I have a batch of 5x fired 22-250 Norma brass that grew about .050" throughout it's life so far due to FL sizing and about .010" headspace.

I used maximum loads for all five firings (slightly sticky bolt)

I decided to cut one of them open to see what the casehead looked like.

To my surprise, it thinned only .010", about 25%.

What does this mean? I'll recycle my brass every five loadings.

Strech ring near casehead. TRASH the brass.
IMHO

muck

First, your headspace is excessive making the gun unsafe. You should have that corrected. A gunsmith can set the barrel back one thread for you.

If you are FL sizing and setting the shoulders back each time it's surprising the cases lasted even 5 reloads.

You likely didn't mean the casehead was thinning, but rather the body at the junction of it to the head where separation normally occurs. .050" growth is way too much. The brass has to come from somewhere and that much is dangerous.

Separation commences at first firing where you have an excessive headspace, as in yours. Sometimes they will separate at the first firing with that much headspace. You can "correct" headspace by partially full sizing, that is, setting the shoulder back minimally to prevent further stretching after initial fire forming. That's been covered here through the years. Do a "search" for PFL or partial full sizing.

If you get past the initial firing with only the initial thinning then resize properly your brass should last much longer. With brass growing as much as you indicate, your reloading technique needs review and modification.

Always size your brass to YOUR chamber rather than any standard chamber .That should minimize stretch and thinning.It's a good thing you were looking , a blown case is no fun .

quote:

Originally posted by Ralph Hyrlik:
I have a batch of 5x fired 22-250 Norma brass that grew about .050" throughout it's life so far due to FL sizing and about .010" headspace.

I used maximum loads for all five firings (slightly sticky bolt)

I decided to cut one of them open to see what the casehead looked like.

To my surprise, it thinned only .010", about 25%.

What does this mean? I'll recycle my brass every five loadings.

THIS means your loads ARE OVER MAXIMUM!! Your rifle may or may not have excessive headspace - excessive headspace is a pretty rare thing in currently-manufacured bolt-actions using non-belted cases. It is more likely that you are introducing excessive headspace into the equation by setting your case shoulders back too much when resizing them. Adjust your sizing die so that it just touches the case shoulder, or even shallower, so the shoulder is not touched at all, IF your cases easily re-enter the rifle chamber without FL sizing them - the less a case is worked, the longer it will last!

Continuing to use loads as hot as yours will SOON lead to primer pockets that are too loose to hold a primer!

Adjust your sizing die so that it just touches the case shoulder, or even shallower, so the shoulder is not touched at all, IF your cases easily re-enter the rifle chamber without FL sizing them - the less a case is worked, the longer it will last It is a good addvice from El Deuello.Reduce a little your load...

i usually just neck size only about 1/2 to 3/4 the length of the neck. only enough to hold the bullet. have norma brass for 300 wby which has been fired 20 times.