New cases splitting - why?

[joel6180]

What causes this kind of split? New .44 mag. brass, 240 gr. jsp, occurred with both 8.5 (light loaded) hp-38, and medium loaded 22 gr 4227. Marlin 1894 lever and Ruger Redhawk. CCI lpp. - almost 50% are failing. Cause? Thanks, Joel

 

[greenmtnguy]

What brand of brass? What is your reloading die setup (Did you FL resize these, and have you checked your die set for scratches/burrs/roughness inside)? I normally associate case splitting at the mouth end of the case - these appear to be holes formed just above the case head line.

Looks at some loaded cartridges carefully and see if you can detect any marks in that area from your reloading setup. Also, just try cycling the ammo (without firing) through your firearm and examine it afterward to see if there are any strange marks on it - I'd seen something a little bit like this once with +P loads and crappy brass on an autoloader pistol, where the brass near that area is not supported well because of the relief for the extractor - but that wouldn't apply in your case, especially in the redhawk.

 

[rcmodel]

Doing it in two different guns, with light or heavy loads??

Bad / defective brass.

Simple as that.

rc

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I'd contact the maker of the brass and see if they've had any other complaints. I'd bet you're not the only one.

 

[Walkalong]

Bad batch of brass. Like rcmodel said, simple as that.

 

[Catpop]

I heard this from another 44 mag reloader about a year ago. 75% of his cases were splitting. I never got to see cases. Had forgot about it until now.

 

[Rule3]

Doesn't even look look a "split" to me. More of a blow out hole???

What brass? Never been loaded before?

 

[jmorris]

I would stop loading and shooting them, contact the outfit that made them for return/exchange.

 

[ljnowell]

Another vote for bad brass. Same failure in two different firearms pretty well confirms it.

 

[joel6180]

I got 150 (3 boxes) of Remington empty unprimed cases from a fellow that sells old reloading stuff at a small local gun show. $3 a box, so no big deal, except I didn't want to be unsafe if I was doing something wrong. Thanks, Joel

 

[Rule3]

I got 150 (3 boxes) of Remington empty unprimed cases from a fellow that sells old reloading stuff at a small local gun show. $3 a box, so no big deal, except I didn't want to be unsafe if I was doing something wrong. Thanks, Joel

Hmmmm? Local Gun show, $3/box? Who knows they may be really, really old and reloaded a thousand times.. Scrap pile and get some new brass.

 

[joel6180]

3 brand new boxes, unprimed, uniform, never sized. These images show a box that I have primed, and a box that is still unprimed.

 

[Rule3]

Compare that box label to some of the newer ones?? Might even check the lot number and write or call Remington? Looks like an older box.

I really have no idea. Just a thought. Clearly something is wrong and consensus was bad brass. We can speculate all we want. It still looks like perforations and not a split.

Try some new brass.

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortb...&newcategorydimensionid=15590&searchscope=all

http://www.remington.com/product-categories/ammunition.aspx

 

[Springfield0612]

Its easy to make old used brass look like new. It takes about 4 hours with a tumbler and stainless steel pins. For $3 a box I'd cut my losses and not risk damage to the guns.
It'll be cheaper and easier on your mental state to get better brass.

 

[joel6180]

OK - Thanks for all your help. Joel

 

[witchhunter]

Yeah, if you are within published data spec with your loads, it must be the brass. I got a great deal on a hundred .257 Weatherby brass last year at a garage sale. You shoulda seen me grinning on my way home! After I sized it you could push the primers in with your thumb....for my ten bucks all I got was about 1.50 in scrap brass!

 

[greenmtnguy]

Anytime I think that I got a deal that was too good to be true, it turned out to be a complete waste of time and money. You always get what ya pay for!