turbo33 Posted August 25, 2016 Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 how many times, roughly, can a 223 case. Be reloaded? I am new to this and don't intend to get anal about acquiring the most comprehensive reloading gear. So a few pointers would be great. Many thanks T33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted August 25, 2016 Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 How long is a piece of string? To many variables. Neck size or fill lenght Mid or hot loadings Make of brass Powder Brass Bullet Chamber Annealing Just to name some. You might get 5 firings, you might get 30+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted August 25, 2016 Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 as above + how much oumph you got going up it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 (edited) You should work on the assumption that you would hope to get a minimum five reloads out of a case but many of mine have been loaded a lot more times than that. Others have failed first time Years ago we reloaded a .38 special case 100 times to prove some silly point that seemed important at the time. Edited August 26, 2016 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_R Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Some makes of brass are more forgiving than others too. You do *tend* to get what you pay for, in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted August 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 (edited) Thanks for the replies. Atb T33 Edited August 26, 2016 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 I load 223 with Lapua brass. On my 5th reload from new brass and only had to trim once or twice. I full length size from new, then neck size, and bump the shoulders back when needed (haven't needed to up to my 5th reload). Will anneal after 6 firings. I don't load that hot, some do. As already said, loads of variables, but with good brass, not-too-hot loads, a few anneals, and neck sizing, there's no reason why you couldn't get 10 or 12 reloads (or more). Makes expensive Lapua brass look cheap after 10 outings! I know some that ditch their brass after 5 reloads and some that have loaded over a dozen or more times before needing new brass. 223 doesn't seem to be as hard on the brass as .308 firings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted August 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Thanks chaps. Was thinking along the lines of a basis lee loader, suitable powder, primers and bullet heads. I did a back to back with Hornady 53 Grn vmax, 55 Grn sake gamehead and others. The Hornady 53's were cracking and stupid accurate compared to the rest. Now obviously I can buy them or have the enjoyment of reloading. I reload for shotgun and enjoy the process as part of the sport. If I can reproduce a round that performed ad well as the Hornady 53's, then happy days!! I have no idea about the need to anneal or how to recognise good brass from bad, so will have to do lots of research. Anyway, fabulous calibre and I'm sure I will have a lot of fun with it!! Atb T33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted August 27, 2016 Report Share Posted August 27, 2016 run ppu brass with the lee loader. follow all the steps as it neck sizes only so you then have the same variables all the time. with the .222 and lee loader i was getting 15 reloads before getting neck splits. then i ditched the lot and started again. £20 per 100 for 1500 shots was worth it. i use to run them slow with 52 amax but fox knew no difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Ask fruitloop on here He had to chuck all of his the other day after the cases split across the bottom . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 how many times, roughly, can a 223 case. Be reloaded? I am new to this and don't intend to get anal about acquiring the most comprehensive reloading gear. So a few pointers would be great. Many thanks T33 My recipe for getting the best from a .223 with the very minimum of work ..load development. and money would look like this. You need all thats in blue as a bare minimum and in red you realy need that eventualy. . Cases Winchester . Everytime Primers Rem 7.5s Powder Varget bullets sierra varminters 50 grain. Lee Loader. Scales RCBS Lyman Redding CH Whatever even lee perfects will get you away. vernier digital if you have one. You need some form of case trimer the lee option works ok i supose but a cheap lyman would be way i would go. You could do with a use rifle press a lee hand press will do or cheap o frame by lee to size new brass. RCBS full length Die others wi.ll do i just use RCBS but even lees are fine. New brass do as on the video with the loader fill the cases full with varget about 27 grain assemble as the video. compressed load of varget works in .223s and is safe, and i feel they tend to be accurate with this load, certainly in the two i have experience with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 run ppu brass with the lee loader. follow all the steps as it neck sizes only so you then have the same variables all the time. with the .222 and lee loader i was getting 15 reloads before getting neck splits. then i ditched the lot and started again. £20 per 100 for 1500 shots was worth it. i use to run them slow with 52 amax but fox knew no difference. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Good advice Keep it simple to start. (and cheap!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted August 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Thanks again for the help and info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 run ppu brass with the lee loader. follow all the steps as it neck sizes only so you then have the same variables all the time. with the .222 and lee loader i was getting 15 reloads before getting neck splits. then i ditched the lot and started again. £20 per 100 for 1500 shots was worth it. i use to run them slow with 52 amax but fox knew no difference. Is that annealed ? You may find that you will need to full size after half a dozen or so reloads if the cases start getting a bit tight to chamber, this is quite normal. You should be aware of case separation after a lot of reloading, easy to check with a straightened out paper clip just bent over at the end. This is were the case splits at the base ( I have loaded thousands of rnds and never had a prob, usually primer pockets get loose first but always worth checking ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted August 28, 2016 Report Share Posted August 28, 2016 Seeing as you are new to this it would be a good idea to get into a reloading book such as the RCBS reloading manual or similar. They are a good read and inform you about all of the different sections of safe reloading. Every gun is like a different person and likes a different diet. Different bullets and different speeds propelled by different powders. It's a world with many facets. I have guns that have perhaps 3--5 loads developed for different weights of bullet. Why? Because it is fun and I have enjoyed working up the different loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Case life is as much to do with the chamber size and the tightness or lack of tightness in the headspace. Manufacturers quite sensibly err on the loose side to make sure it chambers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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