Steel cases, re-loadable?

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ChaseR83
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Steel cases, re-loadable?

Post by ChaseR83 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:57 am

Hey guys,

I've got a quick question. Looking around on the web for various reloading supplies for various artillery (don't own anything yet) and I notice that some calibers had both brass and steel cases... are the steel ones re-loadable or are they simply good for dummy rounds?

I know for normal (hand-held) rifle reloading that trying to reload steel is generally more trouble that it is worth... and most seem to be concerned with limited re-loads and case splits.

But of course artillery is a whole other can of worms. Most people are shooting 70 year old brass, which IIRC hardens as it deteriorates and I've never seen anybody mention annealing case necks to stop splits.

Is re-loading steel viable for large calibers?

Thanks


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Ralph Lovett
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Re: Steel cases, re-loadable?

Post by Ralph Lovett » Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:21 am

I have been able to reload US 57mm steel shell cases without many problems for both live and blank fire. At some point, after many times fired, these will warp and become difficult to chamber but I see them as being very useable.

R/

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napavalleyartillery
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Re: Steel cases, re-loadable?

Post by napavalleyartillery » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:15 pm

We use steel cases in 20, 40 and 57mm. In 20mm, which is an automatic, we full length resize each time. In 40 and 57mm we resize the neck only, so long as the deprimed and cleaned case will fit into the chamber. In the 40 Bofors, which is automatic, resizing beyond the neck is going to be necessary pretty quickly, almost certainly on the third reloading. The 57 can be set to auto eject or lever eject. Lever eject may give you as much as 7 or 8 reloading with neck sizing only. Auto eject will be less, but it is cool to see the case eject so maybe it's worth it. Note that these are all live fire, not blanks. Blanks should pretty much last forever. Also these are shouldered cases; straight cases should require less body resizing.

Resizing large cases beyond the neck is difficult. The dies are in sections and it requires a good hydraulic press setup. We have the dies for the 57 body, but have never tried. We have done some 40, and it is slow. The die sections themselves are heavy.

Brass cases are expensive and often hard to locate. Everyone I know takes very good care of them, to include annealing. On the 37mm guns, which we shoot single shot, we anneal for each reloading. Further, we do not resize even the neck, so long as the ready to reload case still fits into the chamber. No reason to work the metal. We glue the projectile into the neck. On the 20 Solothurn we anneal every time, resize the neck, and tend to full length resize about every second or third time. Also the belt on the Solothurn tends to grow in diameter, requiring a lathe pass.

If you know what ATR or ATG you want it is never too soon to accumulate components. They are always resellable if you change your mind. When you do get your first one, be sure to find someone already in the business to show you the ropes, because reloading for cannon is significantly different from reloading light handgun cartridges at the kitchen table. (Something I have done a whole lot of in an earlier life.)

HTH

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waterdawg2004
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annealing 37mm?

Post by waterdawg2004 » Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:27 am

Any advice on annealing 37mm? Do you anneal just the neck area? How hot do you get it and how do you measure the temp? Thanks.
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Re: Steel cases, re-loadable?

Post by SteveM8 » Fri May 18, 2018 1:33 pm

37mm brass annealing is easy. Do the neck only. Use a hand held propane torch only to keep from over heating, and get it to a dull red color.

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Re: Steel cases, re-loadable?

Post by pdqf » Sat May 19, 2018 7:06 am

I have 76mm Steel casing in lots of 100 sell $25.00 ea + shipping pdqf 515-442-3126 E-mail pdqf@hotmail.com


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