More on reloading steel cases.

[45-70 Chevroner]

My neighbor reloaded some steel 223 cases, the cases were boxer primed and the head stamp was Rem 223 Tulaammo He also has a bunch of 7.62X39 ammo with the Tulaammo stamp. Have any of you ran across any of these cases and were they boxer primed? I told him the consensus was to only reload them one time, and I guess this still holds true.

[rjh245]

I have reloaded steel wolf and Tula .223 but only once. I have had case neck's split on the first firing and I have no desire to reload it more than once. I have however reloaded steel .45acp 5+ times with out issues. Still for the cheap price of brass compared to a gun i would suggest buying once fired brass.

[Janoosh]

I have reloaded Wolf 223 steel cases that are boxer primed with jaxketed bullets. I'm up to 6 reloads on a 20 case test run with 3 case failures (split neck).
I'm using BLC-2 and Dogtown bullets.

[fredj338]

Steel just isn't as ductile & bullet pull or neck tension is all over the place. So if you must reload, hard on the dies, do it only once.

[Eddie2002]

I have to agree with fredj338 on reloading steel cases. I played around with reloading steel 7.62x54r cases for a 91/30 but couldn't get the neck tension right and the cases would not full length resize no matter how many times I ran them throught the dies. Haven't tried any steel hand gun cases yet and don't plan to at this moment.
If I had no other choice but to reload steel cases I guess I would but it really isn't something I would want to do unless it is the only way there was to shoot a firearm.

[Janoosh]

I'm using a Baikal 12/223 for my test gun, a single shot, and neck size only after the first full length resize. The only problem I've encountered is the inside of the case in coarse an not conducive to accurate cast shooting.

[GhostHawk]

I prefer to buy Privi Partizan with good brass cases and boxer primers.

Yes I pay a little more, less than the big name brands with brass cases though.

Is it a method that could be used in a SHTF scenario, sure.

And like reloading Berdan primers it can be done, but will tend to be a pain in the posterior.

If you want to, go ahead, and when you ask yourself "why am I doing this?" go buy some PPU.

[Janoosh]

I have access to the training area of the local "Emergency Response team" and I volunteer to clean up after they're gone. There is no need for me to buy any 223 brass for the remainder of my lifetime.
I reload steel as a learning experience.

[Big Steve]

I reload steel .45 acp cases that I pick up at the range. I then keep these steel cased reloads separately and I shoot them when I shoot at places that brass recovery is "iffy" (high grass, informal ranges, swampy areas...). That way if I find them, good, if I lose them, so what, they were lagniappe anyway!!

I have reloaded some up to 3 times without any issues.

[dondiego]

"lagniappe" ?????

[KTM400]

I reload steel .45 acp cases that I pick up at the range. I then keep these steel cased reloads separately and I shoot them when I shoot at places that brass recovery is "iffy" (high grass, informal ranges, swampy areas...). That way if I find them, good, if I lose them, so what, they were lagniappe anyway!!

I have reloaded some up to 3 times without any issues.

This. I went 5 reloads on some steel .45 acp cases. I pitched them after the 5th because I though I was pushing my luck. Never thought about using steel cases for the occasional "lost brass match".

[frkelly74]

The only bad issue I have had is if they get wet, they will rust. Mostly I have used them in the 45. for me steel case ammo has not been very accurate in new ammo in my rifle in 5.56/223. So I guess if it didn't work very well the first time I wouldn't expect it to work well the second time. That is just my experience though and I have not shot any of the higher end ammo such as is available from Hornady.

[chajohnson]

I re-size my 223/5.56 brass while watching football when the weather is cold or miserable using a Lee Hand press. Loading bench is in an unheated garage. I lubed up a few steal cases just to see how hard it was to re-size them. Didn't have the strength to run them in the FL die. Definitely not worth the effort.

[dudel]

"lagniappe" ?????

First came upon that word while in New Orleans. Means a small gift. Like an extra roll when you by bread.

Bing is your friend. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagniappe

[runfiverun]

it's like long roll or extra length airc.

[Big Steve]

"lagniappe" ?????

That's Loozianaese for: a lil something extra!

[lightman]

Loading steel cases sounds like an interesting experiment, but not something that I want to do. I was well prepared for the Obama shortage and never felt the gouging. In a real crunch, it is nice to know that you can. Most of the steel cases that I find around here are a little rusty by the time I found them, and most are berdan primed. I guess a run thru the tumbler would fix minor rust.