Loading New Brass compared to Used Brass...

[REDLINE]

Regarding 10mm Auto;  Outside of resizing and possibly cleaning used brass, along with not using used brass for hot loads;  Do any of you have any hard and fast rules that you differ on between between loading new brass and used brass?

Just looking for ideas I should think about being that I'm a beginner handloader/reloader.  

Though even my beginner status is on hold till Hornady sends me back a seat/crimp die that actually works properly. :'(

[cwlongshot]

If your building top loads, I would keep brass separate, catalog #of shootings.

If you don't have a reloading log, start one. (If interested I can send a PDF of what I have been using.)

If just plinking, don't be so worry some, just load, clean quick inspect as you load and continue. You will likely get 10+ loadings form the brass.

My top loads get cataloged, more so for rifle them pistol. My very top loads get new brass only. I have not done this with pistol accept one 45 Colt loading.

CW

[The_Shadow]

I actually bought some used 10mm brass to use but I inspect at every step in the process, any cracked or "SMILED" cases get discarded (some are used to set dies up).  Any brass with loose primer pockets (feel can be the indicator here) also discarded, I have shot some that were only found while being re-primed and they did show leakage, one actually pushed the primer out at firing.  Another consideration is ejection rims, if they are bent, dinged up, gouged badly, (they may not fit the shell holder) I toss them too.  That could be a reason for stopages during a shooting senerio.

There are some people who said that cartridges fired from the HK guns with fluted chambers were not good to reload because of the marks of the cases.  Well most of the Early 10mm brass I obtained were fired from MP-5 10mm, and actually swapped for some recently that came from a FBI/LEO range.  I managed to clean them and re-sized them to be very useable, but again insection, the last batch of 1350 cases 50 were cracked on the first firing. (Federal brand from MP-5's)  Some the split didn't show until they were re-sized, again feel and inspection.  This is also why I don't like to pay more than 1/2 of what new brass cost for used brass, many casings today are being shot from guns with loose chambers allowing too much stretching. 

I have reloaded brass which have had heavy loads many times, but my barrels offer good case support and again inspection at every step in the process.  If something doesn't look or feel right it probably isn't right!

Progressive loading just doesn't yield the sensitivity that you get from the single stage operations. 

If you're going to reuse brass...inspection, inspection, inspection, inspection...

[jiminthe burg]

Good question REDLINE.  I noticed something today while loading some Precision Delta 200 fmj  in previously used brass-some was purchased as range brass with a lot of it being once-fired plus some  starline brass that I purchased new but did not think to segregate it from the rest of the brass plus brass purchased new and fired by me several times. Any way, I did not bell the mouth of the brass but exerted considerable pressure to set it and usually I could feel the resistance but occasionally it was almost as if the projectile " fell into" the case. All of the cases that seemed to be loose were RP brass and an occasional Winchester and once a Federal case. I am assuming that this indicates that this probably indicated brass that has been fired several times. Opinions.
I was loading for my G-20 and was using 9 grs of # 7 from my charge master

[cwlongshot]

These posts are beginning to cast a negative light on used brass for me... This is not far and for the most part NOT TRUE!

I have been playing this "game" for a very long time. I have fired range brass, once, twice, three even five and six times fire brass... With a rifle generally the neck will split or the primer pocket will loosen. With a pistol case, the usage is far longer as the pressures are far lower. I have fired 38 spl and 45 auto over a dozen times on my target ammo. I have 357 Maxi brass thats been thru the sizer die at least that many times and yet to loose one! Thats since the late 1980's!!!

Most of my own 10MM brass is been fired a couple times thru the Deltas and maybe once thru the G20... I just bought 1000 pcs range brass, but he assured 90+% will be once fired Federal. I inspected a solid 75% and found ONE single 40 s&w case and one single case with a split in its side... NOT ONE smile. I did find three with small pistol primer pockets. I have zero concerns loading these to any of my loadings. Once I get a good loading, I will load ALL this brass to that loadings and store it loose in a ammo can.

Shadow gives good advice, simple watch what your doing, but don't become overwhelmed, it simply not a deal breaker.

CW

[REDLINE]

Thanks for the great insight so far!

[Maine1]

I have quite a bit of once fired, and bought 2K of new starline brass, as well as 500 starline nickel.

"real" rounds go in the new brass- 180's in brass, heavy 200gr in nickel.
I shoot these a few times, then they go into the "GP and practice load" brass bucket.

The starline holds up really well to the hotter loads.

[The_Shadow]

cwlongshot, writes; I did find three with small pistol primer pockets.

Yes the "small pistol primed" cases do exist, "NT" nontoxic primered...I have a few also.

[sqlbullet]

New = hot.

Used = practice.

I don't segregate beyond that.

[Taterhead]

New = hot.

Used = practice.

I don't segregate beyond that.

Pretty simple. That is my policy too for 10mm.

Otherwise I treat new and used brass the same (after used brass has been cleaned): Resized (decapped), inspected, measured for length, belled, charged, seated, crimped. Done.

If I have some older brass, I will give a neck tension test by turning a loaded cased upside down and pushing hard against the bench to see if I can get the bullet to budge. Watch that nickel stuff. It loses neck tension in a hurry.

I have generally found the limit to brass life to be how long it takes for it to shrink below minimums. Here and there I will find a split.

[REDLINE]

Lots of knowledge based on experience.  Thank you very much gentlemen.

[DM1906]

I know my opinion/practice differs, but I'll NEVER use new brass for SD/carry.  Once fired, nothing less.  I've had more than one bad experience with "new" brass.  They would have left me with a single-shot semi-auto pistol, in the clutch.  My carry rounds are in once-fired brass, fired with a moderate load.  These only have to work one more time, and I know they will, if they did once.  Don't get me wrong, I would much prefer to use new.  I've been burned enough to not want to get burned again.  After that, new or once fired + is fine for anything else, as stated by others above.

[sqlbullet]

DM1906, can you elaborate on the kinds of issues you have seen in new brass that were show stoppers?  I load Starline and am into my third or fourth bag of 1000 new.  I have yet to have any problem with a new brass from them.  Just curious what you have seen.

[DM1906]

DM1906, can you elaborate on the kinds of issues you have seen in new brass that were show stoppers?  I load Starline and am into my third or fourth bag of 1000 new.  I have yet to have any problem with a new brass from them.  Just curious what you have seen.

Most recent was last March, (documented HERE, starting at post #105, with pics).  This would have been very bad, had I not "tested" the brass before putting the lot into service.  Yeah, it was a show stopper.  I've had similar incidents over the years with other calibers (including rifle), but not for many years, and not nearly as bad.  The unique part of this test, which had never occurred before, is it started at the first work-up load, which was very modest, and went unnoticed, other than an unusual cycling, attributed at the moment as a "too light" load.  The second round was the show stopper.  No doubt in my mind, had I fired it in an OEM barrel, it would have ruptured.

[sqlbullet]

I think there is a missing link in your post