Matt Cheely Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The piece of the case on the left and the one on the right are two different cases. I am doubting rifle problem as one was fired in a 16" midlength, and the other in my 20" rifle. Bought from a reputable board member, and are supposed to have been once fired. Case on the left is a WC headstamp, the other? Bad batch of brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamGE Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Most likely too much headspace on the reloaded ammo (shoulder of case pushed back too far). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 (edited) The brass all comes in between 1.749" and 1.745" and I have some doubts as to the shoulder because I have had some failures to chamber with a .223 chamber, and no problems with a 5.56 chamber. The brass had been processed when I bought it. Edited March 21, 2008 by Matt Cheely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Conley Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 (edited) Most likely too much headspace on the reloaded ammo (shoulder of case pushed back too far). +1 to TeamGE How many times out of how many rounds did this happen??? If this occured in two different rifles, I think you can rule out the rifles. Also what is your rifle chambered for? There is a difference I'm sure that you know that but I had to throw that in. Chris C. Edited March 21, 2008 by Chris Conley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Most likely too much headspace on the reloaded ammo (shoulder of case pushed back too far). +1 to TeamGE How many times out of how many rounds did this happen??? If this occured in two different rifles, I think you can rule out the rifles. Chris C. I've fired about 600 rounds out of the 2000 pieces of brass I bought. Only happened twice. I just don't want it to happen in a match... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamGE Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Just because the ammo will not go into a given chamber does not eliminate a headspace problem (the diameter of the re-sized case at different points could be tight) . Check the ammo in a chamber gauge meant to check head space. Case separation like you have is usually caused by short resized cases, fired in extra loose headspaced chambers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Thanks for the help, I'll pick up a gauge and check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L9X25 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 (edited) Matt, My guess would be that the cases were stretched in a deep chambered barrel and then you were unfortunate enough to get them. An unstretched piece of brass can survive the first stretch, but will often fail on the next firing. If you can see inside of the case, there is a distinct ring that can be seen and felt on a stretched case. You can bend a small wire and easily feel the groove. They mostly break at the same place too, that is were the heavy web transitions to the thinner wall. Edited March 21, 2008 by L9X25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Yes, "once-fired" is not all the same. If your brass was fired in a new M4/M-16A2, it is probably as good as any brass can be. If it was fired in a clapped-out M-249, with a worn barrel, used for fam-fire, and that barrel was junked at the end of the day, the brass is scrap. No way of telling. Once-fired brass loaded for matches is brass that got fired once out of one of my rifles. Otherwise, it is all practice brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastshooter03 Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Everything said is correct. You really need to know what your chambers' headspaces are to accurately compare them to any loaded ammo. 2 separated cases is really bad. I've never had that happen. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scirocco38s Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 The piece of the case on the left and the one on the right are two different cases. I am doubting rifle problem as one was fired in a 16" midlength, and the other in my 20" rifle. Bought from a reputable board member, and are supposed to have been once fired. Case on the left is a WC headstamp, the other?Bad batch of brass? That picture there is why I quit loading 223 and started buying it from Black Hills. I realize I am spending more money and I could load better and cheaper but brass quality is always a question when you buy 1 fired brass. Unless you have a source at a police range or some source that is completely trusted, this can happen. If I load match ammo in 223 I usually end up buying new brass and loading it and the it isnt much cheaper than buying Black Hills blue box. I have tried Georgia arms ammo and though it hasnt seperated on me it doesnt perform as BH does. I get alot of vertical stringing, and I tried it in multiple guns as well as another shooter I trust has had the same results. Loading for rifle is a big pain in the butt. By the way Matt enjoyed you guys stopping buy and shooting the local match on your way home from spring break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Carlin Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 (edited) You can take a large straightened wire paper clip and put a short sharp 90 degree bend close to the end. Use this to feel the interior of the case for the dreaded "incipient case failure". This will be a ring on the interior of the case wall about where these cases have broken. I must say that they are usually a little closer to the extractor groove. I would also recommend that anyone loading .223 or any other bottle necked cartridge invest in a Stoney Point tool and a good caliper. I think you can tell more about the condition of brass by measuring it than by whether it will fit in a "case gauge". With the tool and the various adapters you can measure base to ogive of loaded rounds, using the chamber tool you can determine your ogive to base length that just contacts the leade. You can set your bullet seating equipment to whatever "jump" produces the best results. And you can measure a brand new case before and after firing. Using this last measurement you can set your sizing die to set the shoulder back just enough and prolong your case life as well as improve accuracy. There are other tools, but I really like the Stoney Point setups the best for me. Edited March 22, 2008 by Michael Carlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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