neck split, head seperation (pic heavy)

Goose25

Goose25

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
43   0   0
Location
Montreal, Quebec
Got a call from my boss yesterday telling me that I'd have the day off today so off I went to the range this morning.... I'm thinking I Should of stayed in bed.

Tikka T3
.30-06
165gr Barnes TSX
Imr-4350
Winchester brass
WLR primer
best 4 shot group (@100yrds): 0.456"

So I was curious to try the TSX bullets in my T3, I've been using 180gr hornady's Interbonds the past few years with excellent results on game and paper but still wanted to try something different. Started with 55.5gr of imr4350, shot an excellent group and was quite happy. Time to shoot my second string, 56gr, group opens up to about 2".:redface: My bad. No pressure signs, so I move onto my next string loaded to 56.5gr. results on the third string... 2 head seperations. Primers aren't backed out, brass had now been fired 4times in this rifle and FL resized & trimmed after every resize. The 3 previous times this brass was loaded was with 56.5gr of imr4350 pushing a 180gr interbond, is this load shorting the lifespan of my brass? This is a hunting rifle and thought it would be wise to FL resize (reliability). excessive headspace? neck size only? Any suggestions?

everything went south after this group.
xyz003.jpg


after 4th firing
xyz029.jpg

xyz036.jpg


same brass after 4th firing
xyz033.jpg


same brass before 4th firing
xyz025.jpg


same brass before 3rd firing
xyz023.jpg




Decided to call it quits with the '06 for the day. So i take out my .243.

Rem700 SPS-V
.243
win 80gr PSP
36gr RL-15
Norma brass (browning headstamp) from Higginsons powders
WLR

WTF after 50 shots I have 6 split cases??? and after only 3 firings:eek: (same procedure as above, FL resize, trimmed after every resize). Brass is looking like dirty old range brass i picked up from the ground (dirty) and Im unsure but it also seems like my primers are backing out. here's a couple pics, let me know what you think.

xyz039.jpg

xyz051.jpg

xyz047.jpg

xyz043.jpg


Obviously all of this brass is going in the trash. Im i doing something wrong when FL resizing (I adjust me LEE resizing die so that it touches the shellholder, lower ram then screw in another 1/4 turn). Could there be any damage to my rifles?

I also managed to recover 3 tsx's in the backstop (sand) one of which didn't expand. Here's a pick beside an Interbond I recovered in a deer I shot in 2007.
xyz016.jpg



Not:cool:


.
 
Looks to me you are sizing your brass way too much causing headspace issues.

When I setup my dies, I size my brass only enough to chamber a sized case, that way the headspace is as low as posible.

Annealing the necks on your .243 brass will make it last a lot longer.
 
For that reason alone is why my hunting ammo is always only once fired brass. I always leave the multi-fired brass for practice. Are you loads near max? I had an old Midland .30-06 that had a lower max charge with 180's than my dad's Rem 700 in .30-06. He could always load hotter than I could.
 
It looks like pressure problems despite what condition the primers are in, the over resizing of the brass is probably an issue too.
Try some new brass with your charge lowered by 10%, neck size after that with the same reduced charge, I would guess you will see substantial brass life increase.
PS, TSX have to be seated deeper than most bullets, get a Barnes manual and give it a good read.
 
Last edited:
Full Length sizing = short brass life.

Set your dies so you just bump the shoulder enough to facilitate easy chambering. Less if you dont mind a bit of a mushy felling on bolt closure.

If you cant get at least 6 loadings from a single piece of brass after setting your dies this way, your loading too hot.
 
Excessive headspace causes head seperation, not excess pressure.
The excessive headspace obviously came about by your over resizing the cases.
 
you might be setting the shoulder back to far when your resizing. back your fl die off a turn and a half. resize one piece and try in your rifle. if its too tight go down a quarter turn, use a new piece of fired brass and try again. when it chambers with slight resistance lock your die down. this may extend the life of your brass. also be sure to check the lenth and trim if nessasary.
 
With your .30/06 begin with a once fired case from that rifle and try to chamber it. If there is resistance to closing the bolt, adjust your sizer until the shoulder contacts the die. If you color the neck and shoulder with a magic marker it is easier to see the contact surfaces. When you attempt to chamber, if there is still resistance turn in the die half a turn and try again. Repeat until the cartridge chambers easily.

The necks of your .243 brass have work hardened resulting in linear splits. Give annealing a try, the topic has been covered here many times.

Don't worry about the TSX failing to expand in a sand backstop. The bullet is reliable when fired into a fluid bearing medium like a game animal.
 
With my most recent dies, Redding the instructions were to set the shell holder to the base of the die, then back it out one-half turn. Now resize, and if it fits the rifle easily, okay. If not, keep working it in in small increments until it chambers easily.
Mine chambered easily at the half turn back-off.
 
Don't worry about the TSX failing to expand in a sand backstop. The bullet is reliable when fired into a fluid bearing medium like a game animal.[/QUOTE]


Barnes bullets by design are meant to expand by hydraulic pressure from the bullet entering an animal. I shoot a 30-378 with 180gr TSXs and they are lethal on game. I just watched a vid on barnes bullets and it explains the expansion process when the bullet strikes an animal. My .02C.
 
Pathfinder said:
I had the same Issue with a swedish mauser in 6.5x55. Neck sizing or partial FL sizing will fix your problem.
Click to expand...

Regarding m14's, I know it's off topic, but Hungry told me to do the same while everyone else except some rare individuals advocated the opposit

as of right now I FL size the brass, still clueless about what's best
 
charles.emond said:
Regarding m14's, I know it's off topic, but Hungry told me to do the same while everyone else except some rare individuals advocated the opposit

as of right now I FL size the brass, still clueless about what's best
Click to expand...

If you are saying that you should FL size for a m14, yes, definitely. If there are any questions about m14 reloading, read http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf
 
I've read zedicker already, nothing that convinced me FL size is the absolute way to go
also read what fulton armory had to say, they talk in a more agressive way: NO 308WIN AT ALL IN M14 YOU NOOBS
 
Goose25 said:
brass had now been fired 4times in this rifle and FL resized & trimmed after every resize.
Click to expand...

My money says that whatever you're shooting your ammo in has a big chamber and you've stressed the bejeezus out of it by FL sizing every time.

Pull your bullets, dump the powder, flatten the brass and head to the store for new W-W 30-06 brass.

FL size it, then trim to a uniform length and chamfer. After each subsequent firing you neck size only and only trim as needed. If you find you have to, bump the shoulder occasionally but your brass should nearly outlast you if you take care of it.
 
Goose25 said:
xyz043.jpg

.
Click to expand...


I just wondered why you go through all the trouble of measuring all your brass and writting on it. Have you considered setting your trimmer and trimming all of it equally? I have never taken the time to write on my brass; I just set the trimmer and do all of them to the same length and go from there.
Havent seen your method before.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom