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These cases have been shoot 3 times: IMR 7828 80.0 Grns. Sierra 300 Gr. BTHP (MK) .625 off lands. Primer: Win LR Mag. The load is about 5 grains under max and the primers and everything else does not show any excessive pressure. I FL (not shorties) this particular load but the end size is above and below as shown in the pictures. Not shown are 3 cases that separated completely. Your thoughts??   | ||
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You`re pushing the shoulders back too far and producing excessive headspace in the cartridges. The pictures show classic head separation that is normally associated with it. Back your die out a little and the brass should last a long time ------------------------------------ The trouble with the Internet is that it's replacing masturbation as a leisure activity. ~Patrick Murray "Why shouldn`t truth be stranger then fiction? Fiction after all has to make sense." (Samual Clemens) "Saepe errans, numquam dubitans --Frequently in error, never in doubt". | |||
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Are your primers backing out at all even slightly? | |||
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This is also the first thing I thought of as well. I forgot to mention that I did do a head-space check using "droplet method" and I got about a 75% spread on the bolt which would be just about?? Because I haven't measured it yet. So come to think of it, I think you are right because a 75% spread could be as much as .700 which of course is like a mile in a .338 LM I'll bet the hairline crack is equal to my gap which is the standard tell-tail. I just wonder why only about 10 cases out of 100 were effected as they were all processed the same? | |||
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I did the same thing last year on a set of 204 Ruger brass. I had two total separations. After the second, I stopped shooting. I went back and checked the fired brass using the paper clip feeling for the separation grove inside the case and found several cases that had started to separate, but showed no signs visually on the outside of the case. I ended up scrapping the entire lot just to be on the safe side. With 10% of your cases showing something is wrong, I'd probably start over with some new brass to be safe. Good luck dissecting the problem! Graybird "Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after ... it's the reckoning." | |||
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i have been getting around 6 loads out of my 338 lapua brass with a load of 94.7 of h4831 and 225 grain hornadys. could likely get more loadings out of it, but i am not bold like that anymore. | |||
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I would agree with Ol Joe ! , those cases are stretching a long ways to separate like that . I'm running 225 and 250's upwards of 2950 - 2775 FPS using IMR 4831 a little faster using H870 . I reload 7 times ( just a lucky number thing ) I then closely inspect cases and anneal . Go another 7 repeat then separate those cases and re anneal and download those cases for practice . Stone cold lucky as I've yet to have a head separation . After conferring with Woods and others , I purchased some " Needed Accessories " for Accurate measuring of EVERY ASPECT of my reloading . Now I'm happy to report shoulders are .002" set back on every rifle caliber I shoot . For my .338 Lappy .015 -.020 off the lands out of a 27.25 " Lilja SS barrel . It's preforming beyond my capabilities and I'm only able to practice at 1000 meters once a month weather permitting . That's not nearly enough for myself to become really proficient with it !.  | |||
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You're all right! It just seemed odd to me that only a few cases were effected. I'm really meticulous when it comes to uniformity and the other strange thing is that all the primer strike depths are the same. Usually they will be a bit on the shallow side or uneven due to the extra head space. I'm taking Ol' Joe advise and back my die off a tad and see what happens. I'm sure it's that simple and will solve the problem. I sometimes tend to over-look and complicate things overlooking the obvious thinking I'm a premier loader just to be reminded of the basics that more than sometimes fix's the problem. "If a time comes in that you feel you know all there is, this is the time you have just begun to learn" Albert Einstein. | |||
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Don't beat yourself up over a problem , just do what I did . Went back to basic reevaluation of the entire process . Long story condensed ; I had my setup correct ,then I stuck a case ( man hadn't done that in Years !, I was out of Boeshield T 9 the lube I use .) So had to remove the Die and extract the case ,I had a lock collar on . After finishing went back and reloaded WITHOUT CHECKING shoulder set back !!!. well they were .014- .016 !!!!!!!!!!. Accuracy went to shit , not to mention ruining a number of cases !. Why ?, because of my superior arrogance in believing my lock collar would prevent such an error . Assumption is the mother of all screw ups , one of the first things I learned in college !!!. | |||
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I am no expert....but I thought that the 338 Lapua being a belted case will head space on the belt and therefore you will not get any primer back out that happens with normal rimless cases. To me the problem seems to be one of pushing the shoulder back too much. Easy to find out with the Hornady case measuring tool (I just got a new one & solved my tight feed problems).  "When the wind stops....start rowing. When the wind starts, get the sail up quick." | |||
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The .338 Lapua Mag. is not belted. Check out the photos above. But you're right it is a head space issue! | |||
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Just to be perfectly clear ; My reloading problem was with 7mm Rem Mag which is belted of course . However case stretch is dependent on shoulder set back . To far is NOT GOOD to little it possibly won't chamber . So the Main point was CHECK IT CAREFULLY !!!. | |||
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I strongly encourage anyone who likes reloading to get themselves the hornady (used to be stoney point) headspace bushing measuring kit. About $40. I use it quite often. I reload for some buddies so it's good to be able to quickly reference what's going on in different guns. I also make brass from different cartridges...like 257 wby and 270 wby from 7mm brass. People will say it's an unneeded "luxury" but at the price of what this brass is getting to be (especially wby and lapua) I'd say it's a smart investment. | |||
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IT certainly looks like excessive headpace. Even w/o gages it shoul dbe easy enopugh to tell. Just look at the fired csae compared to one FL sized. Settign the dies up to partial FL size, just allowinf the bolt to close on a sized case, should extend the case life quite a lot. It's how I size all my rifle rounds for maximum case life w/ reliable feeding/chambering. LIFE IS NOT A SPECTATOR'S SPORT! | |||
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I always strip the bolt and size my brass till I feel a slight resistance when closing.Then I will sometimes use a little dykem and close it to see how much contact there is. Never had a seperation in almost 40 years of reloading.thank the good Lord | |||
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Okay, I'll bite What is the "droplet method" for measuring headspace? ____________________________________ There are those who would misteach us that to stick in a rut is consistency - and a virtue, and that to climb out of the rut is inconsistency - and a vice. - Mark Twain | Chinese Proverb: When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others. ___________________________________ | |||
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But After reflecting, I do think it is a HS issue because I didn't take the amount of over-all pressure into consideration nor did I feel the "droplet test" reflected anything out of the ordinary. But working so much with the .308 this last year, I think I forgot to consider the huge pressure difference between the two and the smaller margin I have to work with .