Who crimps their bullets in the case?

[Old Rooster]

Thanks for your time ButterBean and I agree.I do anneal every 3rd use with a salt bath system I got a couple of years ago.
I have some brass that is going on 9 times reloaded for 1 rifle and last night I decided it was not worth a rifle KABOOM to keep reloading the same cases even though the primers seated,not as tight as new but it did not fall out when I reloaded it.I pulled the bullet and threw out the brass.I feel brass will lose tension as you said and not worth it.
I will still try the FCD on my other bolt rifles but will not go beyond 8 loadings just to make sure.
Thanks
Old Rooster

 

[ButterBean]

Thanks for your time ButterBean and I agree.I do anneal every 3rd use with a salt bath system I got a couple of years ago.
I have some brass that is going on 9 times reloaded for 1 rifle and last night I decided it was not worth a rifle KABOOM to keep reloading the same cases even though the primers seated,not as tight as new but it did not fall out when I reloaded it.I pulled the bullet and threw out the brass.I feel brass will lose tension as you said and not worth it.
I will still try the FCD on my other bolt rifles but will not go beyond 8 loadings just to make sure.
Thanks
Old Rooster

No problem at all and I hope the way I explained it made sense, Hollar if In can help with anything

 

[Rich Coyle]

The other day I discovered I loaded the same brass so many times a primer didn't stay in one. I put it back in and used fingernail polish to keep it in place. Then I marked it with felt marker and will toss it after it is fired.

 

[Rich Coyle]

The other day I discovered I loaded the same brass so many times a primer didn't stay in one. I put it back in and used fingernail polish to keep it in place. Then I marked it with felt marker and will toss it after it is fired.

 

[memtb]

Rich, I'm "tossing" mine after the 10th firing....even "if" they appear OK! "Tossing" them is a painful process, but I have enough new brass for for my .375 AI,to last well into my next lifetime! I had several case separations on the 11th firing.....I determined that they had performed "above and beyond", and decided to "retire" them after a long, honorable career! memtb

 

[new2mud]

The other day I discovered I loaded the same brass so many times a primer didn't stay in one. I put it back in and used fingernail polish to keep it in place. Then I marked it with felt marker and will toss it after it is fired.

I mark my loose primer brass with a sharpie and it becomes a round that I don't mind losing in the field.

(Apologies to the OP if we are getting way off topic.)

 

[Rich Coyle]

(Apologies to the OP if we are getting way off topic.)

Never happens.

 

[Old Rooster]

That's ok new2mud I was worried about case weakening after use and you covered it well.
I appreciate all replies.
Old Rooster

 

[Bart B]

There must be some reason why the most accurate commercial rifle ammo and reloads used in competition producing best accuracy don't have crimped case mouths into bullets.

This includes ammo used in semi auto versions.

 

[Old Rooster]

Bart B that's what I have struggled with!
I don't and have never crimped any of my bolt rifles except the 2 300 win mags but have never had a bullet recede into the case from recoil and cause over pressure problems but hearing others talk about it and I worry.
I have been reloading since the 60's and only in the last 7 or 8 years been reloading for accuracy only.
I use Redding full length S bushing type dies and get great accuracy but brass has changed and the accuracy I used to get isn't as good in a rifle so I'm looking at things I have control over and wonder if I'm trying to get too much out of my brass.
Bart B in your experience can brass weaken after much use and lose neck tension?
Thanks in advance for your time.
Old Rooster

 

[memtb]

rooster, I'm struggling with this issue as well. The only 2 rifles that I have done any real load work on, one of which can easily go under 2" (3 shot groups) , and the other well under 3" ......at 300 yards. One of the rifles is "semi-custom", the other a box stock Win. Model 70, and both are fairly high recoil (40 and 59 ft/lbs) rifles. Neither of which are using "crimped" bullets! I wonder how much better they'd shoot with "crimped bullets"? memtb

 

[Old Rooster]

memtb that's my outlook also.
I ordered the fcd just to see.
308 die came in and I'm loading 5 at a time with light crimp and will work up on crimp firmness.
Many have stated they get better accuracy with fcd so its worth a try.
Also I thank you for posting realistic group sizes as I can not shoot .2 or .4 groups at long range like other s do.
I shot a single group last year at 2 1/2 inches at 400 yards but could not duplicate it but was so happy I shot a 2 1/2 inch group at 400 yards and read folks that shoot way more than me shoot .4 if I remember right.Maybe I'm too old to try to keep up with young eyes.
That being said a gunsmith from the Missoula area said he has seen more actions in the past 10 years either get ruined or badly damaged due to bullets receding into the case under recoil so that's why I opened this thread.
Maybe I'm worrying too much as it has never happened to me yet.
I'm working on Butter Bean's advice of using the fcd and hope to go to the range soon.
Have a super day my friend
Old Rooster

 

[memtb]

rooster, I've been pretty lucky (I guess), I've not had any bullets pushed back into the case under recoil......yet!

Maybe if I had a high dollar rifle for match work or "ringing steel" at 1000 yards and beyond....I could get down into the .3 or .4 range. But, I'm just a hunter....and it's just a hunting rifle! memtb

 

[Bart B]

Bart B in your experience can brass weaken after much use and lose neck tension?
Thanks in advance for your time.

Not if your full length sizing die's neck is honed out to 002" smaller than the loaded round's neck diameter. That'll minimally work the neck metal and still grip bullets hard enough to keep bullets in place on rounds in a box magazine.

Friend of mine full length resized one 308 Win case 56 times shooting 57 bullets into a sub 4 tenths inch group at 100 yards. He used 43 grains of IMR4064 under Sierra 168 HPMK's. Rifle was clamped in his machine rest that let the rifle recoil much like it does held by humans.