I had an exciting little lesson. The wife and I were shooting our 03 Springfields (old Buddies) and the wife was standing beside me watching thru binocs. 150 grain speers and my usual load of 4831 --no biggie! Kablooie, I get a face load of gas and Wife got blasted from the safety hole on the side of the reciever.The bolt was locked. Took both of us to lever it open. Primer fell out and the whole base of the brass was expanded! WOW --I have been loading since 1976 and never had any thing close to this!I got spooked and pulled all the bullets and weighed powder--everything right on. No chance of a double load and my routine is very safe. Drove me crazy !!! I pick up brass everywhere I go. This one aparently had been in a camp fire and was quenched with water. Hmmm -- isn't that the way you aneal brass? After close inspection the light bulb in my little head came on. That soft brass let go and flowed any direction it could. Lesson learned!!

My cousin did the same thing once. He picked up a case from when his parents house burned down and then loaded and fired it. I remember the rifle was a 25-06 but I don't remember if the case was a 25-06 or a reformed 30-06. Same result, I think he put a new ejector in that Remington from that little stunt. That may have been the one where he had brass removed from his eyebrow and forehead.
You can never be too careful when the history of a piece of brass is involved. If there is ever a question, pitch it. New brass is almost free by comparison.
P.S. Never reform 30-06 blanks and shoot them in a 25-06.
Joe

That sounds exciting. I've had a primer or two back out, but nothing like that.

Jaywalker

You were lucky. When you anneal cases you DO NOT heat the head of the case & now you no why. I pass on range brass pickups for anything high pressure, too many chances for something like that.

I made a vow that I would never pick up brass since this is a perfect example of not knowing where it has been, or how it has been treated. I am glad you folks are ok, but scrounging for brass just is not a safe reloading practice to me.......Not preaching, just makes me feel a lot safer knowing that if I do make a mistake, it was me and not out of my control...Once again glad you are ok! Did you have safety glasses on?

Good lesson and you got away lucky! Regarding picking up brass, I always see guys at the range stooped over going through garbage cans and sifting brass out of the dirt. Man, brass just isn't that expensive and you look like some kind of homeless bum rumaging through gargabe! jorge

glad you are safe...

hey, i do use range brass... for ONE purpose... i pick up 223 rounds and use the cases for fireforming "bullets" in my 416 AR

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jcunclejoe:
... Same result, I think he put a new ejector in that Remington from that little stunt. That may have been the one where he had brass removed from his eyebrow and forehead....

Hey Joe, Any idea "how" the brass fragments got out of that Remington? Was it an older design - non-M700?

His 25-06 is a Rem 700. I'm not sure if that is the rifle that was involved in the incident. I just remember that once upon a time he had brass removed from his eyebrow. I think the brass fragments came down one of the raceways. I don't now how that works or if it's even possible. It just seems that I remember it being his Remington 700 in 25-06 and the fire annealed case that got him. but then again CRS sucks. I'll have to ask him which one it was to be sure. I know he'll remember it.
Joe

Ok, just checked the facts with the source. The case that put brass in the eyebrow was a fire annealed 270 in a Rem 700. Don't know how the brass made it past the bolt, just that it did.
The 25-06 was the one that used the re-formed 30-06 blanks, the old style with the plug instead of the crimp. The 25-06 is still in service with him. No injury from that one.
I'm certain the 270 went away many years ago.
Fortunately he has gotten more conservative and cautious.
Joe

Obviously it's best to totally abstain from picking up used brass, but if you insist on doing so, always at least wear a condom.

Thanks Joe, I sure don't understand how the brass fragments got out of a M700. But, I'll take your word for it.

Absolutely amazing!

Hot Core, I'm sure they were very very small and really hot when it happened. He was known for pushing things a bit back then and the combination of a warm load and soft brass ended up being a disaster.
I would not have thought it could get through the triple ring of steel either but then I never wished to test the theory.
Joe

actually I believe blanks are made from rejected brass.you are not supposed to ever reload them for anything.

jb,
I completely agree, It was certainly not my idea and if I had known I would have told him not to do it. Furtunately he still has all of his digits and both eyes. It is a good thing that the arms manufacturers build in a hefty safty factor to protect us from ourselves.
Joe

I had just my plastic lens perscription glasses on. I am a welder and like big lenses as I get flying junk at work all the time. No actual real damage to anything but my pride.Had I NOT had glasses on that may have been a different story. My face felt flak that might have caused eye damage but did not draw blood or leave welts,
I since have talked to other people that have had screw ups using blank brass for a multitude of reasons.Seems blank brass is NOT reject brass but is not hardened . I guess they want it soft to expand and seal at the low pressures. Even though they are blanks they have to seal the chamber or you will get a face full.