Case head separation - first time/w-photo-MORE PHOTOS

Take some of your other fired cases and section the heads. You don't need to cut the whole case, just the last 3/4".
See if any are showing an incipient separation like the one in GMC403's excellent photo.
Your case, and GMC403's are classic examples of case failures resulting from an excess headspace condition.
 
tiriaq said:
Take some of your other fired cases and section the heads. You don't need to cut the whole case, just the last 3/4".
See if any are showing an incipient separation like the one in GMC403's excellent photo.
Your case, and GMC403's are classic examples of case failures resulting from an excess headspace condition.
Click to expand...

I found it to go through brass faster when I FL resized, once I stopped FL resizing I would get 7-8 firings. I was figuring it was due to an oversized chamber. Also it was Hornady Brass, the nickel Federal brass just seemed to go on forever.


For the record, I've had great results with federal brass in both my 308 and 30/06.
 
Usually with Federal, the primer pocket will expand long before the brass gives up from work hardening or oversizing. It's pretty thick brass, but pretty soft.
 
I've had 2 with my 458 wm. One is still stuck in my die. The other thankfully came out of my gun while bear hunting. Good thing I didn't need a fast follow up shot. I brass was old. Still in the yellow Winchester box. I've had about 4 loadings on them with 72 grs h4895 and a 400-405 gr bullet. Freaky when it happens
 
legi0n said:
Straighten a paperclip and then bend an end at 90º, the bent side long enough to fit the case mouth
Drag the bent end inside of the case to feel for any thinning near the case head.
Such thinning is a sign of imminent case separation.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks!
 
Here is the internal of the failed case and another that I felt a spot where it may/will fail, the photo doesn't show the area of thinning as well as the naked eye but it is there and you can feel it.

Can't say I care for that inconsistent wall thickness either.

Looks like I will be going through all my "1F" brass from the EE. :rolleyes: Or toss and just go new.





Pictures were crisp until photobucket got through with them.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
Here is the internal of the failed case and another that I felt a spot where it may/will fail, the photo doesn't show the area of thinning as well as the naked eye but it is there and you can feel it.

Can't say I care for that inconsistent wall thickness either.

Looks like I will be going through all my "1F" brass from the EE. :rolleyes: Or toss and just go new.





Pictures were crisp until photobucket got through with them.
Click to expand...

Jeepers...my pile of Federal is giving me the willy's now. Pictures clear enough for me.

(Kelly, I use Tinypic, for what its worth.)

Regards
RonR
 
I only trust a few places for my 1F brass, would never buy it off the EE (unless it was DD and his Norma .308). Even then they get a full inspection for being true 1F, any doubt or signs they were already re-loaded those ones get tossed. It's only economical with expensive brass like the magnums, or mil-brass as you know for sure its true 1F.
Any 1F Federal I generally will use in low pressure rounds like the 30-30 until the primers fall out, and 223/308/30'06 get run through the semi's and left in the scrap box at the range.
 
I think it is!

243 Winchester brass. Can't remember exact number of firings. I think it's 3 or 4.

I even tried pulling the ejector to see if that would help if it was undersized cases. Was hoping that they wouldn't be forced deeper into the chamber than where the bolt face pushed them. It didn't help.

I may try seating the bullets out into the rifling to hold the shells back against the bolt face to re-fire form the brass. My only concern there is the load is very stout and running the bullets jammed will cause pressures to go past what the case can hold anyway.
 
Check 'em out first, Shooter - same as what Kelly did. Then maybe the better idea with the ones that pass might be to create the false shoulder and go the Cream of Wheat route instead of risking another blowout (and wasting perfectly good lead). Might be a good opportunity to anneal at this point anyway.

How do your fired cases (that actually survived ;) ) measure with your comparator.....compared to how you have your die set up for cartridge headspace length?
 
I shoot .303 brit from an enfield...i get nervous when i don't have case head separations.

i joke, my head-space is actually pretty good, I've only had a couple.

i use a dental pic for checking cases. They have a good grip and are nice and long with a fine tip. Also I find Fed brass to be some of the better stuff TBH. Win is not as good but Remington is flat out the worst. I've never seen damage like i do with Rem brass. Now if only i could find a reliable source for PPU and IVI brass, my stash wont last forever.
 
I've got some federal brass in .30-06 and on the third loading even with minimum book loads almost every piece of brass had that happen. No issues with the Remington brass with the same number of firings, same loads, same rifle. I've had similar issues with federal brass in .223 and .308
 
358Rooster said:
Check 'em out first, Shooter - same as what Kelly did. Then maybe the better idea with the ones that pass might be to create the false shoulder and go the Cream of Wheat route instead of risking another blowout (and wasting perfectly good lead). Might be a good opportunity to anneal at this point anyway.

How do your fired cases (that actually survived ;) ) measure with your comparator.....compared to how you have your die set up for cartridge headspace length?
Click to expand...

They were too short. Not sure how they were ok in the past but showed signs of failure now.

Pulled bullets, dumped powder and pushed out the primers. They are now sitting in the recycle box. Lesson learned.
 
Like I said, I didn't follow my own advice and used brass with unknown history and wasn't diligent with checking every case.

Even with all my time reloading I dropped the ball here.

Just a good example of how things need to follow the steps, especially your own rules.

As for brass, been having wonderful results with Lapua and Remington, my case prep is the same for all.
 
H4831 said:
A water drop on the case is insignificant.
The stain is likely from a bit of gas trying to escape through the brake in the case.
The case was resized too much. As has been pointed out, the stretch and the break comes from resizing the case to a shorter length than the chamber.
Federal brass for a great many years was as good as any other brass, but there is Federal brass out there now that will crack instead of stretch, so use care in sizing them.
Click to expand...

.H4831 tells it like it is....
 
I suspect Kelly that your brass may be 10X fired..........SS pins and washing makes the oldest crap look new. I have had no good luck with FC cases either, I found a 20 gn difference in a box of 20 cases I picked up one day at the range. All new once fired from the same box of factory ammo.......terrible crap and very soft in the head as well.
 
Federal brass is absolute garbage. That is the number one common factor. Split necks, case head separations, rims ripped off when resizing, you name it.

Try some different brass and work up again, only solution.
 
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