AMP Annealer VS No annealing Vs Torch Head Annealer Vs 2nd/3rd Shot

[Pdvdh]

Just so everyone is aware, my case failed from a factory box of 243 ammo in a 243 Ackley chamber after 1 firing in the exact same spot the OP had issues with at 5 firings. Seems too coincidental to ignore to me. Here's 1 case next to the other. Same box of ammo.

Hornady brass, correct? If you're expanding the sidewalls out, it's just an itsy bitsy, teeny weenie more understandable. But it still indicates **** for brass, IMO. Should be no problems expanding / fire forming those sidewalls out to the slightly larger diameter.

I'd send the rest back to Hornady for a refund. Not a replacement with more reject casings. And I'd tell them their brass sucks big-time.

 

[jdmecomber]

Phorwath

you don't have to worry about me

You make all great points. I too have heard of the expander ball issue. I doubled checked headspace on the hornady and it actually was a little close .001 ish, so I set it back to .002. I did not double check with this Lapua brass but I will.

It would seem that headspace would be the issue but I don't think it is.

I haven't miss counted because I just switched to new brass in February. The brass just isn't lasting.

 

[Rinky]

Hornady brass, correct? If you're expanding the sidewalls out, it's just an itsy bitsy, teeny weenie more understandable. But it still indicates **** for brass, IMO. Should be no problems expanding / fire forming those sidewalls out to the slightly larger diameter.

I'd send the rest back to Hornady for a refund. Not a replacement with more reject casings. And I'd tell them their brass sucks big-time.

I was using factory ammo from hornady. Not a reload. In my situation it makes more sense but to fail at the same point is why I brought it up.

 

[Pdvdh]

It would seem that headspace would be the issue but I don't think it is.

I haven't miss counted because I just switched to new brass in February. The brass just isn't lasting.

Which neck sizing die were you using? Does that neck sizing die allow you to set the case shoulder back also, in addition to resizing the case necks? Or do you use a separate die to bump the shoulders back the 0.001-0.002" that you've measured?

 

[Pdvdh]

I was using factory ammo from hornady. Not a reload. In my situation it makes more sense but to fail at the same point is why I brought it up.

Good to know! When you close your bolt on the factory ammo is there any resistance felt, which would confirm the case shoulder is forced into contact with the chamber shoulder?

Ever had any other factory cases separate like that?

 

[tbrice23]

I was using factory ammo from hornady. Not a reload. In my situation it makes more sense but to fail at the same point is why I brought it up.

So , the same case in common here, 243 Winchester made by Hornady.
Very bad lot run, ( worse than usual Phorwath).

 

[jdmecomber]

Brass life test is done.
My headspace for the Lapua was at .003. I moved it to .002 and rechecked the neck tension. The neck tension is .002.

I removed the expander ball and I am at 11 firings. I think I could go a few more, but I have accomplished what I set out to do.

It was the excessive working of the expander ball I would assume. However, I have not annealed this brass in 8 firings.
I will now anneal after every firing without the expander ball and the same headspace.

 

[jdmecomber]

The Lapua at 11

 

[jdmecomber]

Brass life test 2

I annealed after each firing and also stopped at 11. Everything looks good. I could also get a few more firings.

For those running expander balls, from my experience your over working your brass way too much.

I will type something later today about some things I learned in this brass life test.

 

[jdmecomber]

Pics.

 

[jdmecomber]

I never cleaned the brass for any of these tests. Russ (buckfever) was over annealing some brass with the Amp. He was watching me do most of the brass life test. I mentioned that the neck tension on the Amp annealing was pretty hard to seat the bullet. Russ mentioned that I haven't been cleaning the brass, so I am probably burning some residue inside the neck. So I added another step, after the annealing. I went to sizing, then case prep and the last thing before the powder and bullet was I nylon brushed the inside of the case necks. It worked like a charm and I had no more stiff bullet seating. Thanks Russ

I took data after every two rounds that I fired. I measured fired headspace within 30 seconds to a minute of being fired and then once again after sizing. I will tell you more then once when I came back over to check headspace after being sized that the headspace never changed. I would take it back to the sizer and run the handle down a couple more times and then it would be the .001-.002 more that I needed.

Hope this information helps.

 

[NoFences]

Great read. I broke down and bought some Hornady brass when I couldn't find any more.300 win brass. I haven't fired any yet . I also bought some for my 6.5CM. The 6.5 is on it's 3rd firing with no issues.
Thanks for taking the time to post your findings.
I look forward to trying your targets.

 

[jdmecomber]

Great read. I broke down and bought some Hornady brass when I couldn't find any more.300 win brass. I haven't fired any yet . I also bought some for my 6.5CM. The 6.5 is on it's 3rd firing with no issues.
Thanks for taking the time to post your findings.
I look forward to trying your targets.

Thanks for the support

 

[jdmecomber]

I was using the Amp Annealer on my 7 Mag shooting 195 EOL.

I am getting a great node with decent speed and accuracy.

We took it out to 1612 yards the other day and the first shot was about 8" right of the bulls eye. Pretty happy with it.

I tested 5 of these with 61 grains 7828 SSC.

1. 2755
2. 2757
3. 2751
4. 2748
5. 2755

9 ES and 3.24 SD

The 7828 is looking promising.