

[DenStinett]

I also cannot pull them with a kinetic puller while I was able to pull the same bullets out of a brass case (although with a lot of smacks! Stupid lightweight bullets...) 

Sounds like only one answer available

Go out and shoot the darned things

[sqlbullet]

I think this is great.  I am still buried in a remodel project, but at this point have all the tooling to start converting berdan 7.62X54R to Boxer and reloading it.

I load mostly lead bullets, even in rifle.  I hope to get a little better case life with the lower pressure.

But, as you point out, the real advantage of these are cases you don't fret about if you don't wanna chase brass one day when plinking.  I would never bet my life on this ammo except as a last resort.

[RMM]

I also cannot pull them with a kinetic puller while I was able to pull the same bullets out of a brass case (although with a lot of smacks! Stupid lightweight bullets...) 

Sounds like only one answer available

Go out and shoot the darned things

Den, I was only trying to pull a few to compare the neck tension to my brass loads, not because there was a problem.   I am definitely going to shoot them!   

This video shows the hardness difference between steel and brass cases (steel is NOT harder).  Of course the other properties of the metal are different than brass (work hardening, elasticity, etc. etc. etc.)  The polymer coating is very soft.

There are also some comments/thoughts about reloading steel case ammo in the comments section.

I will definitely update this post with my long-term results and thoughts.

[DenStinett]

Den, I was only trying to pull a few to compare the neck tension to my brass loads, not because there was a problem.   I am definitely going to shoot them!   

Hey Richard:
You know...There really is a great need for a Sarcasm Font
I guess that's what these () are in place of ! ! !

When are we going shootin' ? ? ?

[sqlbullet]

If you guys decide to meet up, let me know.  I will get a ride with Den when he passes through SLC.

[DenStinett]

Y'all need to come down here
Both places I go are FREE
Plus I have two Free Paases to an Indoor Range in Provo

[RMM]

I'll have to plan ahead and see if I can get away sometime in the afternoon/evening.  It's hard for me to get away with all I've got going on right now, I have to sneak away to the garage at night just to load a few bullets. 

[RMM]

Just a quick update: 

Fired 20 of these last weekend, but I only got one load over the chrono before the sun was too low.  All of the steel cased ammo functioned flawlessly and was shooting good groups at 100 yards out of a 16" AR 1/9 w/ scope.  I will load these cases again and see how they do, I will probably throw them away after this second reload.

As I suspected the case volume must be significantly lower with these vs. most brass cases.  I had one 55 gr. load that ran ~100 fps faster out of the steel case (3000 fps vs. 2905 fps) than LC brass.  I was still way below max and the primer didn't flatten at all but like I said earlier, work up if you're going to use these cases and you will probably end up below max data to achieve the same pressure levels.  I need to fill the cases with water sometime and see what the volume difference is.

These are going to be the perfect cases for times when you can't or don't want to pick up brass.  Also, this stuff is everywhere since people always throw it away.  More free "brass" for me!