223 steel cases

[CaptREDD]

Hiddee from High on a Mountain in New Mexico....but it ain't NEW...and danged shore ain't Mexico...Picked up a Savage model 12 Saturday...it has a 26" non-fluted varmint barrel that is chambered 223...This new to me rifle was made between '98 and '03...'98 being the 1st year for Savage short actions...and '03 when Accu-trigger were introduced... it has old fashioned trigger...

While at the local range I found a quantity of steel once fired boxer primed hulls...any suggestions on reloading them will be appreciated...any ideas on how many reloadings they will last?? I plan to load 55 gr. bullets...Thanks in advance...


REDD

[bootsmcguire]

Don't reload steel.

Boxer primed brass only.

Steel will destroy your dies, and does not size properly, and often cracks and fails. There is a reason nobody picks up the steel cases at the range.

Using these cases to reload will most likely end in firearm damage or damage to you person.

[GaCop]

Don't reload steel.

Boxer primed brass only.

Steel will destroy your dies, and does not size properly, and often cracks and fails. There is a reason nobody picks up the steel cases at the range.

Using these cases to reload will most likely end in firearm damage or damage to you person. +1! Stay away from the steel cases, they weren't designed to be reloaded.

[jonbearman]

Steel will not destroy your dies as I sized about 50 of them just to see what would happen and they size 10 times easier than brass. I haven't tried seating a primer or reloaded any yet but was just curious to see what would happen and as I suspected, Nothing.

[clovishound]

Don't know about where you are, but around my neck of the woods, .223/5.56 brass is common. Every time I go to the rifle section of the indoor range near me, there is a ton of it on the floor. I have enough at home that I only bring home about what I shot. Same with 9mm brass. I snap up every round of .38 brass I see, however, which isn't often.

[CaptREDD]

clovishound, as in clovis, nm??

223 BRASS is not in short supply...What is in SHORT supply is the knowledge of HOW to load steel...Sumbody loaded the dang things..so therefore they can be RE-loaded, given the knowledge...a few gems of knowledge I have gleaned so far...the steel cases have more "spring" than does brass...so to get them to chamber one has to lower dies in the press until all the slack is out of the press and the sizing die is touching the shell-holder...perhaps the steel cases were fired in a generous chamber?

GaCop, only a very few cases were DESIGNED to be reloaded...Ammo makers would rather us BUY new ammo and NOT bother to reload at all...

I have loaded steel 45acp cases...they worked out real well...they don't bulge a reasonable pressure...loading them with small rifle primers they were very consistent over the chrono..6fps extreme spread...they recover easily with a lawn magnet...lol...And they did NOT crack or split as badly as do brass cases...they also don't expand as much either...a function of being a bunch stronger than any sort of brass..and BTW my dies show NO ill affects of re-sizing steel...That being said I am not planning to bother with the lacquer coated old Wolf cases...the greenish shiny ones..just the ones that are grey and matte finish..


REDD

[clovishound]

clovishound, as in clovis, nm??

REDD

Naw, I live in SC. I used to do a lot of diving and volunteer underwater archaeology work. I was very keen on finding Clovis points. They are very rare and represent a fascinating area of pre history. Daughter gave me the monicker. It stuck.

[bootsmcguire]

Well you guys do what you want, but steel on steel in my dies, no way. I am a machinist and I know what that will end up like. I also know how steel reacts to pressures.

No fault towards anyone, but no steel for me, too many negatives for me to worry about it.

[jonbearman]

I haven't actually reloaded any , I just wanted to see what would happen. It is very soft but still stronger than brass. Look at all the factories producing steel cased ammo. I doubt they would do it if it destroyed their dies right away.

[CaptREDD]

Well Folks, Thanks for all the WARNINGs ...After careful deliberations...I loaded a number of STEEL hulls...(Tulammo) and tomorrow I'll get to the range and try them out...

BTW...no scratches in the sizing die...no visible wear or damage...that Imperial Sizing Wax apparently armoured my dies and kept them from all harm,...used H-335 powder,
Federal Gold Medal Match small rifle primers...The same load of powder and the same bullets, loaded to same overall length in nickel-plated Hornady cases were grouping close
to .250"...and not over .375 at 100 metres in a moderate winde...bullets are 55grain FMJBT-C military-surplus that have been patiently waiting to fly since 2001.


REDD

[earl39]

if I were going to reload steel cases the one thing I would remember is that they are steel and will weaken with use. I believe I would only reload them one time.

[CaptREDD]

Report: (drum roll and trumpet flourish) Steel Case report...they shoot good .....feed from the magazine well...groups are great...1/2 MOA out to 500 metres....no pressure signs....cases will easily re-chamber after being shot...In days to come I will reload 10 cases until they fail....will report further then...I will figure steel cases out...the next chapter of this saga will be to chronograph steel ammo and compare speed to brass cases...and I want to see how much accuracy degrades compared to brass cases...if they do...

Earl: I do understand that steel cases will work-harden, and fatigue...but so does brass...is why I anneal my rifle cases(brass) about every 4th or 5th loading...some brands of brass work-harden much quicker than others...and the "hotter" the brass is loaded, the faster it gets brittle...I PLAN to use a Lee Collet die to nekk size the steel I shot today...
...will report on that aspect of steel cases later 2nite or tomorrow...Thanks for all the advice!!!


REDD

[CaptREDD]

Progress Report: after firing 11 rounds of FLS-ed steel cases I collet-sized them and returned to the Range and fired them...still grouping between 1/4" & 3/8"...still shooting to same point of aim...but the 1st shot fired, I had a nekk split....the empty hulls are in the reloading-room for reloading...tomorrow's shoot will tell if split was a trend or a fluke.


REDD

[tufrthnails]

subcribed out of curiousity

[toomanyguns]

This is a very interesting thread. Someone recently gave me a few rounds of Wolf steel cases, which I resized and primed. Haven't loaded them yet, since I have plenty of brass cases. I load a few reduced loads using Red Dot, Blue Dot, and Trail Boss and was thinking about using the steel cases for some reduced loads.

[CaptREDD]

Well, nothing new to report,...the reason was weather...rain, fog, low level clouds obscured the RANGE...couldn't see the 400 metre gong, and the 500 was outa sight.
Errands tomorrow maybeso will preclude a trek to the range...Local gunshowe Saturday & Sunday I will attend...so it could be Tuesday next before I get to shoot the steel-cased
ammo again...


REDD

[CaptREDD]

10 days and a trip to the range most days...10 rounds of steel cases loaded and fired 7 times..no splits no ill affects, neck tension remains good, primer pockets are jes fine...all in all I think steel cases gonna work jes fine...BTW the cheep Lee non-carbide dies show no wear and no scratches...gun is still shoting about 1/2 inch...



REDD

[bootsmcguire]

Huh, kinda surprised, but I'll still stick with my brass. ;)