Case Life
Cross posted all over the WWW. Please chime-in as to how many times you reload your cases and whatnot.
My most used cases for the 1917 30-06 are Federals, I am on my 24th load, cases annealed 3 times so far. I am thinking on retiring them since the primer pockets are starting to get lose. I have shot all sorts of ladder tests with them and all sorts of loads and bullets from 110gr V-max to 220gr RN. Right now the loads are 168gr A-max at around 2700fps; that load seems to match my sight elevation settings perfectly. I have a new Howa 30-06 that I load for but the pressures signs show up a lot sooner with it. I'm on the 20th shot on the Winchester cases, annealed twice, and they seem to be plugging right along. My load of choice is a 190gr SPBT at about 2500fps. I have some 180s in them ready to be ladder tested tomorrow.
My most worked 30-30 cases have been shot 24 times also. Never annealed those ones; wanted to see how long it took the necks to lose grip on the bullet. It just so happened to lose grip today, so I'll be annealing those before the next loading. My loads are anything from a 168 A-Max at 2050fps to a 110 V-Max at 2323fps. (I load them one at a time so not to discharge them in my tube magazine.) I've never had a 30-30 case fail yet.
Actually, here is one of the 30-30 cases, (from a ladder test today,) shot 24 times.
Please also comment on loading FMJ-RN in a tube magazine; was wondering about accidental discharge from recoil.
I neck size only unless I fire a cartridge and get sticky bolt or possibility other pressure signs; then I will full length size bumping the shoulder slightly. If I encounter any pressure signs I reduce the load to my previous accuracy node according to the ladder test. If I get pressure signs due to rising seasonal temperatures, I preform another ladder test. Right now I have 3 different loads for my Howa according to seasonal temps.
It has been about 7 months since I had a case go bad on me; I shoot every day. Every time a case has gone bad, I either had a hot load or an overworked case from me learning how to reload. (I just started reloading about a year ago.)
My velocities aren't all that fast, when I get my Weatherby 300 Mag I'll start loading for the mile.