308 case neck split

[101sniper]

I wrote a while back asking for help with some remington brass splitting at the neck and a few that the neck completly seperated at the shoulder neck joint after as few as two reloads. This has since happend with some hornady brass also. I dont load hot only 43g of re-15. I am shooting them out of a rem 700 police. I only neck size the brass. What I am wondering is, Is it posible that since this a standard chamber not a custom rifle that by only neck sizeing my brass I am over working the neck and that could be causing them to split.
Thanks for the help,
Brandon

 

[rinodods]

What are you neck sizing with?

 

[rscott5028]

Neck sizing works the brass less than full length sizing. So, I doubt you're overworking it in that respect unless your dies are completely out of adjustment.

I don't recall the details of the old thread. But, it sounds to me like you need to check headspace and chamber dimensions.

Measuring your unfired/fired/sized brass with a Hornady LNL headspace kit and calipers may reveal something.

Otherwise, you might want to take it to a gunsmith and have the headspace checked properly.

Cerrosafe would be another option for checking chamber dimensions. But, you'd need a barrel wrench. So again, you might want to have a smith check it.

-- richard

 

[Trickymissfit]

necks splitting! If you had reloaded the cases five or six times, I'd say it was time to anneal the necks. But you say only twice.

questions:

* whatkind of a die are you sizing with? If it's a neck size die and you are using bushings, then what size bushing are you using? What's the diameter of the expanding ball if your using one?

* Have you ever thought about doing a chamber cast? Normally splits are from work hardened brass, and if the brass is expanding a lot when fired this could happen with two or three firings

* How much grip is there on the bullet after loading verses a sized and unloaded case?

* what do the fired cases look like before doing anything to them?
gary

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

You, like I, may have gotten a bad batch of brass. Remington brass isn't known for its quality. A friend had ammo he had just loaded (45 LC or .44spl) split while it set on the shelf, and the brass was new.

I am experiencing cracked necks right now from new Winchester brass. I am trying to solve the problem by annealing all 1000-rounds (minus the cracked ones, of course). I just got done w/ the annealing, so we shall shortly see if the cracked necks disappear.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

You, like I, may have gotten a bad batch of brass. Remington brass isn't known for its quality. A friend had ammo he had just loaded (45 LC or .44spl) split while it set on the shelf, and the Remington brass was new. Interestingly enough, Remington wouldn't stand behind their product and my friend had to throw away all 1000-rounds. He didn't try annealing it.

I am experiencing cracked necks right now from new Winchester brass. I am trying to solve the problem by annealing all 1000-rounds (minus the cracked ones, of course). I just got done w/ the annealing, so we shall shortly see if the cracked necks disappear.

 

[101sniper]

Thanks for the replies,

I use a set of RCBS group A neck sizeing and seating dies I have had then for about four years. The expander ball in the neck sizer measured .307. The fired cases (Hornady) measured .340 out side and .314 inside. After resizing the inside diam. was .305 and the out was .331. The case necks are pritty dirty after being fired even once. Not really sure what you mean about grip on the bullet but the diffrence between a ready to fired case OD and a sized case OD is only .002. So i think that is what you are asking 2 thousenths of pressure.
Thanks again if there is any more info that I can provide please let me know.

Brandon

 

[Trickymissfit]

You, like I, may have gotten a bad batch of brass. Remington brass isn't known for its quality. A friend had ammo he had just loaded (45 LC or .44spl) split while it set on the shelf, and the brass was new.

I am experiencing cracked necks right now from new Winchester brass. I am trying to solve the problem by annealing all 1000-rounds (minus the cracked ones, of course). I just got done w/ the annealing, so we shall shortly see if the cracked necks disappear.

Winchester several years back moved the smelter work off shore to Asia, and I noticed a down turn in quality. Where they do their case forming I don't know, but suspect it maybe China. Never had a lot of problems with Remington brass, but have not had a need to buy new stuff as I have bags of new brass sitting on the shelf
gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

Thanks for the replies,

I use a set of RCBS group A neck sizeing and seating dies I have had then for about four years. The expander ball in the neck sizer measured .307. The fired cases (Hornady) measured .340 out side and .314 inside. After resizing the inside diam. was .305 and the out was .331. The case necks are pritty dirty after being fired even once. Not really sure what you mean about grip on the bullet but the diffrence between a ready to fired case OD and a sized case OD is only .002. So i think that is what you are asking 2 thousenths of pressure.
Thanks again if there is any more info that I can provide please let me know.

Brandon

The Speer manual drawing shows a loaded case with a diameter of .3435", and your setup look right there! I think you need a chamber cast. Something seems out of spec in the neck area. You also might try annealing a dozen or so cases from mid shoulder to the end of the necks, as the brass your using may be too hard right outta the box.
gary

 

[Birddog75]

Give Lapua a try. Its very hard and durable brass. Really not any more expensive once you get finished culling the other junk.

 

[Johnboy]

I have used remmy brass for a long tme now and have never had it to split or have a casehead to come off.and some of my loads are hot for the load.I too neck size all my loads till I have chambering problems.then I ANNEAL THE NECKS and bump the shoulders back.

seems to me you either have a bad batch of brass or you really need to anneal the necks.

are you takeing any off the necks by reaming or cutting down the necks.if so you may be takeing off to much.