Cartrage failure
- Thread starter Above49TH
- Start date
Rod B
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If this is older surplus military brass it may have got brittle over the years & resulted in the failure shown above.
I have some old WW2 vintage .303 ammo that is marked with a 1942 date. I don't shoot this stuff often but I do inspect each case after firing. Can't be too careful.
I have some old WW2 vintage .303 ammo that is marked with a 1942 date. I don't shoot this stuff often but I do inspect each case after firing. Can't be too careful.
It looks like an older vintage balloon head case, and not a more modern solid head case, like the one next to it. Manufacturing processes weren't as precise then as they are now, and if it was meant to be fired in battle, the cartridge didn't "fail" per say. It just is not any good for a reloader, sad to say. Probably a lot of those type of "defects" back in the day that nobody noticed.
It might be a case of age and poor storage, but I doubt it. Just a manufacturing defect that I really hope didn't hurt anyone.
It might be a case of age and poor storage, but I doubt it. Just a manufacturing defect that I really hope didn't hurt anyone.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
"A factory loaded 303 British MK VII." It did exactly what is supposed to - it sent a 174 grain bullet down range. The folks that made MK VII ammunition had more important things on their mind than those of us that think to refill their cases....
Yes this was a vintage MK VII cartridge.
This was the last of what I had purchased back when it was available.
Went to the range to make sure it was ready for the milsurp shoot this week end,
and thought I would compare the fresh box to the vintage.
After a few shoots I placed the rifle on the bench to check the placement of the shoots.
I seen a wift of smoke ,so I ejected it onto the bench and found the split.
I thought it was just the old shell that was the problem.
The new shell that you pointed out was fired from a bench rest right after the old one.
I guess I will retire the last two box's of $5.99 ammo
Thanks for all your input.
This was the last of what I had purchased back when it was available.
Went to the range to make sure it was ready for the milsurp shoot this week end,
and thought I would compare the fresh box to the vintage.
After a few shoots I placed the rifle on the bench to check the placement of the shoots.
I seen a wift of smoke ,so I ejected it onto the bench and found the split.
I thought it was just the old shell that was the problem.
The new shell that you pointed out was fired from a bench rest right after the old one.
I guess I will retire the last two box's of $5.99 ammo
Thanks for all your input.
I would agree with this. I don't see signs of embrittlement (i.e. cracking) in the case. I'd think that the ammo would have to be stored I very specific conditions for the brass to deteriorate over time and this would show other signs.
Yes for at least the last 30 years it has been stored cool and dry.
That's why its as clean as the new brass beside it.
The one beside it was fired right after the torched one.
I put the rifle in a bench rest and loaded the new cartridge.
There was no leakage but I forgot to wipe the barrel so a shadow
was left on the new one.
That's why its as clean as the new brass beside it.
The one beside it was fired right after the torched one.
I put the rifle in a bench rest and loaded the new cartridge.
There was no leakage but I forgot to wipe the barrel so a shadow
was left on the new one.
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Neither the split nor the mark on the following case are unusual. The mark on the following brass is left from residue in the chamber at the split from the previous failure. Unless the chamber was slightly pitted which I doubt it will be gone with proper cleaning. Some of that old brass was questionable at best and so were the extrusion methods. The case in the pics is a good example of some of the acceptable failures that for many of us old timers that regularly shot thousands of rounds of cheap surplus brass. Some of the worst was the US 30-40 Krag loaded by UMC and Frankford Arsenals. That stuff would split every neck or blow out the shoulders or sidewalls of every round. The brass was very brittle. Some of the old black powder cartridges which were once sold as surplus were even worse. They were often very high in copper content and extreme care needed to be taken to wear eye protection.
That is one of the beauties of the 303 cartridge. That flange which we all think is for easy ejection is also a built in shield that protects us from minor failures.
