slightly dented brass -- .32acp

[Thirties]

In the photo below, you can see my slightly dented brass cartridges (.32acp).

Can these small dents get straightened out during the resizing; and will the resized cartridges be strong and good candidates for reloading? Or should such used brass get the heave-ho?

Obviously, I've never reloaded. I'm planning to get into it in the new year (mostly .38 special; .32acp; and 9mm makarov).

Thank you, folks . . . and Merry Christmas to all!

 

[Jim Watson]

A sizing die cannot remove a dent.
The ones in the picture are not severe and will not affect the loading and shooting. Chamber pressure will iron them right out when you fire. The gun will probably make new ones upon ejection.

 

[Thirties]

Thanks, Jim. For sure the gun will make new ones -- it's the gun's "fingerprint" as we hear on tv these days.

My other question was: will the cartridge loose strength due to these dents; or will it be a normal used cartridge?

Should I avoid reloading these too many times, or just keep track and treat them as any other used brass?

 

[Jim Watson]

I would not worry about a smooth dent, so long as it was not a sharp-edged crease, as far as strength goes. I seldom wear out an autoloader case, I lose them first. A split case in a low-pressure caliber is not a catastrophe anyway. I don't notice them in .45 until I go to reload them the next time.

A friend can shake a handful of brass and tell by the jingle that there is a split case included, but I have to look.

 

[bela]

.32

The .32 auto with its low pressure is niot likely to suffer from small dents.
Probably shells will split at the front end past some 20 or 50 times reloaded.
So dont mind about small dents at the side of the shell.

 

[Thirties]

Thanks for your replies . . . I'm really going to miss this place when it shuts down.

Getting ready to put together my reloading kit. I'm excited!