I have just started to load some virgin brass for some fire forming rounds for my 30.06 AI and have noticed on a few that there seems to be a slight ripple around the base of the neck, is this normal?

That doesn't sound right. Most bulk brass vendors of my experience recommend that you run their brass thru the reloading die first, before firing it.
Of course, you are working with a wildcat from the get go, which may add to the problem. Have you miked your new brass before fireforming, etc...?

LLS

The brass is lapua straight out of the box, all i have done is chamfer the neck, powdered up and sat the bullet in, brass hasnt been fired yet.

Alex, I shoot a .30-06 AI and have never had the issue you describe. Especially with virgin Lapua brass! Check your dimensions before firing, and load them long to keep the head against the boltface. Great fun cartridge, equals factory .300's for the most part.



Cheers it is!

I have never seen that... these ripples... are Dents? you have not run them through a sizing die... I would send them back...

I was cheating, didnt size them first, just seated them straight from the box.
I did use some big old 180gn flat based bullets, i dont think that helped either, the ripples have blown out a treat though while fire forming so they should be ok from here on in.

really havnt got to the bottom of the ripples,
i have loaded more virgin brass from the same batch and same bullets but these have loaded up nice a straight.
oh well, one of reloading's unsolved!

thanks all for the input

quote:

Originally posted by Alex.Y:
really havnt got to the bottom of the ripples,
i have loaded more virgin brass from the same batch and same bullets but these have loaded up nice a straight.
oh well, one of reloading's unsolved!

thanks all for the input

Maybe without resizing, the neck is too large
in diameter by a very tiny amount and the seating die is slightly pushing back on the neck of the brass, deforming it?

Or conversely a minute too tight for the bullet which would cause a slight rippling of the neck which is probably not supported well if it's a little too tight for the bullet??

Could the seating die be improperly adjusted?
Most seating dies are set up to slightly crimp
when seated all the way down. Raise the die about the thickness of a dime and reset the seating using the bullet seating stem. This is usually the problem when such occurs!

Regards,

Don

Resize all new brass. Just my opine!

rusty,
noted, all new cases get the size treatment now.

don, I think you might have it there with the seating die set up. Thinking about it I did crank it back a smidge before i sat the next lot of bullets up and like i said earlier the problem didnt occur.

Thanks for all the help. I know now for next time

quote:

Originally posted by Alex.Y:
rusty,
noted, all new cases get the size treatment now.

don, I think you might have it there with the seating die set up. Thinking about it I did crank it back a smidge before i sat the next lot of bullets up and like i said earlier the problem didnt occur.

Thanks for all the help. I know now for next time

Yep, Been there done that, buddy!

I neck size all virgin brass

Perhaps you have your seating die too low? I have slightly collapsed cases at the shoulder before that way...and your description sounds similar.

Some pictures would be a great help in a diagnosis.