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45acp Case Longevity Update

C

CQB45ACP

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2020
Messages
5,612
Location
Northern Virginia at the Beltway
Was just going to post a short note in the "what've you done today" thread, but it grew too lengthy.

This AM I loaded 20 Winchester 45acp cases for the 25th time each since end of May 2023. They weren't new then so unfortunately I don't know the total number of loadings but again, I do know these specific cases have been used 25 times over the past year.

As I've reported before, they have gotten shorter by a lot and are now below SAAMI minimum. Started at .894" and now are mostly .885ish".

A couple months ago, many of the primer pockets had gotten too tight/short for a gauge to fit so I reamed and uniformed them all to spec but did NOT oversize them. Haven't touched them since.

As predicted however, except for some headstamp damage, there are no other tell tale signs of wear and tear or damage to these cases.

BTW, I've used just two 1911 pistols for this past year and they're obviously very easy on the headstamps. And I've used the same light 4.5gr load of Bullseye.

I've reduced the number of this batch of Winchester cases I shoot each range visit because
1) I've become weary of and get increasingly distracted by trying to recover each and every case so my testing isn't screwed up.
2) there are some blamo rounds I like to shoot using different powders & bullets including like the recovered Acme fiasco rounds I've been breaking down.
3) introducing my custom cutdown 45 Win Mag cases has added a layer of distraction to range day. But, I only shoot one or two mags of these each visit and it's cool to make your own cases and show off to guys at the range so I'll keep it up.
4) I'm going to the range less frequently so each visit is more precious.

As for future plans, except for the Win Mags and occasional others, I'm using my original batch of 300 Winchester cases I sorted out last May until they've been lost or destroyed. All the many other headstamp cases I have will go unused until that time. If there is such a time.

Finally (whew), while many can say they've been using these or those cases since so and so was President, I can say specifically how many times I've actually loaded these cases since so and so was President. Know what that's worth? Nothing that I can think of at the moment, but I'll let you know if I come up with something.

I refer you back to this article for a more structured test if that's of interest to you.

How many times can I reload 45 ACP brass? – Florida Reloading

www.floridareloading.com www.floridareloading.com

IMG_4661.jpeg
 
CQB45ACP said:
A log of every round??? Ladies and germs, we have a winner!
Click to expand...
I did miss one box. I found it when I grabbed a box and looked back through my logbook notes. I added it to my logbook at that time. I always put a 3x5 card in the ammo box with the date and other load info so I know what I've got.

I may have missed logging another box or two, but I'm pretty meticulous with my logbook for some reason. What I did yesterday is a bit of a mystery, and last week may as well have went in to the Bermuda Triangle. Don't ask what I did in college, lol!

Back on topic, I have some WMA cases that I can barely read the head stamps on. I think the oldest is from the 60's.

chris
 
I had a batch of 50 38 Special cases I kep track of for a while and stopped counting at 55 loads. That was a couple years ago and I’m still shooting them so I’d estimate close to 100 loadings on them. About half of the nickel plating is gone and it’s hard to make out the head stamps on them, and I’ve lost 2 to splits, but the rest are still in rotation.
Load is the basic 2.7 Bullseye and a pure lead 148 tumble lubed WC. If you don’t hot rod them, they can last a very long time.
 
bullseye308 said:
I had a batch of 50 38 Special cases I kep track of for a while and stopped counting at 55 loads. That was a couple years ago and I’m still shooting them so I’d estimate close to 100 loadings on them. About half of the nickel plating is gone and it’s hard to make out the head stamps on them, and I’ve lost 2 to splits, but the rest are still in rotation.
Load is the basic 2.7 Bullseye and a pure lead 148 tumble lubed WC. If you don’t hot rod them, they can last a very long time.
Click to expand...
I didn't realize revolver cases would last that long. But I know very little about them.

This time next year I will know exactly how many times these cases have been loaded. I'll bet not 55 though. My shooting pace has slowed considerably.

But I do know 54 is how many the Florida Reloading author got until he found them unsafe.
 
ballman6711 said:
I did miss one box. I found it when I grabbed a box and looked back through my logbook notes. I added it to my logbook at that time. I always put a 3x5 card in the ammo box with the date and other load info so I know what I've got.

I may have missed logging another box or two, but I'm pretty meticulous with my logbook for some reason. What I did yesterday is a bit of a mystery, and last week may as well have went in to the Bermuda Triangle. Don't ask what I did in college, lol!

Back on topic, I have some WMA cases that I can barely read the head stamps on. I think the oldest is from the 60's.

chris
Click to expand...
For the life of me I can't figure out why you think this is easier than what I'm doing. BUT no way can you stop now! Imagine the regret after investing all this time.

On a much smaller scale that's what I'm faced with now. Avoiding regret:)
 
CQB45ACP said:
For the life of me I can't figure out why you think this is easier than what I'm doing.
Click to expand...
I don't shoot just one brand of brass, or just one load, or just one bullet. Sometimes I use same head stamp brass, and sometimes it's mixed. I usually try to make a few hundred rounds and then when I get low I make some more. So tracking my number of loadings would be a major headache, especially when picking up any 45acp brass I find at the outdoor range I shoot at. Sometimes it's mine, and sometimes it's someone elses. I throw it all in a gallon ziploc and when I get enough I clean it, then sort it.

I do have some Starline brass that I've been reloading since I started, so 5 1/2 years, but have no idea how many times it's been loaded.

Keeping a log book is really pretty easy. I started it when I started reloading, and it only takes a minute or so to make an entry after a loading session. Powder type and charge, primer, bullet type and weight, brass type (XXXX or mixed), plus date and quantity loaded. A small area for notes if I want to add them, and that's it. Easy Peasy.

I'll get a picture up later of my logbook.

chris
 
ballman6711 said:
I don't shoot just one brand of brass, or just one load, or just one bullet. Sometimes I use same head stamp brass, and sometimes it's mixed. I usually try to make a few hundred rounds and then when I get low I make some more. So tracking my number of loadings would be a major headache, especially when picking up any 45acp brass I find at the outdoor range I shoot at. Sometimes it's mine, and sometimes it's someone elses. I throw it all in a gallon ziploc and when I get enough I clean it, then sort it.

I do have some Starline brass that I've been reloading since I started, so 5 1/2 years, but have no idea how many times it's been loaded.

Keeping a log book is really pretty easy. I started it when I started reloading, and it only takes a minute or so to make an entry after a loading session. Powder type and charge, primer, bullet type and weight, brass type (XXXX or mixed), plus date and quantity loaded. A small area for notes if I want to add them, and that's it. Easy Peasy.

I'll get a picture up later of my logbook.

chris
Click to expand...
Yes tracking things would be a major headache unless you adjusted to make tracking easier. Depends on one's goal. I didn't have to do much adjustment. If I had to, I might not have done it.

i already separated by headstamp so that wasn't new. I just picked one headstamp randomly that I'd load and it happened to be Winchester. I'd done that before too.

So it was simple, I loaded these cases and not others. Marked with red sharpie and at range only picked them up and anyone else just kicked them my way. We all knew what was what.

Came home and processed and reloaded only them, mostly.

If I wanted to use a different bullet and powder, I could and did a little. But I'm already a "open just one container at a time and use it till empty" loader, so keeping my preset formula load was already a given.

And I could even add a different headstamp and have introduced my win mag specials but again it doesn't change keeping the rest.

It's maintaining the discipline to write things down or even remember to write things down, that I'd never do. As grandma said, people are different.
 
bullseye308 said:
I had a batch of 50 38 Special cases I kep track of for a while and stopped counting at 55 loads. That was a couple years ago and I’m still shooting them so I’d estimate close to 100 loadings on them. About half of the nickel plating is gone and it’s hard to make out the head stamps on them, and I’ve lost 2 to splits, but the rest are still in rotation.
Load is the basic 2.7 Bullseye and a pure lead 148 tumble lubed WC. If you don’t hot rod them, they can last a very long time.
Click to expand...
Do you crimp?
 
epags said:
I just load them and shoot them...Pick up whatever brass I can find and repeat. For over 55 years without a failure (45ACP)...not true of 357 and 44 Mag brass that has split.
Click to expand...
Yes but this is about exactly how many times loaded for each. Plenty of anecdotes about the other. Except for Florida Reloading article, none about specific number of times.
 
bullseye308 said:
Another thing, all my brass is range pickup. I haven’t bought factory ammo in 25 years. I pick up every piece of brass I can, if it’s good I’ll use it. If it’s bad I’ll scrap it. If I don’t need it, trade or sell for more powder or primers.
Click to expand...
Except for my cutdown win mags all my 45acp is range brass too. Well, at least once fired before me. Wish I knew the longer term history of these winchesters but...
 
OP, as I have stated previously I appreciate your tenacity on this subject for the greater good of the reloading community. A lot of us just reload spent brass over and over without a worry. I was always of the mindset if it chambers and is a safe load choot'em. Probably relying on the extracter to hold round in there on old brass though. The best part is they are not my components being used up.:thumbup:
 
FROGO207 said:
OP, as I have stated previously I appreciate your tenacity on this subject for the greater good of the reloading community. A lot of us just reload spent brass over and over without a worry. I was always of the mindset if it chambers and is a safe load choot'em. Probably relying on the extracter to hold round in there on old brass though. The best part is they are not my components being used up.:thumbup:
Click to expand...
Thanks. that extractor thing does concern/interest/intrigue me, but the Florida Reloading article guy didn't see it. Im looking at my extractors but haven't a real clue what a bad indicator will look like.

Components my friend are made to be used up and I'm just doing my part:)
 
My thinking is the extractor holding the head of the round in place so the short length is not noticed and will fire. Kinda lile shooting a 9MM in a 40 cal. There the extractor holds the round from falling out the barrel and into alignment for the firing pin to strike.
Just because the round headspaces off the case mouth does not necessarily need to do that to fire it.
 
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