question: How many firings on Hornady brass

[raven88]

I'm seeing loose primer pockets in some of the Hornady brass after 2x firings and one case the primer fell out. (suspect after the next firing many more cases will be lost because of loose primer pockets) Interested to know how many load cycles others are getting with Hornady brass.

I have some Lapua brass ordered.....how many cycles are folks getting with the Lapua brass?

 

[JMGlasgow]

I'm getting 5-6 firings from Hornady brass. No loose primer pockets yet, just signs of case head separations and then I pitch them.

 

[Darkside-Six]

I've gotten a good 8-10. That was with Annealing every 3 firings though. How hot are you running them?


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[LRDD]

Hornady 6mm creed brass has been all over the place as far as lasting. The first 1k I got I had 6-8 firings with no case head separation or loose pockets. I just stopped using it and bought more. The next 1k I started get case head separation with 3 firings on it.

 

[NY700]

In my 6.x55 I was only getting 2 firings with my hornady brass and I started getting case head separation. I was really disappointed in it. Speaking to a knowledgeable guy at my local gun shop he said my results were common. I actually sent hornady an email enquiring. Kind of hoping I got a bad batch or maybe they would float me a discount or something. Their response was simply, out brass is thinner then lapua, have a great day


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[dryfire]

My 6 Creedmoor Hornady brass primer pockets crapped out after 4 reloads. It lasts 15+ cycles in 7mm-08 and 308 though.




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[raven88]

I've gotten a good 8-10. That was with Annealing every 3 firings though. How hot are you running them?


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41.5 of H4350 from a LRI barrel on my RPR.... (MV 2730-2792 depending on bullet) CCI BR primers.....140 ELD-M's, 130 ELD-M, 130 Bergers and Factory Hornady 140 ELD-M are normal diet for rifle. All loads shoot .5 if I do my part.

brass workflow:
punch primers and inspect
SS wet wash (soon to see how cleaning with Rice does)
anneal after each firing (benchsource)
Size using Redding FL bushing die
clean and inspect
Trim to length (Girard)

I processed 600 cases the past couple of days.....when I was putting primers in (forester bench primer) I noticed a good number of the 2x fired cases feeling like the primer was clearly going in much easier than others.... on one of the 2x fired cases the primer just dropped out.

 

[raven88]

Hornady 6mm creed brass has been all over the place as far as lasting. The first 1k I got I had 6-8 firings with no case head separation or loose pockets. I just stopped using it and bought more. The next 1k I started get case head separation with 3 firings on it.

I've not seen any pressure signs.....and I'm not pushing the envelope for speed, so I thought it was strange when I was priming the 2x fired brass and many cases felt like the primer went in too easy....I did not feel this when I primed the 1x fired brass. I am assuming that most of the brass I done will be able to be reloaded once maybe twice more.

I've got 100 Lapua brass on the way..... according to many folks on here, they get at least 8-10 cycles on Lapua brass. Initially I purchased 2 cases of Hornady loaded 140 ELD-M's and 200 new Hornady brass.

 

[canezach]

I must be really lucky. I've culled Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor brass around 6 to 8 firings for primer pockets, but not incipient case head separation. I have about 600 or so that are on their 2nd or 3rd firing and the primer pockets are still relatively tight.

 

[supercorndogs]

Can someone explain to me how case head separation is the fault of the manufacturer and not the shoulder bumper? I have hornady brass, I started getting separations after 3 loadings. I have brass from the same lot that is not, because of me on both accounts.

 

[Darkside-Six]

I've heard that Hornady production as doubled because of the growing demand for 6.5 so I'm wondering if their QC has went to shit or something. My loads were running close to 2800fps and my primer pockets would start to get a little lose after 3-4 firings but no where near where it was falling out. I have since switched to Lapua this year so.....

 

[demolitionman]

My lots from 5 years ago are on there 6 firing. Still running good. No annealing either.
i bump .002/.003 on a fl die. No neck sizing. I have had excellent results with hornady brass. Seems as though im the only one?

 

[Rob01]

I got brass with over 8 firings. No issues. I usually end up losing brass at matches before I have any issues with primer pockets. Never had any case head separations as I size them only bumping should back .001" so not over working the brass.

When I get a new caliber I buy 500 cases and use them for matches. If you look at barrel life of a Creedmoor or any other 6mm or 6.5 then you get 5-6 loadings out of them and you are into a new barrel anyways. Brass doesn't last forever especially if you are shooting for max performance/velocity.

 

[Juggerxxx]

I got 9 from some Hornady 6.5cm brass before the pockets started to loosen up.

 

[Milo 2.5]

Can someone explain to me how case head separation is the fault of the manufacturer and not the shoulder bumper? I have hornady brass, I started getting separations after 3 loadings. I have brass from the same lot that is not, because of me on both accounts.

If CHS was more of an isolated thing, be easier to point a finger at the individual. I think a lot of it gets started on the initial firing, growing too much, undersize brass with a Go+.002" chamber, or factory chambers. Hornady creed brass has had lot to lot subjection from the start, some good, some not so.
For guys that have guns built, any popular cartridge for prs type shooting, they should own this tool, you go to the smith with 2 pcs of new brass, compare off his go gauge, and decide the headspace.
http://www.whiddengunworks.com/product/case-gauge-3/

 

[supercorndogs]

If CHS was more of an isolated thing, be easier to point a finger at the individual. I think a lot of it gets started on the initial firing, growing too much, undersize brass with a Go+.002" chamber, or factory chambers. Hornady creed brass has had lot to lot subjection from the start, some good, some not so.
For guys that have guns built, any popular cartridge for prs type shooting, they should own this tool, you go to the smith with 2 pcs of new brass, compare off his go gauge, and decide the headspace.
http://www.whiddengunworks.com/product/case-gauge-3/

Poor sizing practices are not isolated, so CHS is not isolated. Big factory chambers are also not a brass manufacturing problem. .003 vs .001 leads to CHS three times faster. .003 is the thickness of a human hair. Its not hard to mess up the bumping process.

I try to set up my barrels so a new piece of brass grows .001-.002. There are some advantages to the barrel nut.

 

[Milo 2.5]

Poor sizing practices are not isolated, so CHS is not isolated. Big factory chambers are also not a brass manufacturing problem. .003 vs .001 leads to CHS three times faster. .003 is the thickness of a human hair. Its not hard to mess up the bumping process.

I try to set up my barrels so a new piece of brass grows .001-.002. There are some advantages to the barrel nut.

Aren't we kind of saying the same thing? My comment was in reference that too many are experiencing chs, some do ruin brass on their own, too much info out on setting dies, measuring tools, etc.. for this many to have issues. The problem is deeper than a 2 sentence explanation.

 

[Milo 2.5]

Personally, even though the Creed is Hornady's baby, other than factory ammunition, with the advent of other brass companies entering the market,(Lapua, Peterson, Alpha, Starline), they will be taken out of most of the equation. IMO

 

[supercorndogs]

Aren't we kind of saying the same thing? My comment was in reference that too many are experiencing chs, some do ruin brass on their own, too much info out on setting dies, measuring tools, etc.. for this many to have issues. The problem is deeper than a 2 sentence explanation.

Maybe. I am just saying this CHS is not a brass manufacturing issue. I work with enough people and read enough threads to know, most people can not read understand and apply complex instructions. I have ruined enough brass, and retraced to the problem to know how easy it is to do.

Other than the first 50 pieces [that I CHS] I don't have much experience with hornady 6.5 creed brass. I am getting ready to for the second firing on the other 300 pieces. I have ran a lot of Hornady Match brass in my .308. It seemed like great brass.

 

[Dabeechman]

For me it depends on the powder charge. My rifle shoots ragged holes @42.5 and 44.7gr. If I load @ 42.5 I'll get 4-5 before the primer pocket gets loose. If I load them at 44.7, I'll get a single reload out of them before the primer pocket wont hold a primer.

 

[BallisticSam]

I'm on 5 for some of my mine, just loaded up some today and found one with a split neck. This will be the last loads for this batch of brass for me and then I'll buy a new bag or two.

 

[shoot4fun]

I have pushed Lapua hard enough to be crap after one firing. In talking to a lot of PRS shooters I found they are all over the place on 6 Creedmoor loads. I've been shooting 42 grains H4350 thru mine ever since the round came out and I am still shooting the original brass. Can't tell you how many cycles because I have about two hundred or so pieces in service. Never lost one to a primer pocket of case head separation. During that same amount of time I've managed to put quite a few sticks of 308 Lapua in the dump for loose pockets.
Not saying Hornady is as good or better than Lapua. I'm just saying if you treat it right it isn't going to let you down early.

 

[raven88]

I got brass with over 8 firings. No issues. I usually end up losing brass at matches before I have any issues with primer pockets. Never had any case head separations as I size them only bumping should back .001" so not over working the brass.

When I get a new caliber I buy 500 cases and use them for matches. If you look at barrel life of a Creedmoor or any other 6mm or 6.5 then you get 5-6 loadings out of them and you are into a new barrel anyways. Brass doesn't last forever especially if you are shooting for max performance/velocity.

how many rounds through a 6.5 CM barrel should a guy expect to get.......been running my loads in mid 2700's

 

[Rob01]

how many rounds through a 6.5 CM barrel should a guy expect to get.......been running my loads in mid 2700's

With that load and depending how hard and fast you shoot it you should be in the 3000 to maybe 3500 range. I would start getting a new barrel ready nearing 2500.

 

[NewsShooter]

7-8 times on most of my brass, very few loose pockets. Velocity is right at 2800