Reloading Brass Fired from Another Gun

[General RE LEE]

Question:

Can I make quality reloads made from brass that was fired in another rifle if it's been full length resized and prepped? I figured once I prep it and fire it in my gun, it is now fire formed to my rifle and will be best for the next firing. I'm a hunter not a match shooter but I still like to achieve MOA to sub MOA accuracy.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

No problem. After you fire in your rifle the case will fire form to your chamber. When i change a barrel out I use the fired brass for the previous barrel.

 

[QuietTexan]

It'll be fine. I used 17 once-fired cases to break in a 6.5CM, that one partial box of empties was all I could get last summer. Shot them each 6 times in my rifle, FL sized in a Hornady die each time, never split a neck. Two of those cases got kills during deer season even.

It's better to start with new brass and something better than a standard FL sizing die because you'll get better consistency easier that way, but if you can't get it it's a moot point. You're always better off shooting than not shooting waiting on parts.

 

[can1010]

if its once fired you will be ok but if multiple firings even with good primer pockets brass builds memory and no matter how much sizing you might have issues mainly if the other chamber was larger than yours

 

[Baker Alvin]

Over the years I bought a lot of once fired brass. I would buy in factory boxes of 20, some in bags, brand I never really worried a whole lot about. Full length resized and it has always worked fine. For my load testing, target shooting, for my own benefit, and hunting. I full length sized everything for years, every use and have only in recent years been doing neck sizing only, for specific gun use.

 

[Dosh]

My son reloads hundreds of .223 picked up on the popular desert shooting spots. No problems since they are all resized.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I ran into some issues with resized 300wm brass from one gun to another. Had to body size it instead of "off the belt" then it would function.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Sometimes you can luck out and they fit nicely, other times, like the one I'm in right now, no matter what you do, they just won't interchange between rifles.
My new Sendero will not accept cases fired in my Kimber, no amount of sizing, even .005" bump under fired case spec will fit...so I have 95 cases to work with, not 100. Looks like I have to buy another 50-100 to have the same batch.

Cheers.

 

[Mikecr]

Yeah, FL sizing does not undo fire forming. Actually, nothing can.
So results will come down to differences in chambers. If they're close, it'll work out.

 

[Carlos88]

Question:

Can I make quality reloads made from brass that was fired in another rifle if it's been full length resized and prepped? I figured once I prep it and fire it in my gun, it is now fire formed to my rifle and will be best for the next firing. I'm a hunter not a match shooter but I still like to achieve MOA to sub MOA accuracy.

Yes.

 

[dougduey]

The answer is maybe. If it's a factory rifle, most likely it won't be an issue. If it's a custom chambering done by a quality gunsmith, then most likely you cannot.
When I rebarreled my 6.5-284 Norma, the new barrel wouldn't accept any brass unless it had been fired in it. The tolerances are very tight on this barrel. I have to use a small base body die to 2x or more fired brass to chamber properly. It's a pain but the rifle is a "one hole" shooter, so it's worth it.

 

[bengineer]

I prep range pick-up 223/5.56 with a Dillon carbide FL die after rollsizing and trimming in another Dillon die. Over thousands of rounds, I have not had one single round that will not fit a case gage or a chamber, including brass fired in belt feds and M16s.
If your fire formed brass are longer headspace than your die and chamber, no worries but a trim. If the headspace on your once fired brass is shorter, you may stretch cases and even separate case heads. Thats always fun.

 

[StoneyBurk]

Question:

Can I make quality reloads made from brass that was fired in another rifle if it's been full length resized and prepped? I figured once I prep it and fire it in my gun, it is now fire formed to my rifle and will be best for the next firing. I'm a hunter not a match shooter but I still like to achieve MOA to sub MOA accuracy.

You should be fine as I full length resize brass fired from another rifle and they work fine ! Check them in the new chamber for shoulder length but should be fine !

 

[Mike Matteson]

Over the years I bought a lot of once fired brass. I would buy in factory boxes of 20, some in bags, brand I never really worried a whole lot about. Full length resized and it has always worked fine. For my load testing, target shooting, for my own benefit, and hunting. I full length sized everything for years, every use and have only in recent years been doing neck sizing only, for specific gun use.

It's my understanding that most of the Match shooter full length size their brass, but only bump back a couple of thousands at the shoulder. If using standards dies, you are over working your brass, and setting up for any rifle that is camber for the cartridge, instead for your rifle. I know I use to only neck size for years. Changing how I process my cases now. There been a lot of going back and forth on sizing case. I think there always will be.