40 cal brass life

[NJKen 23]

I have a batch of 40cal brass that I have reloaded about 15 to 20 times.  It still comes out OK but the primers are getting a little loose.  
I sectioned one with a dremel and there is no sign of thinnning at any point between the rim and the head.  The 40 is my first strait wall cartridge that Ive reloaded.  I know all the death signs for bottle neck cartridges and I also know that virtually NONE of them make it this far! 

So, my question is this, how many reloads do you get from 40 cal brass?  I load em light with a montana gold 165gn FMJ, H universal or autocomp at not more than .3 to .5 grain more than the starting charge.  I know brass life is relative to how hot the load is.  What is the typical lifespan and the signs of end of life.  Do they split like 223?  Do you just keep loading them til the primers fall out on their own? 

I know there is no answer for case life.  Im just looking for others experiences with reloading the 40.

Ken

[mikeyjones 88]

What primers are you using?  If you've been using American primers and they're starting to get loose, you can try using some European (they're a little bigger) and see if they fit better for a few more rounds.  

 

That said, I don't typically track how many times I've loaded specific brass.  I would assume it's somewhere around 15-20 for lighter loads.

[lunker 274]

That's one thing I love about 45ACP. I don't remember the last time I had to chuck brass. With my hot 10mm loads I would only use new brass or brass I knew for sure was used once.

[Shocker 151]

I know I lose my .40 brass before they see 15x, you're very diligent!

 

I don't think there's a practical limit...if your loads are light and the brass is supported, keep going until the mouth can't hang on to a bullet very well, then set those cases aside for a lost brass match.

[raz-0 1,259]

You are loading light, you'll probably be able to shoot them until the head stamp wears off if the primer pockets make it that long.

 

For .40 in full power loads, I don't worry. They either get lost, or due to the belling I give them to not shave plated bullets, the mouth splits before anything else wears out.

 

Usually get lost well before then though.

[Socom 19]

I shoot full house .40 sw handloads in my Glock with a Kkm barrel been loading .40 sw for about 4 years now and probably thrown out about 130 pieces some brass is cheaper and thinner then others

[Sigman 41]

I have thousands of .40 cases.   I've only thrown away a few that split at the case mouth, but I don't have a lot of reloads on them since I have so many.  I probably have a couple of 5 gallon pails full and cycle them.  I'd be careful with any showing signs of loose primer pockets and probably save them for scrap.

[T Bill 649]

Time for them to go when the case mouth splits, primers back out when fired, or distorted case rim makes extraction difficult.  Old timers will say clean your brass with primers still in, then reload, don't be in a hurry to make spotless primer pockets.  Winchester primers tend to "stick" a little better than the others.

[NJKen 23]

Funny thing, I just learned the same thing about winchester primers.  This brass isnt loosing primers after firing, they just seem to go in a lot easier than they used too.  I noticed this first with the speer brass and now it is all loose.  They are mostly speer, PMC, Winchester, and then a few various straglers. 

Im not really sure what a european primer is?  Does that mean Berdan?  I dont think that will work very well since there is no anvil in the cup.

 

Looks like Im just gonna keep loading em for now and Ill chuck em if they get worse. 

 

Also, I am not that dilligent about brass, I shoot next to the wall at the indoor range in CJRPC so they all land in a pile.  When I shoot outside (almost never for pistol) I just grab what I can.  I only really started shooting pistol because I could not make it to the range in the daytime enough to satisfy me.  Also, my orthopedic surgeon told me its good rehab for my shoulder injury, no joke!  I really like that Doc.

Ken

[T Bill 649]

European primers for metallic loads are still boxer but made by, fiocchi, tula, etc.  Some are ever so slightly larger.  In shotgun hulls euro 209s are known to be .001 larger so when reloading euro hulls with usa primers a potential loose fit. 

 

Take a magic marker your choice of color, but darker is better. When at the range run a stripe down each row of brass bases.  Now you know your brass when you pick it up.  Allows you to take a better look at the other guy's brass before you include it in yours. 

 

I am always buying brass whether I need it or not.  Takes a little longer to find the right stuff and the right price.  Doesn't eat or drink anything, don't go bad, and over the years has just got more expensive. Hell, I'm still using 45ACP WCC match brass dated in the 80's from the National Matches at Camp Perry.

[NJKen 23]

I did not know that about the primers.  Unfortunatly I am stuck to what can be found at the moment.  Before all this panic buying set in I had about 5000 Winchester small pistol primers.  I thought at the time that I was crazy to have that many, now I wish I bought more.  Now allI have is about 500 CCI's since thats all I can find.  I am not gonna buy a whole load of em because Im holding out for the ones I like! 

[Sigman 41]

 

Take a magic marker your choice of color, but darker is better. When at the range run a stripe down each row of brass bases.  Now you know your brass when you pick it up.  Allows you to take a better look at the other guy's brass before you include it in yours. 

 

 

+1 - I do the same with black magic marker.  I can easily sort my brass out and know how many times it's been fired.