Is once fired brass giving anything up to new brass?

[Idaho Hunter1]

Hello all and thanks for the thoughts on this question.

So I am looking at trying to raise my reloading game from what I presently do, which is reload factory ammo that I have shot from my specific rifle to once again be used for that same rifle (basically fire form).

If I was to buy some once fired brass from a reputable source and brand (example: Once fired Lapua brass from a reputable gun builder that really is only firing it once before selling), am I giving anything up other than the first firing?

Could I anneal the brass when I get it, resize it and start from there? It's a significant savings for the calibers I'm looking at, 338 LM, 300WM, 7mm RM. And some of the NEW brass I'm looking for is out of stock and has been for a while which is another reason I'm looking at this.

All the rifles I shoot are custom and produce sub .5MOA with factory ammo that I shoot but I want to change to load something other than ELD-M/X.

All chambers are simply cut to accommodate standard dimensions IAW SAAMI. Nothing special on my end.

Thanks in advance!

 

[TheBoctor]

If you're annealing and throwing a full-length resize back to SAAMI, you should only be giving up the case life associated with that first firing.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I'm just curious where you think you're going to get 1X fired Lapua brass in 300 WM and 7 RM? You might find it for the WM , but it's made by Norma and overpriced. If you find it for the 7 RM I'll give birth to a puppy

 

[shooter7]

If you buy once fired belted magnum brass I'd probably suggest buy a Willis Collet die as well. I've never had issues with case bulge just above the belt but I never mix brass between rifles. I've heard of numerous people who have had to use the collet die to resize the base of a belted magnum when using brass fired in a different rifle due to slightly looser chamber dimensions.

 

[Len Backus]

Moving this to RELOADING

 

[fiftybmg]

If you are buying brass from once fired factory ammo , you should be good.

I would be more concerned if it was "once-fired" reloaded ammo. This is because people tend to push the limits on their reloads based on what other people claim, and end up stretching primer pockets , or don't trim and induce the beginning of case head separation.

Check a few of the batch for signs of case head separation either on the outside or inside. Check for any cracks on the case mouth. Then anneal and full length size. That brings you back very close to factory new.

You lose nothing by buying genuine factory ammo's once-fired brass.

 

[Idaho Hunter1]

Thanks for the inputs. I'll try some of them and see

 

[Bravo 4]

More than once I've had problems with once fired brass not fitting a chamber of another rifle, even after full length sizing. It's always going to be a gamble.

 

[sturner]

Yeah I never mix brass from one rifle to another

 

[DJ Fergus]

I'm not doubting anything but I'm curious as to why some folks that reload would sell once fired brass? I'm sure there's a reason I'm not figuring in.

 

[fiftybmg]

I'm not doubting anything but I'm curious as to why some folks that reload would sell once fired brass? I'm sure there's a reason I'm not figuring in.

Which is why I won't buy once-fired brass from a reloader.

There is the possibility the reloader bought new brass and reloaded once, but reloaders trying to get rid of brass will shine the multi-used brass up nicely in their stainless media tumblers and get sell them as "once fired".

If I find "once-fired" cases, not cleaned, re-packed in the original factory ammo box, it gives me a good indication it's really once fired.

Rifle brass left at shooting ranges is from people shooting factory ammo and leaving the brass because they don't reload. That's a good source, sometimes for otherwise hard to find brass.

Here we have a lot of hunters with big calibers that use factory ammo and don't reload. They sight their rifles in at my local range, the range manager collects and sorts, and I get a cheap source of quality, same headstamp brass.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Hello all and thanks for the thoughts on this question.

So I am looking at trying to raise my reloading game from what I presently do, which is reload factory ammo that I have shot from my specific rifle to once again be used for that same rifle (basically fire form).

If I was to buy some once fired brass from a reputable source and brand (example: Once fired Lapua brass from a reputable gun builder that really is only firing it once before selling), am I giving anything up other than the first firing?

Could I anneal the brass when I get it, resize it and start from there? It's a significant savings for the calibers I'm looking at, 338 LM, 300WM, 7mm RM. And some of the NEW brass I'm looking for is out of stock and has been for a while which is another reason I'm looking at this.

All the rifles I shoot are custom and produce sub .5MOA with factory ammo that I shoot but I want to change to load something other than ELD-M/X.

All chambers are simply cut to accommodate standard dimensions IAW SAAMI. Nothing special on my end.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mike Matteson]

Buying or picking up used brass at the range can be good or bad. If the brass looks good on the ground it maybe very well once fired brass. Brass that's looks old is probable old brass. If the range master isn't picking up the brass, I would be surprised. They have people that come by and purchase the brass. If it's 5.56 casing on the ground it's probable once fired brass. You can build a feeler gauge to check the inside of the case for case separation at the base. It helps to avoid case separation on brass that been reused a lot. You know it's time to retire the brass. I know with belted cases most are inter changeable by full length resizing the case and cutting necks, annealing, check neck thickness, weight. Just starting out with a different case, but changing it to something else. You have to be very careful on head stamps do to changing the configuration of the case. Note I change 300 Win Mag case to 308 Norma Mag brass, and do any of the other belted mag case, 264 W.M, 7mm, 308 NM,300 W.M. 338 WM.

SSS
Mike

 

[Rflshootr]

Buy it!