Case Head Separation

[mont1120]

I have had two major case head separations this year, the 2nd one caused my XDM to have to be returned to the shop. I must be missing something while inspecting cases. I re-size each case because of the Glock expansion issue with a Lee sizing dies set up for exactly this purpose. The first failure occurred in my older S&W, and while it felt like my hand was hammered, no damage was done to the gun.

Does anyone have a photo of a case they have determined is a candidate for case head failure? I go over each and every case, and must be mistaken in what I am looking for. I always load under maximum charges, I never try to meet max power levels in any rounds I reload. I have never had this issue except in an older British .303, but some of the reloadable Greek cases are another story altogether.

Thanks for any help and tips you folks can provide.

[Action Pistolero]

In 20 years of shooting the only case head separation that I ever had was with a friends 40. I believe it was a PMC case. My suggestion would be to only use quality cases. My friend received a 1000 new Starline cases for Christmas that year.

[superdude]

Classic case head separation in pistol cartridges is not common, as you know. Suspect cases would likely look like the rifle cases do. The typical appearance with rifle brass is a distinctly brighter ring at the head. Examples can be seen at the links below.

http://www.larrywillis.com/case_head_separation.html

http://archery.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=363330

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php?topic=139116.0

Some pistol brass, when excessively bulged and resized, can look like the example in Figure 4 seen at the link below. They might be more likely to fail at that weakened region of the ring.

http://38super.net/Pages/Brass.html

[10mmau]

Mont1120

What brand of case?

Edited August 28, 2012 by 10mmau

[mont1120]

One PMC, the other was Winchester. I really took care to make sure I was checking for cracks, Glock bulge, and any spider webbing.

[Sean Gaines]

One PMC, the other was Winchester. I really took care to make sure I was checking for cracks, Glock bulge, and any spider webbing.

I am not a big fan of PMC brass, although I am a fan of winchester brass. Look at your crimp and make sure that you are not getting any setback, when the round gets pushed into the chamber. Measure the overall length, and then take your bullet and smack the projectile side onto some wood, fairly hard, and then re measure the oal, and if it has changed, you may tighten up your crimp station. I have never had a case head separation(knock on wood). Are you shooting lead/molly or fmj/jacketed bullets when this occurred? Is your barrel throated to accept lead/molly? Also, what is your load specs?

[waktasz]

What load are you shooting?

[mont1120]

OAL=1.12

180 Grain Lasercast Flat nose Lead

Win SP

4.1 Grain Red Dot.

I did check the crimp and if the bullet moves, it would have to be slammed into something

[RePete]

I roll size my brass now, but I did use the Lee Undersize die but it was a problem on my 1050.

I have never had a separation. I don't remember seeing a separation in 40.