Is this brass ready for the scrap bin?

[slowr1der]

So I have a bunch of brass I was given. In it is a bunch of 30-30. As I was sorting through it all, I noticed about 60-70% of it has this deep scratch long the neck. It's a scratch not a split and it it also has it down the case. Some of them have it and some don't. I also noticed some have scratches on the case, but not the neck. It's deep enough that you can clearly feel it from the outside with a bent paper clip, but you can't feel it on the inside. I'm aware that when brass wears out it usually cracks at the case neck so this is making me think it would be more likely to crack here.

So should this all go in the scrap bin, or is it still good to use?
BTW this is all once fired brass. I'm not sure what scratched it.

 

[ScratchnDent]

My Dad would call those cases "Maypops". They may pop next time you fire them, or may not.

Being the frugal scrounger that I am, I'd save them and use them for light plinking loads or throw-away cases for situations where collecting my brass was not feasible.

 

[bowman1962]

YEP !

 

[longdayjake]

I shoot scratched cases through my AR all the time. Depending on how deep the gouge is I would feel fine shooting them.

 

[Sunray]

Damaged case necks. Pitch 'em.

 

[slowr1der]

For the ones that have these scratches in the actual case, but the neck looks fine, are these okay? Or should these be thrown away too? Usually, they aren't as deep on these.

 

[mbopp]

I'm cheap, I even trim neck-split 357 cases to 38 Spl length and keep using them.

But in this case I'd toss them. Deep scratches are a fatigue point.

 

[Furncliff]

You know what they say about the slightly odiferous snack in the zip lock you just pulled from the fridge?


When in doubt, throw it out.

 

[Strongbad]

Those all look pretty superficial to me. They'd probably nearly polish out in a tumbler. Either way, atleast from the pics they appear to be surface only. Not anything that would affect the case structurally. I'm wondering if they weren't resized in a die that had a burr or some trash in it thus resulting in a bunch of similarly scratched cases. That or the chamber in a gun they were fired in had a burr or similar. Leaning more on the die though. Anyway, it's the internet and worth what you paid for it but that's my $.02

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I would pitch 'em too.

 

[slowr1der]

They are once fired so I think it must be something in the chamber of the gun. That being said, that's after being left in a tumbler for 2 days. They aren't going to polish out as they aren't just surface scratches. They don't go all the way through, but they are fairly deep.

 

[Steve C]

I don't worry about surface scratches but if the cases have been reloaded several times and it could be the start of a crack I'd pitch 'em.

 

[243winxb]

The neck wall thickness is about .014" The scratch would have to be deeper than .004" for me to start to worry. The body of the brass is even thicker than the necks.

 

[THe Dove]

They're done. Pitchem'

The Dove

 

[UniversalFrost]

The gun that fired the brass has something messed up in the chamber. owner of the gun that shot this brass needs to have a gunsmith look at it and polish or hone the chamber.

as for the brass, i have reloaded and shot much worse, but that was with light loads and a bolt action that was rock solid. for your lever action I would say toss em' since the 30/30 brass is cheap and not worth the risk.

 

[fatelk]

From what I'm seeing in the photos, I wouldn't have any problem using them, myself. I agree with UniversalFrost that it's most likely the gun that scratched them.

I have some 50+ year old Canadian brass that I've reloaded several times. Supposedly it was some "battlefield pickup" ammo and some of it was dented and damaged. Quite a few had big scratches even worse than that. A few even went through the brass. Of course the worst went in the scrap bucket, but I reloaded quite a few with scratches like yours. After a few loadings they would inevitably start to split along the scratches, but minor splits in the case neck really don't hurt anything. A blowout in the case head is a whole different story...

Personally I think tossing them because of a scratch is a bit overboard, but to each their own. You are responsible for your own safety, and I wouldn't want to encourage you to do something you don't think is safe.

Some people will only use the very best, and trash it at the first sign on the slightest imperfection. On the other hand, there are those who will pick up 30-06 empties from the middle of a logging road -dented, scratched, and smashed-, straighten them out with needle-nose pliers, and reload them several times just to see how long they will last. If the brass is good quality to begin with, it is tougher than you might think. NOT RECOMMENDING THIS, JUST SAYING.

 

[rhubarb]

It's only your eyes in question. If the brass splits when fired and blows a case out the back of the chamber, many guns will hold the pressure. Lever guns are especially strong, right? It might blow up in your face, but you're gonna get free health insurance pretty soon, right?

Why worry?

 

[Eagle103]

30-30 brass is thin to begin with and those scratches look like they aren't just superficial. I would definately toss em.

 

[osprey176]

mail em to me.i'll make .30 and .357 herretts out of them.

 

[fatelk]

It's only your eyes in question. If the brass splits when fired and blows a case out the back of the chamber, many guns will hold the pressure.

I have never seen or even heard of a split case neck causing the base to rupture. These are two different things. On the other hand, I have come to appreciate good eye protection. I had a 45-70 case let go at the base once, without safety glasses. Fortunately no permanent eye damage, but I was sure worried for a while when I could barely see out of my right eye.

That's a great idea- making Herret brass out of them!