gamestalker
member
I have been reloading for this particular 700 SPS chambered in 7 mag for about 4 yrs, bought it new. It has had some where around 1500 of my reloads through it, all using RL22 and never any sign of excessive pressures. Anyway, my brass has recently been showing what appears to be a radial fracture transfer from the chamber. Since I inspect my brass after each round fired, I saw the extrusion transfer on the brass from the initial point of origin as it quickly grew in radial size. I have not had a case head separation, ever, and can't imagine how, or why this could have happened. During the last 20 rounds the radial extrusion on the brass has increased in length from one round to the next. If I had been having head separations I could see how I would have damaged the chamber with gas cutting, but this is not the case at all. All my brass has always been clean and in good condition following each firing.
I'm bummed.
The common load I run, and the one's that I was running when this occured was 64.5 grains of RL22 and a 139 gr Hornady with necked Win brass, OAL at .010" off the lands, same load I have been shooting for ever in all my 7 mags. without incident. My brass has always looked 100% normal without any incipient head separations or gas leaks any where. I'm extremely anal about my brass inspection process and never use brass that is in question of being worthy to reload.
Anyone else ever seen something like this happen without any probable cause on the 700 SPS 7 mag.?
I'm bummed.
The common load I run, and the one's that I was running when this occured was 64.5 grains of RL22 and a 139 gr Hornady with necked Win brass, OAL at .010" off the lands, same load I have been shooting for ever in all my 7 mags. without incident. My brass has always looked 100% normal without any incipient head separations or gas leaks any where. I'm extremely anal about my brass inspection process and never use brass that is in question of being worthy to reload.
Anyone else ever seen something like this happen without any probable cause on the 700 SPS 7 mag.?