In my case, only the real expensive (initially) cases get multiple reloadings. The others might get reloaded 2 times and the very outside 3, because of the sheer numbers of cases I own or acquire for the group or the group owns.
I relegate my bottleneck cases to basically a couple calibers and ask the rest of the group to do the same barring the other rifles that usually don't go through numerous firings.
Typically, I'm loading 308, 223 (5.56) and WSM with frequency and thats it.
Straight walled cases are another animal because we are all pistol shooters and we all compete in various leagues so 44 Remington Magnum, 45 Auto, 44 Special and 357 Magnum cases get reloaded numerous times but a straight wall case (that headspaces on the rim) presents much less of an issue and becaue the charge is less and the pill is less, they are more economical to shoot, plus, there are some lever guns in the group and soon to be another (mine).
One just has to be cognizant of how much you bellmouth the end for pill insertion because thats the only area the brass really gets worked and consequently work hardened. Match chambered 45's in 1911 Nationaql Match Pistols require careful resizing because chambering can be an issue. Colt National Match 45 Auto's as well as Kimbers are very carefully machined and of course you pay for that. The group has 4, I own 2 myself.
I realize straight walled pistol cartridges aren't germane to this forum but if you own pistoil, either semi auto or relvolver, at some point in time you'll probably reload those too.
Candidly, I don't own one bshing die and I don't ever plan on getting any. I do, however, refrain from purchasing less expensive dies.... Like Lee. Lee dies sets are fine for what they are but again, yoiu get what you pay for. Redding, Forrester and even RCBS Gold Medal Match Die sets are more expensive for a reason (not just so the maker makes more profit). All the above parameters that apply to chambers apply to die sets as well. Wilson also manufactures excellent dies but Wilson dies aren't designed for reloading press loading (arbor press instead).
In Lee Precision's defense, I do use Lee Factory Crimp dies on all my semi auto bottleneck rounds despite the end use by the group. Some get used in bolt action rifles. some in gas blowback. I like to actually crimp everything bottleneck and the Lee Factory Crimp Dies make that easy to adjust the crimp and will crimp to a cannelure or no cannelure.
I do bump shoulders when the need arises (for an individual chamber) but I modify the dies ( by removing a couple thousands of material at the base, jigged vertically in on a surface grinder) to allow the die to bump but still resize everything else. Thats just a matter of utilizing the die by adusting the ram stroke in relationship to the shoulder datum and measuring the datum by conventional means using a headfspace gage.
I try to always get the group to segregate individual loads for individual rifles (or pistols) because each chamber has a unique set of dimensions. No two chambers will be exactly identical, even if machined in sequence and thats the result of many factors not limited to tooling wear, boundary lubrication as it pertains to the machining operation, ambient temperature in the machining enviroment, feed rates for tooling and allowable/acceptable tolerances as required by the print. Even the quality/ridgidity of the machine tool comes into play. TIR of any spindle will adversely impact of how the attached tooling cuts, so lots of varibles are at work, constantly.
Whether I get a box of empty casings from Linda or Bill or Tom or Rod or Jeff or Cy or myself, each box is labeled for the firearm used in, the number of times loaded plus the pill and powder charge and the jump if applicable) and when reloaded, go back in the same box and the data is updated. BTW, I learned a long time ago that girls are better at shooting than guys are. Linda can outshoot any of us, especially when it comes to pistols............
Just like rifling in the tube. No two barrels will be exactly the same. Thats how forensic technicians can ascertain what firearm discharged a bullet by matching the engraved rifling marks on a pill to a certain barrel. No two barrels engrave the exact same pattern and no two chambers are exactly, dimensionally alike.
Machining tolerances (and chamber internal dimensions) can vary greatly across a certain caliber family. As a rule of thumb, the more costly the firearm is, the tighter tolerances it's machined to. You don't changeout tooling or exercise as much care when machining a cheaper firearm versus a more expensive one, thats just economics of manufacturing, despite what the maker claims.
Fireforming gives you the closest impression to that particular chambers internal dimensions but you still must maintain proper headspace and shoulder datum to chamber internal set back dimension which is whay I like to practice segregation of brass and utilize a headspace gage when things get tight and they will get tight at some point due to factors such as case growth and even internal carbon fouling. Not everyone cleans their chamber and bore and removes carbon buildup every cleaning, perfectly.
I won't even mention bullet jump or neck tension/turning...lol
Thats how I do it and my procedures may or may not work or apply to your scenario. Just relating my SOP, nothing more. I may be FOS but that works for us and has worked for a long time. Many years before I even started posting on any forum.
