I'm a new member that just resurfaced after not reloading since the 1960s. I have a significant amount of brass and RCBS dies from the 1960s-1970s era. After nearly 50 years, what should I be concerned about with the age of the brass and dies. Thanks for your help.
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Help Requested on Old Brass
- Thread starter dbecklund
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Dano1
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't think that there would be a problem. I have and use some old brass and old dies and they all work fine as long as there is no rust on the dies or brass.
Just be sure to go through and cull for splits and case head separations. I would also be wary of round count. Tumble them and get them shiney, that will help find any defects.
We have a ton of new technology that wasn't available back then, Get a good current manual and look the changes in powder charges from your old sources to the current ones. Powders have changed too and you can't depend on the old charges that you used to load.
Hope this is helpful.
Dan
Just be sure to go through and cull for splits and case head separations. I would also be wary of round count. Tumble them and get them shiney, that will help find any defects.
We have a ton of new technology that wasn't available back then, Get a good current manual and look the changes in powder charges from your old sources to the current ones. Powders have changed too and you can't depend on the old charges that you used to load.
Hope this is helpful.
Dan
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
+1
I've used 30 year old brass before without an issue if it's in good shape.
A lot of the powder difference is simply that certain sources have dried up(like mil-surp) so they are getting your favorite powder speeds from someone else and they aren't perfectly the same chemistry wise. Newer perssure testing methode are also more accurate.
Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I ordered some of the manuals mentioned in another thread. A new indoor shooting range opened up 15 minutes from my house with a couple of 100 yard rifle bays that will make it easy to test loads and get back into the swing of reloading. I'm planning on doing a lot of reading. This site is invaluable. Back in the 1960s you didn't have much had to wing it too much of the time. I had a good laugh over the price stickers still on the boxes like $17 - $19 for a set of RCBS dies. But then, I had a high paying job at a college for $1.30/hr.
Kevin Rohrer
Well-Known Member
You should sell me all your M1 carbine (and magazines), 7.62mm military (and M14 mags), 30/06 military (and M1 clips), .221FB, and 45/70 brass. I'll personally check them for you and let you know if they are safe to use.
