The range I go to seems to always have alot of Blazer aluminum empty cases laying around. I brought one home and resized it, seems to resize ok.
Why can't we reload the aluminum cases? Even once at a reduced charge would be fine.
Anyone ever tried reloading aluminum with success?

Thanks

CCI says that they're not reloadable.  MOST are Berdan primed, and in fact use a custom primer that's locked into the case with tabs.  But they DO make Boxer primed Aluminum Blazer cases, so there may be some utility in trying to reload them.

I would stick to LOW pressure loads, like target .38s or .45s though.  The cases are not necessarily up to a second loading at higher pressures.  Of course you might just find that you can get a bunch of loadings out of these cases.  Experiment away!  The only real issue I see with attempting this is that you'll have to collect a butt load of cases and weed out the Berdan ones before you can even start thinking about preparing the good ones for loading.

I think I remember someone trying and the rim getting ripped off during extraction. I think the aluminum fatigues to fast for repeated use.

THIS.  It isn't pure aluminum as that is just above pure lead in strength.  The case will fail.

I have had limited success reloading Wolf steel cases.  I think I will stop while I am ahead.

Blazer aluminum cases are great for several reasons.  Reloadability is not high on that list.

I would definitely recommend keeping to the low side of things, if you do decide to try and reload Blazers.

Steel is one thing to experiment with....we know it is strong....aluminum on the other hand....I dunno, I wouldn't feel comfortable trying it...at least not in a gun I care about.....But then again, all it takes is one pioneer to try something and discover it works......that could be you

It is possible, but I do not recommend it.

I tried that with 9mm largo "brass", before starline brass was available and rimless 38 super was out there.  The cases were berdan primed, but the primer pocket was identical to small pistol.  I bashed out the integral primer post and made a huge hole in the flash hole area, but it worked.

The usual mode of failure was a case body split with the bottom of the split washed out by powder gasses.  Looking at the huge volume of washed out aluminum turning into Al2O3 in the process, I had second thoughts about using aluminum on a second reloading.  The heat of formation of AL2O3 is like a cutting torch, with cutting grit sprayed through the gun at several thoughsand PSI.

That aluminum oxide iis an excellent abrasive, liberally sprayed throughout the gun with every case failure.  It is going to stay there until the gun is disassembled and cleaned thoroughly.  

There is going to be more aluminum washed out with increasing pressure.   You may get away with with reloadign 45 acp for several reloads, but very few with high pressure rounds.

A former CCI factory rep, Guy Neill, (who also writes the monthly reloading column) just addressed this issue over on the reloading forum at be.com:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=88378&pid=1016796&st=0&#entry1016796

Made hot.  AeroE

Interesting read.  I haven't even bothered looking at aluminum Blazer cases for a long time.  Hmmmm...  .38SPL target loads in aluminum might be pretty nice (and easy to identify).  Or wax/glue bullet practice rounds even.  But with enough stories about failure of aluminum cases under loads, I'd stick to really light loads no matter what.

Look here -

http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=800838&highlight=capttoyota

http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=769909

It's just not worth the risk.

Stick to brass, please.

I reload aluminum boxer primed blazer cases in 9mm, 40, and 45acp.  They seem to go around 3 or 4 reloads before I will have a split neck when performing the belling operation.  I have had one 9mm case that had a small burn through near the case mouth.  I load both mild (3.9gr bullseye with 115gr bullets) and warmer 9mm loads (4.8gr bullseye with 115gr bullets).  My 40 and 45acp loads are what I would call "mid-range".  I shoot them through pistols and Thompson and Sterling SMG's.  I only pick up my just fired reloaded aluminum cases and cases that appear to have not been lieing on the ground for long (normally ones I have just seen fired that day).  The cases do seem to dissolve if they lie outside for a long time in the elements.  I kid others about "the perfectly good cases on the ground left by others" and now other shooters help me pickup the boxer primed ones.  If I miss picking up a few when shooting the SMG's, no big deal.  I also reload Wolf boxer primed .223 cases, but that's another story.

Every (environmentally) conscientious person should recycle their scrap metal.  That's where once-fired steel and aluminum cases belong.

Aparently it can be done.....................but I wouldn't mess with it.  Al cases are weak by most standards.

Reloading IS recycling.

I think technically its re-use

Thanks for the links guys, interesting reading.

Now I have to collect some cases.