safety question about reloading

[Bob munden]

i recently was at the range with some reloads, the primers on the case had back out a small amount, did not realize until i got home, then realized i used my full lenght sizer for another rifle and i had pushed the shoulder back to far. they are only twice fired cases and did not want to scrap them if i could get a couple of neck sizing only firings out of them, what do you guys think, scrap or load them up a couple more times? they were fired in a rem 700 in .223 very mild loads and they were winchester cases. thanks guys
i have never made this mistake before and hope not to again, but i really dont want to waste the cases, im sure there life has been shortened and know that, but i dont have many cases and dont want a head seperation either

 

[hlee]

Re: safety question about reloading

Brass is cheap. Rifles, fingers, hands, eyeballs, and lives are not. I scrap any questionable cases. 308 cal Lapua brass is ~$80/100 at cabelas right now. I don't really have a problem scrapping $0.80 in the grand scheme.

 

[Beef82]

Re: safety question about reloading

So you sized them with a die set for another .223rem rifle, then fired a very light load thru them, and the primers pushed back slighty?
That order of events is correct?

If so then they are probably ok, though the life will be slightly diminished by the extra headspace, shouldn't be any worse than factory ammo would stretch.
Just how light were the loads? Primers will push back if the case does not fully expand to the chamber dimensions, if your concern is loose pockets try seating one and pay attention to the force required.

Headspace seperation doesn't just happen, look for the signs, do the paperclip test.

 

[Bob munden]

Re: safety question about reloading

im not worried about the pockets, they are still tight, i had a light load of 23 grain of 4064 and some cheap bullets to blow out the brass, it was a 55 grain hornady fmjbt. im sure there was not enough pressure to even fire form the brass like i was trying to do, there was a lot of headspace because of the primers being pushed out slightly, the bolt still opened and closed on the brass very easy, i did feel inside the case with the paper clip and could barely feel anything, i have been loading for only a couple years and have a perfect track record, and dont want that to change, but the problem is im really low on brass and my buddy has some on order so we can split it up but it will not be here for another week and i want to go shooting friday, i was looking in the reloading book and the base of the case dimensions was .376 where head seperation would occur and my cases are at .376 and .375, would the cases grow more there like .377 before head seperation? i have seen head seperation by people and the range and watched them fighting to get the rest of the case out, and i dont feel like having to get out a stuck case, sorry for all the noob questions but im just trying to learn more and try to avoid problems, all my loads worked up are all on the mild side and that seems to get me the best accuracy, since i have developed loads for my .223 and .308 all i was trying to do is shoot as good or better than fgmm ammo and have done that with mild loads so i do not see a need like most people to develope a barrel burner, i only have a 600 yd range so i dont need high velocity to stay supersonic at 1000yds. thanks agin for all your guys help!

 

[JeffP40]

Re: safety question about reloading

Don't worry about it, just use them.

 

[jerseymike]

Re: safety question about reloading

Are you sure you pressed them in enough in the first place?