3/4 of .308 case stuck in the barrel.

[Brianma65]

Here's a pic of a part of a case that was left in the barrel. Put a bore scope in there and couldn't see it. Then pushed a cleaning rod in and it stuck to the rod and we pulled it back out. It was shot in a rem Mohawk 600. I'm guessing the case had a horizontal crack that got missed.View attachment 42223View attachment 42222 Was told by the shooter that there was no noticeable extra recoil.

 

[herpinator45]

It looks like you have some ready made 45 GAP there.... lol

As long as you got it out of the gun and there was no injuries its a good day.

 

[tiriaq]

Handload?
Such a separation can occur when a case is fired, expands and stretches, then gets resized excessively, so that it separates on a subsequent firing.
Really common with .303 cases.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Trained machine gunners will recognize this instantly as a separated casing. In Browning M1919A4 Machine Guns, known as the MG C1 and C5 after rebarrel and rework to 7.62 by Canada, this was a common problem. The headspace is adjustable on these guns where the barrel screws in, and when things are too loose the cases separate. As much as you may blame the case and reloading, I'd be testing the rifle's headspace as well.

 

[Brianma65]

Yes it was a hand load , 3 time fired R.P case .308. Couldn't see the piece in the chamber with a bore scope. Thought it was shot through the barrel until we shoved a rod and patch in. It was really tight when we pulled it back the rest of the case came with it.

 

[roadcarver]

Wow! I guess you stopped firing when the ejected case was not all there.

 

[Brianma65]

Wow! I guess you stopped firing when the ejected case was not all there.

Yes , when he ejected the partial case he stopped. But I think you could go on with the case in the chamber, the bullit would just jump right through it.. JK

 

[tiriaq]

The next round will not chamber. It will jam in the broken case. Often when it is extracted, the broken case will come out with it.
Your friend needs to check all his cases for incipient separations, and double check his resizing routine. Basically, the cases are being repeatedly fired in an excess headspace condition. Front of the case clings to the chamber walls, rear portion gets pushed back to the boltface, brass stretches and separates.

 

[Raton57]

How pray tell do you figure you could load another round with the case stuck in the chamber. That would require the new round fitting inside the old case.

 

[scout_289]

Inspect your cases after firing / before cleaning for a bright ring around them just about where this one parted company.

When you cut the case in two longitudinally you'll see where the case wall "necked" (thinned).

Correct the problem before shooting again!

 

[Hitzy]

And the new trend I read on here and other boards is neck sizing is overrated and not necessary in modern rifles...

 

[skhunter]

Incipient case head separation. Google it.

 

[Cleftwynd]

And the new trend I read on here and other boards is neck sizing is overrated and not necessary in modern rifles...

If a full length die is set up to properly bump the shoulder, then neck sizing is not necessary, but if the die is set to size the brass as much as possible, then it can create issues like above.

IMHO neck sizing only is not necessary in most modern firearms, but that also means you need to be able to properly adjust a FL die.

 

[KeltecFan]

Yes , when he ejected the partial case he stopped. But I think you could go on with the case in the chamber, the bullit would just jump right through it.. JK

Note that OP said JK = just kidding. He was clearly aware that the next round wouldn't chamber.

 

[bearhunter]

Well for all of the comments here there can be other issues as well. I have had one only 308 Win case separate and I consider it to be a one in a million incident. It was a factory Norma round that was new in the box. I picked up five boxes of this ammo in a trade. Maybe a couple of years old at most. Yes, like most Norma factory ammo it was hot. I shot it out of a Rem 700 that I had put together and I can tell you that rifle had a minimum spec chamber with around a thou of headspace. It just barely chambers factory ammo. Almost zero resizing is necessary to prepare the case for the next reload.

Anyway after shooting about thirty rounds the groups started to open up so I cleaned the bore. This rifle does not foul easily so it was quick and easy at the range. Shot off another twenty and on No 51 according to the data book history I ejected half a case. No extra recoil at all. The case was very loose in the chamber because it just slipped out easily on the plastic cleaning brush when it was drawn back.

It was a new case in a tight chamber. No indication that it would separate. When I inspected the case there was nothing to indicate any problem. Both sides of the case were of identical thickness without any thinning anywhere that I could measure with a mic I have with 90 degree opposing points that will reach about an inch into a standard case such as the 308.

I am still shooting the other 99 cases out of that 100 case lot that all had the same lot number. Great brass with well over 10 reloads one each case.

If that 600 Rem were mine and the other cases aren't showing extreme expansion rings, I would be inclined to blame the case. Considering how many cases are made, no matter how good the quality control screw ups happen.

If you have other cases showing extreme expansion rings you should check out the lug recess in the action. Check for lug surface set back. This doesn't happen often but it does occur.

Also check you reloading die. You may be setting the shoulder back to far and every time you reload/fire that case stretching will occur, usually at the place the OPs case separated. Then again that rifle may have a chamber that is cut to maximum spec with a new reamer. If you have a small base die or a die reamed to minimum spec stretching will occur as well.

If you do actually have lug set back and full length resize this will happen again. Not if but when. If you neck size only for this rifle with cases proprietary to this rifle all should be well.

Other than the above you just may have had a freak case.

 

[Brianma65]

Note that OP said JK = just kidding. He was clearly aware that the next round wouldn't chamber.

yep

 

[thump_rrr]

Anyone shooting an M1 Garand, M14/M1A/M305 and who reloads is aware of case stretch and headspace issues.
Most will carry a broken shell extractor which allows you to be back up and running within seconds.
Most will not reload their brass more than 4-5 times unless they use the paperclip trick to check for incipient case head separation.

 

[Hitzy]

If a full length die is set up to properly bump the shoulder, then neck sizing is not necessary, but if the die is set to size the brass as much as possible, then it can create issues like above.

IMHO neck sizing only is not necessary in most modern firearms, but that also means you need to be able to properly adjust a FL die.

Again, why go through all that work if you can just neck size with a collet die?
After the first neck sizing and trimming, you don't need to trim for several firings, no lube required, it's a lot quicker and easier on the brass.
Even if you just size the neck in a FL die, if you have a fat chamber you are working the case walls which isn't necessary. Neck sizing eliminates headspace issues for the reloader, it makes safer ammo for shooting in oversized chambers. I still don't see that down side to it...

 

[Neilm]

Check bear hunters thread. I have seen a few (dozen or so) but not a lot of case separations. The were all lower down on the case towards the head. i.e. just above the webb. I'm dot ruling it out but feel it is more likely a bad piece of brass.

 

[leebuilder]

I have seen this too. Again with Norma brass and only Norma brass, maybe a bad batch. Have had many case separations 6.5, 303 and 308 most closer to the rim. Only the Norma brass 2/3s down like yours.