Newer to Reloading Brass Question

[Bdub22rhp]

I need some help. I’m new to reloading and recently found my first dope for one of my .308s. Needless to say it cranked up the obsession even more. I have dies for the majority of my calibers and am moving to my next rifle. I will say that I am a hunter first so I expect I’ll find my loads, load till I run out of brass, and then rifle will sit expect for occasional range time and then hunting season. I’m trying not to spend where I don’t need to as I realize this is a hobby over reloading to save money.

Knowing I’m a hunter and not a PRS shooter, is the once fired Hornady brass from factory ammo I used for getting rounds through my barrels acceptable for my needs? I see it being trashed on most forums, but I really don’t want to invest 1000s of dollars on premium brass that might get fired once in 5 years….

 

[Bdub22rhp]

I need some help. I’m new to reloading and recently found my first dope for one of my .308s. Needless to say it cranked up the obsession even more. I have dies for the majority of my calibers and am moving to my next rifle. I will say that I am a hunter first so I expect I’ll find my loads, load till I run out of brass, and then rifle will sit expect for occasional range time and then hunting season. I’m trying not to spend where I don’t need to as I realize this is a hobby over reloading to save money.

Knowing I’m a hunter and not a PRS shooter, is the once fired Hornady brass from factory ammo I used for getting rounds through my barrels acceptable for my needs? I see it being trashed on most forums, but I really don’t want to invest 1000s of dollars on premium brass that might get fired once in 5 years….

Forgot to add next rifle I am working on is a 6.5 PRC. Haven’t seen where starline makes any yet.

 

[Hschweers]

I shot factory for years and saved all my brass knowing one day I would reload. Now what I do for each cartridge is 100 pieces of lapua brass (or other “good” brass) for my range loads that im going to shoot all summer. Those I know I’m going to load, and reload, and reload, etc.

With my factory Hornady/Rem/Win once fired I will develop a load with a bullet I want to hunt with (in the once fired brass. Do not change brass manufacturer in established loads), load the rest of my brass or bullets (whatever the limiting factor is), and store for many seasons to come. This way I don’t have my high dollar brass tied up for years waiting to shoot an animal.

The main gain in expensive brass is ability to load it many times over. If you’re loading for hunting and leaving it in the safe, no need for fancy brass IMO.

 

[BCsteve]

Some brass are better then others but for the average Joe and hunter, in my experience it doesn't make that much of a difference. I reload for some cartridges where brass selection can be limited (.260 Rem, .35 Whelen, .444 Marlin) and manage to develop accurate loads with with what some would call crappy Remington and Hornady brass. The brass may not last as long and you may be able to notice some inconsistencies if you were shooting benchrest and ELR but for recreational shooting and hunting loads I wouldn't sweat it.

I do have Lapua brass for my 6.5x55 and 6.5 PRC and you can definitely see that it's higher quality brass but I'm not sure I'll be able to tell the difference on target.

 

[Castle Rock]

Use what you have, it will get you started

 

[Natebonebusta]

Yeah, don’t sweat it, use that once fired brass. Do the rokslide reload method, and put ten shots in 1.5moa at 100y and go hunt! It’s a fantastic method and will save you time and components.

 

[Vern400]

For what you're doing Hornady is fine.

I loaded 300 hunting cartridges last batch. Did everything perfect as I can. Then I sealed the bullets and primers with Roy's sealer or something similar. My scope never moves, my load never changes, humidity changes have no effect on the powder because it's sealed. The only challenge I have is when I oil patch the barrel, it shoots High left for the first shot by an inch, halfway home on the second shot, and the next five in the same hole basically.

I do load some stuff to shoot like in the next week. I don't steal that stuff.

But if I'm going to keep it for 6 months, a year, many years. I seal it. And I've tested the sealer by throwing cartridges in the mud for a week, then fishing them out, cleaning them with water, drying them and shooting them. Can't tell a difference. Just about every military manufacturer in the world uses a sealant. They're not dumb.

I happen to use lake City, remington, and Lapua brass depending on the application. My brother and I are regularly getting 3 inch groups a 500 yd on steel. I think that proves his Hornady is good enough.

 

[sdupontjr]

For my 308, I have been using Rem corelock R-P brass for a long time. I used 5 boxes to break in my "then" shilen barrel on a Rem 700 build I had. Kept all the brass. I built an annealer and I do anneal every time. Sure, it's not required, but its quick. I'm on my 7th reload of the Rem brass. I hunt only and do not shoot for score or points, but I do like the precision of my rifles to perform when I need them. While the Hornady brass is considered softer, you may see some pressure sooner than some other brass. But then again you may not, depending on your intended purpose.

 

[Cjackson51591]

I’ve saved brass over the years as well. Just now getting into reloading for 300wsm and 308. I’ve got mainly Hornady brass and Winchester. I’m gonna use what I have instead of buying new right now.

 

[WormSportsman]

I think that’s how most of us started and it works just fine. Enjoy!

 

[Pilsner]

Yeah, don’t sweat it, use that once fired brass. Do the rokslide reload method, and put ten shots in 1.5moa at 100y and go hunt! It’s a fantastic method and will save you time and components. View attachment 871803

Is there a How To link for the Rokslide Reloading Method? Search function did not give me a thread or pinned post...
Thanks,
-Doc

 

[Mojave]

I have a huge inventory of once fired brass. Here's what I have and what I have invested. I shoot every weekend.

Sitting on several thousand rounds of brass. My only advice is to keep everything the same headstamp.

All bought for pennies on the dollar compared to new brass. Some came from Gunwerks, some came from other retailers. Bought a ton of Gunbroker and Egun.

You get the picture.

Nice to have boutique brass, but most of mine is not.

Loads the same, shoots the same.

Most guys that shoot all the time and don't areal get 3-5 firings out of a case.

100 rounds of hunting brass will last 300-500 rounds of shooting.

 

[Natebonebusta]

Is there a How To link for the Rokslide Reloading Method? Search function did not give me a thread or pinned post...
Thanks,
-Doc

Thread 'Painless load development (mine)'

Oct 25, 2021

I have had multiple people ask me to lay out how I do load development being that what I do is different. Since Shaen @Shooter71 just rebarreled a Tikka 595 in 6XC I thought it would be easy to show how I do it. It’s a Master Sporter with a T3 lite profiled 20” barrel- keep in mind it is a T3 LITE barrel. So by conventional “wisdom” it should be more picky and less accurate than a heavy barrel. His work is shoddy (), but I bet I can overcome it.

The rifle-


First was @Unknown Munitions factory load with 105gr Berger Hybrids. 5 rounds to zero, 5 for a...

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[Grassymike]

I picked up 39 rounds of PMC .308 brass at the range 2-3 years ago. I have reloaded it all 7-8 times for my 7mm-08 after reforming it and outside neck trimming it. Also have about 17 Hornady 7mm-08 range brass that I have shot at least as much. In short your brass will be just fine.

 

[Castle Rock]

Most guys that shoot all the time and don't areal get 3-5 firings out of a case.

That is simply not true, I have brass in multiple calibers that have between 10 and 30 loads on them without annealing and I load everything to it’s full potential.

 

[Grassymike]

I do not anneal either.