Problem with 7.62 x 54r reloads

[aprayinbear]

What is going on?

I recently reloaded some 7.62 x 54r for target work with my MN. I was using winchester brass, standard large rifle primers and Hornady .3105" 174 gr FMJ/BT. I don't remember the exact dimensions of the bore when I slugged it several years ago, but as I recall it was approximately .312. I have used .313 lead bullets that I purchased with good success. I seated the bullets to the crimp groove. Powder was 43 grains Varget. Lee lists that as a starting load for 180 gr. jacketed bullets, so I figured I was safe.

Anyway, my accuracy was good, recoil was manageable, but look a what I found with several of the cases. Yuck! Don't know what caused this. Brass has probably been reloaded 4-5 times with light gallery loads prior with no noticeable signs of wear.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/aprayinbear/IMG_0694_zpsf665c29d.jpg

After taking some fine steel wool to the brass this is what I was left with...

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/aprayinbear/IMG_0695_zpsa9486397.jpg

and this is what the primer looked like......

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f341/aprayinbear/IMG_0697_zps63b277cd.jpg

Once I cleaned the brass a bit I looked for cracks, etc, but could not feel any. The primer seems flattened a bit.

Also, I forgot to mention that the brass was shiny and clean when I started.

If you have any thoughts, please help. Of course I want to be safe.:help:

 

[docsleepy]

can't see your photos. Did you upload them using the dialog (wizard) box? It will take jpg's from your computer up to about 250Kb

 

[rcmodel]

Looks like some long term corrosion that has taken place over the years.

Your full pressure loads finally made it let go.

Nothing you did recently could have caused the pink brass under the soot or corrosion on the ones you polished with steel wool.

The most likely suspect would be ammonia polishing with brass-o some time ago, or vinegar cleaning, or laying on the ground too long before you got them.

But whatever it was, it was not the load you used last week.

The pink color brass after the black was cleaned off indicates the Zinc has been leached out of the cartridge brass by weather, or copper solvent, or some bore cleaner containing ammonia in contact with the cases for an extended period of time.

rc

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

With RC on this.

You might also have had them sitting in bottom of something and a solvent or water was in contact for some time. The color is electrolytic and you might not get a lot of loads before they show failure signs. Even sitting in grass on the ground, if the grass had ammonia or urea fertilizer applied, might cause this a few months later. Other chances are ammonia in chamber, gets in contact with brass, or bad things from previous cleaning not removed from chamber.

There probably is no real issue for a little while, until the cases lose enough integrity they don't hold up. The fact you could buff it off indicates they aren't completely oxidized.

I have reloaded same headstamp cases picked up and they had lots of discoloration compared to my other types. Even though it says Winchester, those cases are made in Serbia, Czech Republic, or somewhere east on contract, maybe by Sellier and Belloit.

My opinion on quality of brass for 7.62X54R goes top to bottom:

Lapua
nny (cyrillic) although soft (from box of Hornady?)
Norma
S & B
WIN

all work well enough. They do not shoot to same point with same loads. This rating is mostly based on tightness of groups shot with each.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

My opinion on quality of brass for 7.62X54R goes top to bottom:

Lapua
nny (cyrillic) although soft (from box of Hornady?)
Norma
S & B
WIN

all work well enough. They do not shoot to same point with same loads. This rating is mostly based on tightness of groups shot with each.

I would say PPU (PRVI) probably deserves a spot on that list somewhere above S&B.

 

[4895]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tolkachi Robotnik View Post

My opinion on quality of brass for 7.62X54R goes top to bottom:

Lapua
nny (cyrillic) although soft (from box of Hornady?)
Norma
S & B
WIN

all work well enough. They do not shoot to same point with same loads. This rating is mostly based on tightness of groups shot with each.

I would say PPU (PRVI) probably deserves a spot on that list somewhere above S&B.

I believe the Cyrillic headstamp "nny" is "ppu". That is the English translation.

 

[funklord12]

4895 is correct. nny = ppu = prvi

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Good to know. I've never encountered NNY so I've never looked up that headstamp. I'll be sure to keep any I find, I think they make good brass.