Case Head Separation - Was it anybody from the list.

[Old School 611]

I got to CR too late to meet my buddy Pete yesterday.

 

We sometimes compare notes on unusual thing that went on when we were there.

 

He had a guy come up to him that asked for help with removal of a case that had a case head separation in an AR.

 

My understanding was it was ammo he reloaded from "range brass"

 

Was this anybody from the "List"?

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

Wasn't me! (wrong end of the state)

But it reminds me of two important points I always observe about collection of .223 brass range pickups:

 

1) Only if I see it coming out of a factory new (not Ultramax or the like) box on the line

OR

2) See a crimped primer in place

 

Otherwise, you cannot know whether it's really once-fired.

And if it's NOT once-fired (and someone else's) it belongs in the scrap bin, not the reloading press, as far as I'm concerned.

 

Having a .223 Broken Shell Extractor in your range bag is also a cheap insurance policy against a day at the range cut short.

[almiz111 26]

njJoniGuy

Just a curious question - you reload one time and then throw out the brass. Never go to 3x, 4x, etc.?

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

No, I reload MY brass multiple times.

When I shoot a match, I collect MY spent brass

It gets tumbled then reloaded as MY match rounds.

Load it enough times (6-10 usually) and it develops split necks or the telltale ring that precedes a case head separation.

Either of those situations, the neck gets crushed with a pair of pliers and it goes into the scrap container (actually an empty plastic milk half-gallon with a screw-on cap)

 

When I'm at the range and observe someone shooting FACTORY ammo (the packaging is the dead giveaway), I'll ask if they save their brass.

If they don't, I'll offer to police it up when they're done and give it a second life.

Most people are good with that.

And now I know I have ONCE FIRED brass to work with.

Tumble it shiny and stash it with others of the same headstamp.

Pretty soon, you've got enough of a single headstamp to load a batch, either Zombie/Plinking or Match ammo, depends on the headstamp.

 

I like to use still-crimped (definitely ONCE FIRED) Lake City (LC) for my match brass stash.

Keep the same year segregated and ot becomes a new batch of match-ready brass after it's swaged (not reamed)

I prefer to MOVE brass, not REMOVE it to open up the primer pocket for reloading.

YMMV

[Old School 611]

No, I reload MY brass multiple times.

When I shoot a match, I collect MY spent brass

It gets tumbled then reloaded as MY match rounds.

Load it enough times (6-10 usually) and it develops split necks or the telltale ring that precedes a case head separation.

Either of those situations, the neck gets crushed with a pair of pliers and it goes into the scrap container (actually an empty plastic milk half-gallon with a screw-on cap)

 

When I'm at the range and observe someone shooting FACTORY ammo (the packaging is the dead giveaway), I'll ask if they save their brass.

If they don't, I'll offer to police it up when they're done and give it a second life.

Most people are good with that.

And now I know I have ONCE FIRED brass to work with.

Tumble it shiny and stash it with others of the same headstamp.

Pretty soon, you've got enough of a single headstamp to load a batch, either Zombie/Plinking or Match ammo, depends on the headstamp.

 

I like to use still-crimped (definitely ONCE FIRED) Lake City (LC) for my match brass stash.

Keep the same year segregated and ot becomes a new batch of match-ready brass after it's swaged (not reamed)

I prefer to MOVE brass, not REMOVE it to open up the primer pocket for reloading.

YMMV

 

All excellent practices.  I do pretty much exactly the same.  Only thing I never load that many times.  Never have to. 223 brass is all over.

[almiz111 26]

nj --   Thanks. Good info. Could you 'splain a little more about swage vs. ream?? 

 

I also go maybe 6x - 8x and then figure that I am pressing my luck.  

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

When it comes to reloading crimped (usually military) brass, you must remove the crimp around the primer pocket before you can seat a new primer.

 

Swaging (moving brass) is one way.

Two common tools to do this are:

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25263/catid/8/Super_Swage_600

and

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/235832/rcbs-primer-pocket-swager-combo-2

The first is bench mounted, the second is used with your single stage or turret press.

 

Reaming (removing brass) is the other way to open up the entrance to the primer pocket.

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/case-prep/primer-pocket-reamer.php is a manual handheld tool

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/case-prep/case-prep-xpress.php is a powered multi-task machine for brass prep

 

Myself, I prefer the RCBS press mounted swager in my RockChucker

I don't deal with that much brass anymore that requires swaging as it's a once-only necessity for a piece of brass

Home reloaders do not crimp their primers in.

 

As to how many times to reload a piece of brass, there are a lot of factors to consider

How hot was the load? Was the bullet crimped in the neck during reloading? Was the brass annealed?

Does the neck of the case retain enough elasticity to hold the bullet? Has the ring around the brass just up from the base reared its ugly head yet?

Is the primer pocket still snug enough to retain the spent primer during the violent action of firing the round?

 

Me, I shoot many more match rounds (of my own making) than I do plinking rounds.

And it's imperative you inspect your spent brass at the start of the reloading process.

Tumble it clean first to be able to see the splits developing in the necks.

And to see the bright ring.

During priming (which I do by hand on an RCBS primer for .223) note the force it takes to fully seat the new primer.

If it seats too easily, that case is headed for either the practice or plinking box, or the scrap container if it's that loose.

Last thing you want during a match is a blown primer dropping into the cellar of your lower (under the trigger assy) where it will make for a not good day.

Split necks will detract from your accuracy and separated case heads will put your rifle out of order until you extract the broken case neck with a tool like this:

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/2197250034/cj-weapons-broken-shell-extractor

Might be the best $10 you ever spent on your range bag contents, as nothing else will quite do the job when you need one.