45ACP case life

BUFF7MM · Nov 3, 2016

Here's a test I ran onto while doing some searching. I knew about the shrinking , but not where it took place on the case.
I figured you might fine it interesting.
http://www.massreloading.com/loading45ACP.html

I don't figure I'll be putting my cases through that much lifespan.

StickShaker · Nov 3, 2016

Very interesting article....thanks!

StickShaker · Nov 3, 2016

I recently picked up some military .45 brass and some of the primers are sitting really deep. Those must be the deluxe extra long life models. :innocent0

jimbobborg · Nov 3, 2016

I lose mine before the forth reloading.

ken792 · Nov 3, 2016

I've heard that .38 and .45 cases can be loaded upwards of 140 times.

My range is full of free brass, so I'm always picking up once fired. I'm sure multiple reloaded cases get lost before I even come close to pushing the lifespan. I did once find an FA 37 case though that looked like it had been reloaded a number of times. Unfortunately, it split when I fired it.

Mdeng · Nov 3, 2016

jimbobborg said:
I lose mine before the forth reloading.

I don't even try to keep track of my .45 ACP brass. Between losing them on the range while practicing or shooting lost brass matches I don't keep them around long.

Pinecone · Nov 3, 2016

I stopped paying attention to the number of loadings of .45 ACP cases a LONG time ago.

I sort by headstamp and load them in groups by headstamp. And just load them, adding newer cases as I add them to my collection. Occasionally, I have had a split neck, but not often, and over many loadings of many thousands of cases.

Muleskinner · Nov 3, 2016

I was in the military when .45s were still the issued sidearm. I picked up thousands of WW2 surplus brass and over the last 30+ years I have reloaded it countless times. I have a small box where I put my reject cases. There are plenty of 5.56, 7.62X51, 9MM and 40S&W in it...out of maybe 10,000 .45ACP cases that I have there are only 2 in the reject box...and I damaged both of those by accidentally running them up through the wrong die and creasing the mouth...the things live forever...

Seabee · Nov 3, 2016

I've found what he says to be true. After 4 decades of loading 45 ACP, I find the headstamp actually almost disappears and the rim diameter actually enlarges. One thing Im curious about after reading this, does the flash hole get smaller?

Ken

molonlabe · Nov 3, 2016

Seabee said:
I've found what he says to be true. After 4 decades of loading 45 ACP, I find the headstamp actually almost disappears and the rim diameter actually enlarges. One thing Im curious about after reading this, does the flash hole get smaller?

Ken

Never noticed, I lost count how many times I reloaded .38 (they crack first) and .45 ( I recently had to trim a lot, I reload them in lots)

CrazySanMan · Nov 3, 2016

I don't count how many reloads my 45 brass goes through, I don't even sort them by head stamp. I just tumble them and throw them in a 5 gallon bucket. If the case fails inspection before I put it in the press I toss it.

jimbobborg · Nov 3, 2016

Nobody here anneals 45 ACP brass?

tkd4life · Nov 3, 2016

jimbobborg said:
Nobody here anneals 45 ACP brass?

Should you anneal pistol brass? I know on rifle brass you only want to anneal the case neck or bad things can happen. For straight walled cases that are really short, what do you want to anneal? I've never heard of annealing pistol brass.

Melnic · Nov 3, 2016

Did he clean them before resizing?
He did not measure before and after resizing. I think that may be a gap in his test.
Might a dirty case shrink during resizing some if the case wall resists on the die?

byf43 · Nov 3, 2016

Mdeng said:
I don't even try to keep track of my .45 ACP brass. Between losing them on the range while practicing or shooting lost brass matches I don't keep them around long.

When shooting lost brass matches, I learned a lonnng time ago, from other shooters, use Blazer Aluminum ammo. (GSSF Matches, especially!)

One guy at our club, laid down a LARGE tarp, around one of the shooting stages, and put one of those pop-up canopies.
The shooters were able to run the stage in the shade, and the brass fell on the tarp.

Lots of shooters were taking advantage of the canopy.

After the match, this guy walks over and gathers all 4 corners of the tarp, and lifted it up, capturing THOUSANDS of pieces of brass!!!!

Purty slick trick.

EKing · Nov 3, 2016

Awesome article, thanks for sharing.
I had not heard that pistol brass shrinks or even considered that primer pockets could get shallower. My education continues.

Uncle Duke · Nov 3, 2016

byf43 said:
When shooting lost brass matches, I learned a lonnng time ago, from other shooters, use Blazer Aluminum ammo. (GSSF Matches, especially!)

One guy at our club, laid down a LARGE tarp, around one of the shooting stages, and put one of those pop-up canopies.
The shooters were able to run the stage in the shade, and the brass fell on the tarp.

Lots of shooters were taking advantage of the canopy.

After the match, this guy walks over and gathers all 4 corners of the tarp, and lifted it up, capturing THOUSANDS of pieces of brass!!!!

Purty slick trick.

Now that's a man with a plan!

Seabee · Nov 4, 2016

Did you measure case head expansion?

BUFF7MM · Nov 4, 2016

Seabee said:
Did you measure case head expansion?

No idea, you'd have to ask the guy who did the testing.

jimbobborg · Nov 4, 2016

tkd4life said:
Should you anneal pistol brass? I know on rifle brass you only want to anneal the case neck or bad things can happen. For straight walled cases that are really short, what do you want to anneal? I've never heard of annealing pistol brass.

It was partly a joke. I think modern handgun caliber brass is too short to anneal. Some of us cowboy shooters will anneal .38 Special and .45 Colt to help seal the chamber with our mouse fart loads. I will probably anneal my 44-40 and 32-20 brass, just because it's a pain to find and expensive, to boot.

45ACP case life

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