Is this round safe to fire?

I

Ike Clanton

New member
I loaded my first batch of 308. I found a round that had a small bulge around the neck. I believe some powder got stuck in the neck during the seating process since I can often see kernels stick to the inside of the neck. I showed two of my reloading buddies who say it’s safe to fire. Just want a second opinion. Thanks! PS let me know if the crimp looks good too.
 

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With that bulge it might not chamber easily. If it's just one cartridge, just carefull pull the bullet and find the source of the bulge....
 
I would pull the bullet and have a look see, i would just have to not that the round is not safe to fire, I want to know what happen !!!
 
As long as it chambers fine, use it as a fouling shot.
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I agree, and in fact, it will probably shoot to the same point of impact as all your other rounds. That is, as long as it chambers without resistance. You do not want a "pinched" case neck. If the case neck is pinched, there is the real possibility of increased pressures. Just how much is impossible to predict, but there must be clearance to allow the case neck to expand and release the bullet.

As you can see in this cartridge headspace case guage, the amount of clearance between a fully sized case and a SAAMI minimum chamber is very small.

XOHUEzE.jpg
 
I've never seen too much lube dimple a case OUT. Looks like a nugget of powder got stuck between the bullet and the case neck. As long as it chambered, I'd fire it.
 
often see kernels stick to the inside of the neck.
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Use a dry lube inside the necks or wipe it dry with a Q tip.

I have this problem with RCBS 2 lube applied with a nylon brush, when to much lube is used.

Used to use the Lee lube and apply with a q tip. This caused lube to be trapped between the bullet and neck case wall. Not good for accuracy.
 
PS let me know if the crimp looks good too.
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My advice: Shoot it.
OP's crimp: What I see is a far to heavy crimp. Seater die should be adjusted to apply a nice rolled looking edge. Your current banded crimp will surely shorten the lifespan of your 08 brass.

FYI: Seater dies have 3 crimps built in. That quickly change from one into another by as little as 1/8 or a turn on the dies lock ring.
Straight wall crimp. A rolled edge crimp. A heavy Banded like crimp. Yours appears to be the later.

The only time a Banded crimp is required.
1._ On big bore magnum cartridges known for their excessive recoil. Or.
2._Cartridges used in machine guns.
 
I would not shoot that round in one of my rifles, I have no promise the bulge is not a metal shaving, bulges? There is just something wrong with them. And then there is the crimp,

F. Guffey
 
I agree, and in fact, it will probably shoot to the same point of impact as all your other rounds.
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Again, the case does not have head space and when fired the neck expands and I can forget repeating the part where reloaders do not know or understand what happens between pulling the trigger and the bullet leaving the barrel.

If the bulge is harder than the bullet and gas expands the neck and the bulge imbeds into the bullet etc., it is possible you could have figured a new way to cut rifling in the barrel.

This reminds me of the North Texas shooter that purchased 308 W ammo for a 25/06, he only managed to get one round off before he had to get the rifle fixed. kibitzers were taking wild guestimates on how long the bullet was when it left the barrel.

F. Guffey
 
In fifty years of reloading I've never seen powder do that to a case. The bullet fit is so tight going into the neck that any powder kernels there would be pushed down and out of the way. Is this a compressed powder charge load?
 
Ike Clanton,

The crimp looks like it is too low on the cannelure and probably not even on it at the bottom. If that was done with a Lee Factory Crimp die, it explains the form of the crimp, but if you did that on a conventional seating die's roll crimp shoulder, you have not only not seated the bullet deeply enough, you pushed it into the crimp shoulder so hard it went past the mouth. That would certainly explain outward bulging. The correct seating depth should finish with only 0.010-0.015" or so of cannelure showing above the case mouth, even if that means seating below SAAMI maximum COL (2.810" for the .308 Winchester).
 
Hmmm?

I see a bulge and a dimple.

How are you charging your cases...automatically or manually?

Is your load a compressed load?

Are you annealing your brass prior to sizing?

My opinion is to take this round apart; do you have a bullet puller?

Which press are you using?
 
I see a WAY hard crimp, and a neck in the second stage of buckling.

My question would be, if this is the first time reloading, why a crimp at all?

I always sneak up on crimp, firing a few to see if recoil or chamberings move any of the bullets and adjust crimp from there... AS NEEDED!
 
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