First split necks in Prvi .303 cases: 3-4 reloads.

[Ignition Override]

The previous Stress indications after shooting were always thin, pale rings next to the rim, maybe an extremely thin 'slot' by the rim.

Having reloaded .303 over a thousand times, neck-sizing only, this is puzzling. The bullets are always 150 grain, still only neck-sizing.

Recently began using an old powder inherited by a friend from his father, who lived in College Station and spent his entire life in south Texas.
The powder was in a tall, semi-opaque, pale plastic bottle with about 2 lbs. of powder: "Win. Ball Rifle Powder, WC852 (Similar to H380)".

I used minimum 380 loads in the Lee chart for these bullets.

 

[jstein650]

"maybe an extremely thin 'slot' by the rim."

Do you mean a fracture in the brass near the base??

Have you ever tried annealing the brass?

 

[Curator]

Even if neck sizing only, brass is subjected to work hardening both in the initial squeezing down then when the expander button is pulled back through the neck. If you want long brass life with the .303 British in military rifles, begin with new cases, fire-form for zero head space, then neck size using the Lee collet die. Obviously you will have to segregate your brass for each individual rifle, and keep away from near-maximum loads. Firing factory ammo to get brass for reloading almost guarantees short brass life. Privi is good brass but must fit ALL rifles chambered for .303 British so is made purposely as undersize as practical. Initial firing stretches the case head area substantially usually resulting in case-head separation after 4 or 5 loadings. New cases fire-formed with the cartridge head held against the bolt face will only expand forward in the neck/shoulder area keeping the case head/web area strong and unstretched.

 

[Romeo 33 Delta]

100% with Curator! Here's a list of my .303s and each rifle is matched to it's individual 50 round box of ammo.

MARTINI-ENFIELD MkIII .303 MUSKET
LEE-MEDFORD No.1 Mk-I* RIFLE
LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-1* RIFLE with Parker-Hale P-H 6A Target Sight
LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-I RIFLE
LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-I SHORT RIFLE
LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-1 CLLE SHORT RIFLE
LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-II* CLLE RIFLE
LEE-ENFIELD R.I.C. CARBINE
Sht LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-I*** RIFLE
Sht LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-III RIFLE
Sht LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-III*** RIFLE
Sht LEE-ENFIELD No.1 Mk-V RIFLE
ENFIELD No. 4 Mk-I RIFLE
ENFIELD No. 5 Mk-I CARBINE
ENFIELD P-14 Mk-I RIFLE
ROSS Mk-II (M-1905) INFANTRY RIFLE
ROSS Mk-III (M-1910) INFANTRY RIFLE
ROSS Mk-II (M-1911) INFANTRY RIFLE TARGET
ROSS Mk-III (M-1910) SHORT RIFLE

Get boxes from whomever you like best, buy a Brother label machine and some 3/8" black on white tape cartridges and label the rifle and ammo box with the rifle model and serial number ... then there's no way you can have a mix-up.

When I get done with a shooting session I deprime/neck size each box, clean the primer pockets and run them, box by box through my tumbler and rebox them for reloading in the Winter. Then, when I can't shoot any longer I start reloading ... with CLEAN components ... ready to go. (I also have a card with each box that tells me my load data ... but you could print lables for each box if you wanted to).

Yep, it's a bunch of boxes, but it saves your brass (I'm over 10 loadings on some of my R-P brass). If you start when you have only a few rifles, it doesn't "bite" so much.

Been doing this for 30+ years and it (neck sizing) is the perfect way to go for bolt guns!

 

[Ignition Override]

Thanks for the detailed info.
To clarify, until this last session, most of my Prvi lasted eight or ten times. The brass then had very thin pale rings by the rims.

When a rare very thin gap is felt right next to the rim (in contrast to having the usual pale ring when stretched), I throw these away. Maybe the used military brass which I bought were manufactured with those thin gaps by the rims, all around the circumference. You can feel it with a fingernail, but barely see them.

Having no welding torch (and the cost might defeat the purpose), I might consider baking some brass in the oven (on a cookie sheet) at about 200* for a bit, it this is still viewed as safe annealing.

If we buy what is labeled once-used brass, it was also new, so what is the advantage of buying what somebody else bought as new ammo?

 

[jstein650]

I would never consider putting any brass in an oven at any temperature. A propane torch head is cheap. At any rate, ONLY the shoulder and neck get annealed, so it won't help the stretch ring and weakening near the rim after multiple firings/reloads. I've only done it to help with neck splitting. Brass arranged in a shallow tin with about an inch of water works well. If you do it in a dimly lit room, you can seen just when the brass starts to become a faint red, then back off and they will cool pretty quickly in the water. (if you decide to do it anyway)

 

[Ignition Override]

jstein650:
I will look at the prices of those propane torch heads in a few days. Thanks.

 

[oldpapps]

First, I think what you are describing is head separation. See photo - No that's not a 303 case.
To check the brass, I use a hook made of a large metal paper clip. A sharp edge dragged on the interior of each case from the head out. If a rough band is found, that case is scrap.
Head separation is going to happen. As the case is fired, it is stretched just a little. It both gets longer (trim to length) and the case get thinner, usually just in front of the head/web. excessive head space rushes the stretching. SMLEs are known to have head spacing issues. The bolt heads come in differing lengths to correct for this.

Next, brass is heat treated, annealed with temperatures of 500 and 600 degrees, not 200 degrees. The annealing is to soften the case neck and mouth. The head and web should not be softened any. It must be hard and strong. I will not get into how to anneal, that is covered many places better than I can explain it here. And, I dry my brass in the oven, granted I preheat the oven and turn it off when I put wet brass in so it all cools (and dries) together.

Last, I don't think that powder types are going to effect head separation.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=176240&stc=1&d=1355684152
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=183084&stc=1&d=1366574273