Generally how many shots do you get from your brass

[rickt300]

Out of your AR. I am trying to wear out some old Hornady 6.5 brass that was used to work up loads in three HOWA Mini's and also in an AR. I lost a few along the way but it all still is servicable. I have annealed the cases necks a couple of times. I expect the brass has been fired 2 times in the AR and possibly 10 times in the HOWA's. I do load in moderation, usually 1 grain under max.

[LRRPF52]

I noticed that the Howa is a lot more forgiving on brass than the AR-15, so with brass from Federal, I was losing primer pockets when reloaded and fired in the AR, but with loads I would not mass-produce for the AR-15, they didn’t lose primer pockets in the Howa.

With Hornady and Lapua brass, I have never lost a primer pocket shooting through AR-15s though.

Some guys early-on here on the forum shot the head stamps out of their Lapua brass at around 20 firings, which is exceptional brass life and not commonly-seen, even in bolt guns.

You’ll start to see different manufacturers have different hardness and durability with their brass.

[MOW]

I would also worry about case head separation from brass stretching. Although I don't think the Grendel is known for it, if your brass is all the same manufacture, I would cut one open after each lot firing and make sure it not getting thin at the base.

[biodsl]

I'm just starting with Starline, so I don't have any data there yet.

31.2 grains of CFE under a 123 seems to wear out my Hornady at around 7 or 8 firings. My Lapua is on 10 and seems to be just fine.

[rickt300]

I think you guys may push your brass a bit harder than I do. At least for ammo I load for punching paper and plinking. One of my HOWA's had a large chamber, the brass from it looks worse than the rest. However I am about to just let the Hornady brass lie and go all new Starline.

[SDguy]

I noticed that the Howa is a lot more forgiving on brass than the AR-15, so with brass from Federal, I was losing primer pockets when reloaded and fired in the AR, but with loads I would not mass-produce for the AR-15, they didn’t lose primer pockets in the Howa.

With Hornady and Lapua brass, I have never lost a primer pocket shooting through AR-15s though.

Some guys early-on here on the forum shot the head stamps out of their Lapua brass at around 20 firings, which is exceptional brass life and not commonly-seen, even in bolt guns.

You’ll start to see different manufacturers have different hardness and durability with their brass.

My experience with 6.6 Grendel has been with bolt action rifles. Apparently I push pressures considerably more than some as 10 firings was pushing it for me. Loosing primer pockets was where my issues came to light. I have annealed brass roughly every 3rd to 4th firing. Recently I acquired an ugly annealer. Ill likely anneal every firing going forward due to the ease of the process now.

So can we discuss brass life without discussing annealing regimen & or process?

[DIANEB]

I was able to 9 firings out of Starline brass before some of necks cracked...

[LR1955]

Lapua brass and I shoot it twenty or so times before getting rid of it. I am the guy who has basically worn the headstamp off the brass firing it. Yes, through AR-15's. My loads are up there but never max or over max. Normally about 75 to 80%.

Never had to anneal necks either.

I think the key to longer brass life is a common sense load, using a very good sizing die (bushing die) so you can get the perfect size without overworking the necks, and a well made and thus tuned AR that doesn't abuse the brass as it cycles.

I never had to anneal the Lapua brass and may throw it into a regular old walnut polisher once every five shots or so. I put the brass on a towel with the necks facing me, spray on some Dillon Spray Lube and get some inside the neck, roll and spray again for the other side of the neck, roll a few times more and size the brass. I may throw it all into a towel again and roll it around but mostly just load it and shoot it.

Lapua brass, not Hornady, Starline, etc.

LR-55

[kmon]

Long brass life also depends on pressure the loads are tunning at. Grendel loads running 45 to 50k PSI will last a lot longer than if you were pushing it 58 to 60k. That stands for any cartridge.

[SDguy]

Lapua brass and I shoot it twenty or so times before getting rid of it. I am the guy who has basically worn the headstamp off the brass firing it. Yes, through AR-15's. My loads are up there but never max or over max. Normally about 75 to 80%.

Never had to anneal necks either.

"I think the key to longer brass life is a common sense load, using a very good sizing die (bushing die) so you can get the perfect size without overworking the necks", and a well made and thus tuned AR that doesn't abuse the brass as it cycles.

I never had to anneal the Lapua brass and may throw it into a regular old walnut polisher once every five shots or so. I put the brass on a towel with the necks facing me, spray on some Dillon Spray Lube and get some inside the neck, roll and spray again for the other side of the neck, roll a few times more and size the brass. I may throw it all into a towel again and roll it around but mostly just load it and shoot it.

Lapua brass, not Hornady, Starline, etc.

LR-55

LR you have peeked my interest on extended brass life experienced W/O annealing . Mind If I ask more about your chamber & Dies?


Regarding your chamber are you working with a stock chamber or is your neck area smaller than SAMI by a bit? Mind if I inquire about the neck diameter of your fired brass?

Who offers dies that are not over working brass? are you working with custom dies? How much head space clearance are you striving for when setting back shoulders?

Inquiring minds wish to know

[Fess]

To save LR1955 a little typing time, a typical set of dies will undersize the neck, then run an expander ball through it to bring it up to size. This works the brass twice for each reloading. Bushing dies, on the other hand, allow you to pick the perfect diameter bushing for the neck to size down to the correct diameter and don't need an expander. That doesn't work the brass nearly as much. The main issue is that you need to find what size bushing is needed. That varies with brass manufacturer and occasionally from lot to lot.

[LR1955]

LR you have peeked my interest on extended brass life experienced W/O annealing . Mind If I ask more about your chamber & Dies?


Regarding your chamber are you working with a stock chamber or is your neck area smaller than SAMI by a bit? Mind if I inquire about the neck diameter of your fired brass?

Who offers dies that are not over working brass? are you working with custom dies? How much head space clearance are you striving for when setting back shoulders?

Inquiring minds wish to know

SDG:

What Fess said about the sizing dies using neck bushings.

Grendel owners went around a lot before die companies started making any Grendel dies, let along bushing dies. Lee Grendel dies must be the worse dies for the Grendel made but they were the only ones making any. I had some and got rid of them. No other company made any Grendel dies so I went to a custom die company who made me some really nice Grendel dies with the sizer taking neck bushings. These bushings were cut for the neck and shoulder which made bumping the brass much more effective and efficient.

Redding got on board and then other companies. Some with and some without neck bushing capability. So a guy has more choices today.

LR-55

[SDguy]

SDG:

What Fess said about the sizing dies using neck bushings.

Grendel owners went around a lot before die companies started making any Grendel dies, let along bushing dies. Lee Grendel dies must be the worse dies for the Grendel made but they were the only ones making any. I had some and got rid of them. No other company made any Grendel dies so I went to a custom die company who made me some really nice Grendel dies with the sizer taking neck bushings. These bushings were cut for the neck and shoulder which made bumping the brass much more effective and efficient.

Redding got on board and then other companies. Some with and some without neck bushing capability. So a guy has more choices today.

LR-55

Sounds like your Experience has been more pleasant than most with your custom dies. Thanks for sharing.

Mind if I ask, Did the Custom die company Request fired cases, or just work off Sami prints to make your dies?

[LR1955]

Sounds like your Experience has been more pleasant than most with your custom dies. Thanks for sharing.

Mind if I ask, Did the Custom die company Request fired cases, or just work off Sami prints to make your dies?

I am almost positive the die company was Whidden. Would have to look at the box to be positive but I give a 90% that it was Whidden.

Yes, I had to send them three or four pieces of fired brass. I sent them Lapua brass I had fired. At the time, Lapua brass was headstamped Alex Arms and it was the only commercial brass available. When you could get it.

LR-55

[SDguy]

I did not wish to suggest any more than necessary, Whidden was amongst the more likely die makers I was thinking of who may have offered such a service. Needless to say, sounds like you have no regrets over this purchase. Do you use this form die for one rifle only, or are there other rifles you reload for as well?

[dexdog]

I have 14 loadings on Lapua 6.5 Grendel brass in my Howa 1500 20 inch HB. My favorite load, and probably responsible for 80% of the 14 firings is 26.2gr IMR 8208 pushing a 120gr SMK, a fairly mild load. This is a target load, and is typically 0.4 to 0.6 in my rifle. I use a Redding full length sizing die after every firing, and have annealed the brass after every 4 firings.

[Harpoon1]

I used to get split necks with Hornady brass after 5-6 firings in bolt guns. To be fair, I was pushing the envelope. However, once I started to anneal between shots, no more split necks!

[LR1955]

I did not wish to suggest any more than necessary, Whidden was amongst the more likely die makers I was thinking of who may have offered such a service. Needless to say, sounds like you have no regrets over this purchase. Do you use this form die for one rifle only, or are there other rifles you reload for as well?

I do use it for several rifles. Some of them were made by the same guy who also makes his own barrels so you can see that the chambers would be cut with the same reamer and to the same standards.

The problem with the die was that it was neck sizing only. I recall calling them after I got the dies and I think they made me a body die too so I could size the entire case.

Understand that I went this way ONLY because Lee makes such a lousy Grendel die set. No other company was making dies.

When Redding came out with their Grendel dies with neck bushings, I bought a set of them and have been using them since. Sizing the body and neck at the same time saves a step.

Oh yes, am also convinced that the Dillon Case Lube I use is part of the success in long brass life.

Annealing can be avoided for the life of the brass if a guy uses the right size sizing die with good brass, decent lube, has a good chamber, and doesn't hot load the Grendel.

LR-55

[rickt300]

My die set is made by Hornady. Not really a big fan of Hornady dies but this set seems pretty good for both my rifles chambers. My 6AR dies are LEE 6 ARC dies and they also seem spot on for my chamber.

[RMiller]

I have two Hornady cases that one has been reloaded 19 times and the other 20 times. Both fired in AR's.