Is this Case Separating?

J

jackstrawIII

New member
Another rookie question here:

I just FL resized this 270 Win brass for the first time. It is once fired. I'm getting these lines on some of them, but not all. Cases shouldn't be separating this quickly, right? Is it possible that they're not actually separating, but that this ring is being caused by the die in some way?

I've read both opinions: that this sort of mark indicates a problem, and that it doesn't. Help!
 

Attachments

  • RenderedContent-7EB3FB19-1D5C-4DAB-99AF-928DCDB36D76.JPG
    RenderedContent-7EB3FB19-1D5C-4DAB-99AF-928DCDB36D76.JPG
    109.4 KB · Views: 309
Looks like it. Take a paper clip and bend a hook at the end, then scrape the hook along the inside of the case and see if it catches or drags around the base near that mark.
 
Did you run them through the sizing die already? If so, that mark would appear to be 'normal'. If you have not ran them through the sizing die then I would do the paper clip test as described above.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I did the paperclip test and the inside of the case walls are as smooth as can be, all the way down. Guess the cases are good to go.

I'll keep an eye on them as I fire through a few more cycles, but I guess that answers my question.
 
Clean the brass!
Lube/crud ring where the die stopped sizing.

When you get a pronounced 'Lip' you have issues, I don't see a lip.
The stop line is there on all the brass in your picture, some are darker than others.
 
Clean the brass?

Jeephammer, tumbling brass before sizing makes it difficult for me to resize. I have seen that several of you do tumble clean first and wonder about that.
Do you reclean to remove the lubricant? I wipe fired brass off before sizing, or if it is pick up brass I wash in water and dry first, but to tumble first, not going to do that, again.
 
:confused:

What issue did you have with tumbling first? Thats how pretty much eveyone does it. You dont want sand and gunk going into your dies.

Tumble.
Lube.
Size.
Wipe off.
Load.
 
Everyone does it there way...

I won't put a dirty brass in my dies/processing equipment.
Too hard on the dies, etc.

Wet tumble before working, spotless clean inside & out.
Work the brass with reasonable lube,
Dry tumble/polish when they are loaded.
 
Yeah it looks like lube marks from sizing from where the die stops . Here are some cases with one to the point of cracking and separating and the others well on there way there .

G9JFNo.jpg


Notice the difference in the line on my cases compared to yours ?
 
MG,
I do the same thing, neck crush when I find a defect.
The junk man don't care when I sell yellow brass..

Outstanding! Makes SURE it doesn't leak back into useage!

I'd say you put some miles on those cases!
 
I just FL resized this 270 Win brass for the first time. It is once fired. I'm getting these lines on some of them, but not all. Cases shouldn't be separating this quickly, right? Is it possible that they're not actually separating, but that this ring is being caused by the die in some way?
Click to expand...

You just resized your brass and then noticed ring abound the case? I believe I would have noticed the ring before sizing if it existed when fired for the first time. And then there are rifles with different designs.

And as always there are different methods and techniques; many reloaders can talk this to death, not me. If I was concerned with case head separation/insipient case head separation I would run the case into the sizing die without lube. Before I confuse anyone I will take the time to explain; raising the ram on a case without lube will stick the case in the die. When the ram is lowered the case will remain stuck (and then), if the case head is separating it should not be a problem pulling the case apart.

I am sure you listed the information on the case head and make and model of the rifle.

F. Guffey
 
Yea they are witness marks where the die stopped sizing. The lube ring is normal. No problem

In that case we get stretching along with thinning of the case as metal god shows in his picture.
The stretching of the cases from metal god's picture are from excess head space I believe. What happens is the head stays against the bolt face and the shoulder of the case is driven to the shoulder of the chamber when the cartridge is fired. If the gap is more than 0.002-3K That's where the case will stretch and if continues case will separate. That's where you want to just bump the shoulder 0.002-3K when Full Length sizing.

It took me many years to eventually understand it all. That is if I do. :o

I'm open for comment's. After all the Firing line is the best communications I now of on the subject.
 
Bumping the Shoulder

Thanks for all the comments, quick follow up question:

How does one "bump the shoulder"? From what I can tell, the FL sizing die isn't adjustable. Meaning, as long as you run the case all the way through, there shouldn't be a way to adjust where the shoulder is place. Right?
 
In that case we get stretching along with thinning of the case as metal god shows in his picture.
The stretching of the cases from metal god's picture are from excess head space I believe. What happens is the head stays against the bolt face and the shoulder of the case is driven to the shoulder of the chamber when the cartridge is fired. If the gap is more than 0.002-3K That's where the case will stretch and if continues case will separate. That's where you want to just bump the shoulder 0.002-3K when Full Length sizing.
Click to expand...

Longshot, I test the content of a mans character by disagreeing with him. When it comes to content of character we all could take lessons from Unclenick.

excess head space I believe.
Click to expand...

I like that as in "I believe", that means I am allowed to disagree, there was a time the forums had a saying; it started out by claiming the firing pin drove the case to the front of the chamber. The case included the bullet, powder and case. I always asked how can that happen because I have killer firing pins. It was not long after that there was a claim the case shortened .005" from the shoulder of the case to the case head by the impact of the firing pin and again I said "Life is not fair, I have killer firing pins and my cases do not shortend in length between the shoulder to the case head even when there is a failure to fire. I tested 5 failure to fire rounds that had been chambered in 3 different rifles and the primers were hit at least 5 times without firing, when rounds from the same box were compared to the fail to fire rounds the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head was the same.

POINT!? If the case shortened when the firing pin struck the primer there is nothing a reloader can do to prevent case head separation because the claim made insist the case shortened .005". By design and before the reloader gets involved we start with .005" difference in length between the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face and from the shoulder of the case to the case head.

For those that are keeping up the case went from minimum length to .010" shorter than the chamber when measuring from the 'usual places'. OR the same as firing a minimum length/full length sized case in a no go-gage length chamber.

F. Guffey
 
So correct me if you see fit.

If I place a .003 shim between the shell holder and the case when FL sizing. Won't I have a .002 bump? Of course to check I would try chambering the cartridge case to see if the bolt closes easily. If the chamber is too tight or not bumped the bolt would give résistance when trying to close.

Unclenick has my vote as way above us. I even understand him more often than some others. And for you mister Guffey I always welcome your input but though it is often over my head. Although it also seams at times that you try to complicate or try not to make it simple.

The Firing line is still my favorite loading source.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top