The case has been cracked

[shawnhu]

Most of the time, this is a good thing. But when it comes to reloading, it could be a reloader's worse nightmare.

Today, after carefully inspecting and cleaning some thrice fired cases, I noticed some imperfections in a case and inspected further only to find it's cracked.

This case was from a group that was the tightest of the day, a sub 1/2 MOA 3-shot group when I was doing load development. I suppose it didn't affect the shot, and I didn't notice anything abnormal after firing those rounds either. Has anyone else experienced cracked necks and what is your experience with them? What kind of life do you expect from your brass?

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Edited February 13, 2016 by shawnhu

[Pygmy]

Most of the cases I throw away have cracked necks just like the one in your photo, Shawn.

I have loaded a few when I did not realize they were cracked and they seemed to shoot OK.

Most of my hunting loads are right up near max, and I usually start to see cracks after 5 or 6 loadings. Domestic brass such as Rem or Winchester crack with fewer loadings than high quality brass, like Lapua.

I have never experienced a head separation.

[shawnhu]

Most of the cases I throw away have cracked necks just like the one in your photo, Shawn.

I have loaded a few when I did not realize they were cracked and they seemed to shoot OK.

Most of my hunting loads are right up near max, and I usually start to see cracks after 5 or 6 loadings. Domestic brass such as Rem or Winchester crack with fewer loadings than high quality brass, like Lapua.

I have never experienced a head separation.

I actually found 2 cracked cases out of the 30-40 rounds shot. There was also one suspicious looking imperfection towards the shoulder of a third, which I'm not going to wait for it to crack. They have been put aside for dummy rounds for seating depth models.

I'm trying to shoulder bump only, so hopefully that keeps me from case-head separation issues. I'll deal with the cracked necks.

These loads were a grain or so from book max, but not nearly max for this rifle.

At this rate, I may have to secure more brass.

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Edited February 13, 2016 by shawnhu

[Lawdwaz]

Nice table cloth.

[airedale]

Like Pygmy said it is the natural evolution of a case that has been loaded several times and at it's life's end, the split neck is usually what shows up because that is where the most work hardening stress occurs.

 

Al

Edited February 13, 2016 by airedale

[wildcat junkie]

Brass work hardens after being formed & reformed. After several loadings, the neck becomes brittle & cracks. This is quite common and can be prevented by annealing the necks.

 

There are several methods for doing this. Here is one of the simplest.

 

[airedale]

Instead of holding the case with my fingers I anneal my cases by setting them up in a shallow pan with about an inch or so of water, I then use a torch to heat the necks up and tip them over and quench them in the water.

 

Al

Edited February 13, 2016 by airedale

[wildcat junkie]

Instead of holding the case with my fingers I anneal my cases by setting them up in a shallow pan with about an inch or so of water, I then use a torch to heat the necks up and tip them over and quench them in the water.

 

Al

 

He addresses that method in the video.

[pistolp71]

Yes, very normal.

 

Just FYI, if you plan to anneal, there is no need to quench the cases in water. Does nothing for the annealing process. Just cools them off. Also, a cordless drill with a deep socket works better than fingers.

[Lawdwaz]

Like others, I've had my share of split necks.  Seems like I had a bunch with my 300WSM and 22-250.  I don't sweat it either.

 

One thing I know for sure is, that I haven't had a single split neck with the Lapua brass for my 7mm-08 (.308 necked down) 243 or 223............

 

 

Shawn......if'n you have split necks it means your (grammatically done on porpoise )  burning powder and that's a good thing. 

[shawnhu]

Like others, I've had my share of split necks. Seems like I had a bunch with my 300WSM and 22-250. I don't sweat it either.

One thing I know for sure is, that I haven't had a single split neck with the Lapua brass for my 7mm-08 (.308 necked down) 243 or 223............

Shawn......if'n you have split necks it means your (grammatically done on porpoise ) burning powder and that's a good thing.

I'll have to whip out the Lapua next after I go through some of these Remington's then.

Three shots seem very little, but I don't anneal. Annealing requires special care not to heat up the head, where most of the pressure is contained. Also, too much heat at the shoulder/neck during the annealing process and you change the structure of the brass and weaken it too much.

Doesn't bother me one bit that you used n instead of and and your instead of you're, because I know you know better. I knew you'd catch the table cloth though! . Now we just need Biz to join us.

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[shawnhu]

Yes, very normal.

Just FYI, if you plan to anneal, there is no need to quench the cases in water. Does nothing for the annealing process. Just cools them off. Also, a cordless drill with a deep socket works better than fingers.

I would think that letting the cases cool on its own is better than quenching, as the quenching would be similar to tempering?

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[wildcat junkie]

I would think that letting the cases cool on its own is better than quenching, as the quenching would be similar to tempering?

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Quenching is used to harden ferrous metals. Tempering is heating the metal to a prescribed temperature to remove a desired amount of hardness/brittleness. Color can be used to determine the amount of hardness removed. A knife would need to have less hardness than a file. The knife needs some ability to flex W/O breaking but must still be hard enough to hold an edge.

 

The quenching of the brass is to remove the heat before it can affect the rest of the case. Only the neck/shoulder needs to be softened as they are the parts that get worked the most when resizing/firing. Quenching has nothing to do with the actual annealing of the neck/shoulder.

 

Edited February 13, 2016 by wildcat junkie

[wildcat junkie]

 Also, too much heat at the shoulder/neck during the annealing process and you change the structure of the brass and weaken it too much.

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That's why the video suggests using the finger. You will be able to tell if the case head is getting too much heat.

 

There are other methods, dark room, temperature sensitive lacquers, etc. The method in the video just seems to be the simplest to me.

[pistolp71]

Wildcat is correct on the process.

Good thing about using a socket and drill is the deep socket holds the case and acts as a heat sink. Just the shoulder and neck are exposed. For accuracy reasons (neck tension) you want to be as consistent as possible. Only takes roughly 8 seconds. You can buy some templaq if you are worried about heating too much.

[Larry]

There can be more than one reason for a case to crack.
1 the case has a flaw in it. (if cases are new or reloaded once or twice)
2 they get work harden though resizing and firing (if only shooting out of 1 gun try neck sizing, neck size only down far enough to hold the bullet it will give you more time )
3 case lengths has been stretch (keep cases to trim length)
4 throat in the gun is bad (you’ll need a gun smith)
5 load is to hot (look for pressure signs)

[shawnhu]

There can be more than one reason for a case to crack.

1 the case has a flaw in it. (if cases are new or reloaded once or twice)

2 they get work harden though resizing and firing (if only shooting out of 1 gun try neck sizing, neck size only down far enough to hold the bullet it will give you more time )

3 case lengths has been stretch (keep cases to trim length)

4 throat in the gun is bad (you’ll need a gun smith)

5 load is to hot (look for pressure signs)

I've heard that case lube could also be a factor.

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[Lawdwaz]

I'll have to whip out the Lapua next after I go through some of these Remington's then.

Three shots seem very little, but I don't anneal. Annealing requires special care not to heat up the head, where most of the pressure is contained. Also, too much heat at the shoulder/neck during the annealing process and you change the structure of the brass and weaken it too much.

Doesn't bother me one bit that you used n instead of and and your instead of you're, because I know you know better. I knew you'd catch the table cloth though! . Now we just need Biz to join us.

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You did catch the "porpoise" didn't you?

[shawnhu]

You did catch the "porpoise" didn't you?

No, thought you were just from Brooklyn.

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[Lawdwaz]

No, thought you were just from Brooklyn.

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[BizCT]

Nice table cloth.

Clearly it's pizza shop

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[shawnhu]

Clearly it's pizza shop

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I was afraid you wouldn't show up.

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