More Split Necks Since Switching To Pins For Cleaning Brass

[cfullgraf]

bds, good plan, but the batches need to be at least a 100 cases each, more if possible.

The percentage of failures in the OP original post was pretty low. Proper results could get masked due to small batch sizes.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

I don't plan on buying another 100 Win cases anytime soon but would be interested in hearing the results of this test if anyone decides to take up the challenge.

I also wanted to mention that I do lube the necks prior to resizing. I use RCBS case lube on a Q-tip, but still find the expander is more difficult to remove from the cases than when I was tumbling with corn (I used the same lube for corn).

 

[BADUNAME37]

Could it be that an extremely narrow hairline crack that would not typically be noticed using regular media are showing up as the little points clean into the hairline crack?

Perhaps there are (more-frequently than we are aware of) extremely tiny cracks in the case mouths which mostly go undetected using regular media but are suddenly brought into view with the pins.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

Could it be that an extremely narrow hairline crack that would not typically be noticed using regular media are showing up as the little points clean into the hairline crack?

Perhaps there are (more-frequently than we are aware of) extremely tiny cracks in the case mouths which mostly go undetected using regular media but are suddenly brought into view with the pins.

Even when I was using corn I would clean any powder residue from the necks with either steel wool or brass cleaner so I'm fairly certain I would have seen these splits. I could tell some were split when the expander was removed from the case. Since there seems to be others reporting more problems lately with once fired brass I'm inclined to believe it is bad brass and not the method of cleaning.

 

[788Ham]

I bought a case, 1000 rounds of Rem. .223 cartridges about 12 years ago. I've shot about 300 rounds of it, then have reloaded them about 6 to 7 times, maybe 4 split necks out of those 300 reloaded brass. I have on occasion in the last 6 mos. bought 3 or 4 boxes of .223 when I didn't take enough to a P'dog shoot. I've reloaded those, Win. brand brass, probably 10 possibly 12 brass cases have split necks, reloaded only twice, and tumble in walnut media. Who knows?

 

[Otto]

I also wanted to mention that I do lube the necks prior to resizing. I use RCBS case lube on a Q-tip, but still find the expander is more difficult to remove from the cases than when I was tumbling with corn (I used the same lube for corn).

Right. Your expander is likely the culprit. The FL sizer squeezes the neck too small and the expander enlarges it too much. Using a bushing neck sizer doesn't over-work the brass and you won't need to use an expander either.

A 4-6% failure rate is normal with Winchester... it has nothing to do with tumbling.
Best to use Lapua brass with a Redding Type-S bushing die.

 

[SHOOOTER1]

that is why i use only remington brass. never had a problem with it. i have reloaded .223 - 243 - 270 - 280 - 7mm mag using remington brass and never had a problem. have tried some fc's and winchester brass given to me and found it seems to be harder. tried 50 rounds of the nosler(expensive!!!) and found it to be good (only reloaded and worked it 2wce). i'll stick with remington. just my opinion.

 

[BADUNAME37]

Perhaps these are cases that the factory would have tossed back to melt down in the past, but are now pushing them through due to supply and demand.

If that is the case (sic) then I guess we need to then figure out which brass cases are now the best, coming from the factory.

I have used Winchester 22-250 cases I bought new over 20 years ago and shoot a pretty hot load with them. I have reloaded them several times so far and have yet to have even one case fail on me. Realize, I do not shoot often and we are talking about 100 cases over the course of nearly 25 or 30 years.