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Post by dougell on Mar 15, 2016 16:17:13 GMT -5
Here's something that I never experienced.I have a Kimber Montanna in .300 wsm.I took the scope off a couple years ago to put on one of my son's rifles.Last week I got around to putting a new one on and went out on sunday to sight it in.I had 50 reloads that were sized about 3 times.There were 5 empties in the box that were shot probably 3 times and the cases were fine.Each new round that I fired had split necks.Why did they split now and not before?
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Post by bushmaster on Mar 15, 2016 16:59:09 GMT -5
Bad Brass?
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Post by Muab Dib on Mar 15, 2016 17:03:49 GMT -5
Work hardened neck through the multiple loadings with the addition of time would be my guess. Try some new brass and I'll bet things are okay.
Muab
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Post by davet on Mar 15, 2016 17:09:55 GMT -5
For the WSM, next time anneal the brass after each shooting. This doesn't have to be a long drawn out affair. If you have a slooooow battery driven unit that you can chuck up a Lee brass holder, then fire up a propane torch and just hold the brass neck at a 90 degree angle right against the blue part of the flame. Count to 5. (You know....turn the brass in the drill, in the flame for 5 seconds.) All of that "stuff" about quenching in water need not be done. But you do need to turn the brass slowly. And careful as it will be very hot even at only 5 seconds.
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Post by dougell on Mar 16, 2016 8:08:19 GMT -5
What surprised me was,I reloaded that cases probably two years ago and shot five of them at that time with no issues.Two years later they start splitting.
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Post by davet on Mar 16, 2016 11:06:25 GMT -5
I doubt the time sitting had anything to do with it. From what I've read those little WSM have very high pressures and it doesn't take much to get the brass work hardened much. I will tell you that for my 6.5 Swede I shoot nothing but Lapua or Norma brass, and I anneal 'em about every 5th round. They last me a very long time and that's shooting them at maximum loads. Now, it's top quality brass....but I will also tell you that I can "feel" the difference when seating bullets on post-annealed brass vs pre-annealed brass.
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Post by winchesterbob on Mar 26, 2016 8:10:27 GMT -5
A simple way to anneal is to heat the neck and shoulder in a candle flame. As soon as the case gets too hot to hold roll it on a damp towel. Works like a charm and isn't too tedious to do 40 cases at one time...
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Post by dennyf on Mar 26, 2016 8:43:26 GMT -5
How often had the cases been trimmed to length?
I seldom have case issues for these reasons: Mostly "neck sizing" for varmint rounds; Cases trimmed to length about every third reloading cycle (on average); Cases segregated to each rifle (where I have multiple rifles in the same cartridge): Avoidance of max loads.
Other than one load for one particular 25-06, none of my loads approach a listed max charge. That one is now listed as max in newer manuals, but I've been using it since the late 70s with no issues and it still performs as it always did in that rifle. The cases get full length resized about the fifth cycle, but barely touching the shoulders.
Just my experiences, YMMV?
Years ago a neighbor had accuracy issues with 243s. He, his wife and son all used that cartridge and none of the brass was ever kept segregated for each rifle, nor were they ever trimmed. I dumped about half of their brass in the junk bin, due to split necks. He got new brass, a Lyman case trimmer and never had that problem again.
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