Reusing brass with ejector swipes

[Txcowboy50]

Do you reuse once fired brass with ejector swipes or pitch?

 

[sedancowboy]

It depends. Was it heavy or light? Was it caused by false pressure signs? There is a thread about just that. Sometimes swipes can be from a burr on the ejector, burr on the ejector hole, rough bolt face or with standing ejectors the slot in bolt face often has a burr around it.
Or is it a depression where the case head has slammed into the ejector. In which case it is over pressure.
If it were me I would check the primer and if it is flat and pushed out into the edge of the case and I had a ejector swipe then yes I would brobably toss it. If not then I woud push a primer out and see if the primer pocket has expanded. If the primer pocket is good I would then size one case and see if there was any difficultly in chambering the sized case. I would also measure at the .200 line to see how much it has expanded and did it resize back to a usable dimension.

 

[Dean2]

Factory loads with ejector marks? or hand loads. Like Sedan said, reload or factory, if the primer pocket is still tight and it resizes properly shouldn't be an issue. Just make sure you aren't over re-sizing it.

 

[coop2564]

Reuse as long as pockets are good.

 

[RidgeTop]

Also, check the inside for any begining sign of stretch just above the web.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Long ago, before I had a clue, all of my brass had ejector swipes. Or at least a lot of it did. I never had a problem until the primer pockets started to loosen.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Do you reuse once fired brass with ejector swipes or pitch?

I use a Wilson case trimmer backwards and smooth the head.

 

[BigDon]

I don't use brass with marks for load development - you can't tell old from new marks. I'll use them after I have a known and consistent recipe.

 

[jrock]

Yes I reuse and I color over any marks on the base of the case with a black sharpie so if I get another mark on the case, I know which is which.

 

[436]

Do you reuse once fired brass with ejector swipes or pitch?

Can you provide a photo of the brass you're speaking of? and did it come out of your rifle? Cheers

 

[Luckyshot7]

Everything except for crazy mild loads have some kind of noticeable ejector swipe / mark for me. Some brass is just softer than others. Since I dont care to document how hard my brass is, I ignore everything except how the primers look and how heavy the bolt lifts. Works fine for me

 

[meatyrem]

Would case neck cracks (neck and shoulder junction) be a sign of over pressure or over worked cases? Trash?

 

[Another Casual]

My AR10 will put a swipe on pretty much anything regardless of charge weight unless I turn the gas completely off. I reuse it. The brass life is short enough in that gun as it is.

 

[tim_w]

For factory ammo, if I still used it: As long as primer pocket is still holding and there is no sign of a internal thinning ledge above the case head after sizing. (Checked with bore scope or paper clip with a bend end.) I use it. It would only be for practice ammo though.

As part of handloading, I never use a full power load the first firing of virgin brass. I treat all new brass to fireforming first load irregardless if it's already the same case as the chamber. IME you increase your case life by using a mid-load first.