Bright ring after resizing?

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scythefwd

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Guys, I just resized some .30-30 brass (not range pickup but from my own rifle). The brass looked fine before I put it through the die, but after wards there is a bright ring right about where the case head is. The ring didn't show up until I resized. Could this indicate a pending case head separation, or just a rough spot in my die. I figured that the round would show the ring after firing, not after sizing if case head separation was going to happen. All of the brass I have sized has done this out of this die.

I'll post pictures when I get home.
 
Pardon the ignorance, but what exactly am I looking for? I know that if the head is separated internally to pitch the brass, but anything else? Excessive thinning of the case right there? Any other suggestions to work on as well?
 
Yes, thinning in that area. About every reloading manual will have a picture of a case
that's been cut open. You can also use a paperclip (or similar) bent at a 90 degree angle to probe inside the case for a ledge. The most prudent thing is to cut one open and look.
Check your records and see how many times they have been loaded as well.
 
Take a picture. Its worth a 1000 words of description.

Frankly it would be highly unusual for there to be any problem with once fired and resized brass. If it was 7 or 8 times resized then maybe there's a problem.
 
OYE and Steve - This is once fired brass, and that is what threw me. I either saw the rifle it was fired out of (nice looking lever action) or it was out of my gun. I was there when the trigger was pulled. Pics to follow of the cut open case. Woo hoo I get to play with the dremel :)
 
I would say it's unlikely then. Better safe than sorry. Doesn't hurt to check it out anyway. I applaud you for only picking up the new brass. VERY GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
OYE - I don't know what a reloader is doing with their brass. There was a guy about 3 stalls down from me that had 1 .308 win round feel more like a .300 wby. BIG deep boom. Sounded off to me. Who knows what damage he may have done to the brass... I prefer to keep my fingers so I only look for once used factory loaded brass to play with. Anything else could have been abused to about breaking and my life isn't worth that much cheap brass.
 
That's right. That's why those manuals stress that. If you keep records, you'll never have those blown cases, case head separations, etc...etc... . You'll discard the brass before it happens. GOOD FOR YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I get "bright rings" from time to time on my .30-06 brass out of my garand on once-fired brass. If there's just a little high spot down near the base the die polishes the brass just a bit there when it resizes.

You just need to prove to yourself that it isn't impending head separation from something being way out of spec with your rifle or the brass. Remember that .30-30 headspaces on the rim, so things work a little differently in the chamber than with rimless brass.

-J.
 
good thread walkalong. Great pics in that one.

Walkalong, is 1 time fired too much? The ring doesn't show until the first resize. I'm going to cut one, then discussion should be able to continue in a meaningful manner. Til then, we're just guessing.
 
My 30-30 dies will polish the brass right where it goes from hollow to solid first time and every time. It has done that since day one many years ago. I just check a few with the bent paper clip. I've never found one ready to separate yet. And it only takes a few seconds to check it. Generally my brass gives up the ghost by splitting at the neck. Or I figure it has done it's job and I toss it before it even splits.
 
it would be highly unusual for there to be any problem with once fired and resized brass.
Click to expand...
Not a common problem, but anytime you have excess headspace over .010" the damage to the brass can happen. Some old military rifles using factory ammo will have separations on the first firing. Fire forming brass for a wildcat can also separate on the first firing. There are 2 headspaces. Cartridge headspace is controled by the sizing die. Chamber headspace is the fixed rifles chamber/bolt.
 
Type and manufacturer of the rifle you are using. The load that you are firing. And, maybe, a few measurements of the loaded round.

Most .30-30 cases that I resize have a faint ring just about a quarter of an inch above the case head after resizing. This is about where the case web ends. My loads are just below maximum powder charge (32 to 33 grains of W-748 under a 170 grain FNSP). I have, yet, had a seperation problem and my Winchester .30 WCF is over 60 years old and definately has an ample chamber causing me to have to custom tailor each case to this rifle. With excellent results I might add (1 5/8" three shot spread at 100 yards).

If you are resizing the case and pushing the shoulder back too far you stretch the case every time you fire it. You need to insure the shoulder is touching the chamber forward wall. Yes the .30-30 head spaces on the case head, but most Winchesters have ample chambers and might not be keeping the case properly head spaced. Hense using the shoulder to aid in keeping the case head against the bolt face will help remedy this problem. Are you experiencing partually backed out primer too?
 
Walkalong, is 1 time fired too much?
Click to expand...
For most applications absolutely not. Naturally there are exceptions. For a bolt gun or semi auto with reasonably decent chambers, assuming you do not oversize, brass will last many firings. How many depends on the pressures, the fit of the case to the chamber, action stretch, how much the shoulder is pushed back when sizing, etc.

I have seven .223 cases that have been loaded for the 14th time. (Was 8. Lost one to a very loose primer pocket) Not all full loads, but close. The primer pockets are a little loose, but there is no sign of case head separation in any of them.
 
Will the rifle chamber the unsized fired brass (in your rifle) with no problem. If so, neck size only, for full length resizing after every firing will only work the brass more and lead to quicker failure.
 
If the rifle is a lever action you're better off to FL size it. Although there are those to do use neck sizing. However, I'm not one of them.
 
false alam. I checked with a paper clip and I couldn't feel anything. I ripped the case open and there wasn't any thinning. Looks like this die “polishes" the brass like qajaq's and bushmaster's does. This is a new die to me so I guess I was just being paranoid. My 30-06 die doesn't leave that mark so I was a little worried that my chamber was a bit too big. It's a savage 840, and these were factory fresh corelokts.
 
I have some 30-30 rounds that have been loaded from 8 to 15 times. The only failures I have seen are neck splits. I watch for separation rings, but haven't found any.
Generally I shoot them around 5 times with hot loads (full loads), and then I put them in the fun pile. Then I shoot them with reduced loads until the neck splits. Don't know if this is good info, but it is how I do it for my 30-30s. Your experience maybe different.

And I think you the shinny brass you are seeing is from the sizing die. It is common when you adjust per the die instructions. Sometimes you have to adjust the die, but I would bet that is what you are seeing. Post a pic if you can. I will post one later as well, and we can compare. If we what I think we will see. It is just from FL sizing.
 
You were merely being understandably cautious. That is a good thing, as qajaq59 posted.
 
I have been given thousands of pieces of brass because of "that little ring" almost 100% of the time,it comes from the die not being set right,which may be different than "per the instructions"....jwr
 
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