I don't remember what thread we talked about my 99G 303 splitting cases so I've started a new thread on it. The snow mentioned in another post gave me time to take some photos since I can't work outside.
That's an unfired 303 on the right, the split case and a 30-30. The split case was bulged about .015 in the area of the split.

David

Sometimes it happens. I've taken to annealing all my brass (neck/shoulders) as a matter of course. Can't hurt, and can only help. I haven't had a split neck for longer than I can remember (no CRS jokes now!). Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

Was the split case factory or reload? If reload, how many times had it been fired before? Who made the case? If reload, what was the load?

Details..

Rory, it is a box of 180 gr. factory Remington. Green box, has the warning and cleanbore priming, index 8130. The ammo is clean. I also shot one round of Winchester Silver tips but can't find them right now. The case stretched pretty bad but didn't crack. David

Interesting. I had several factory PRVI 22HP cases that had some splits like that, and it was pretty new ammo.

If you find the Winchester that didn't split, be interesting to see what the measurements are on the fireformed brass compared to the specs.

I'm not one to shy away from using old brass. But, like I said above, I anneal it first. That goes for old loaded ammo too. I pull the bullets, dump the powder, de-prime, anneal, and reload with whatever the magic load du jour is.

When you say the Silvertip cartridge stretched badly upon firing, that begs the question how good the headspace is. (And no, that wouldn't cause a longitudinal split in the neck/shoulder- for any newbies out there.)

Any sign of the primer backing out?

Primer looks OK. Can't find that box of silvertips. May have to take another one out and shoot it.

Rory, what were you shooting the Hornet ammo in?

I think any PRVI ammo would be considered "new". I just bought two boxes but have not fired any. Looking for bases for the 19 Hornet so I can scope it.

Gary, my son is thinking about buying an annealing machine. Sizing the .300 Mag necks takes a lot of force after a couple of firings. Best part is it works with any brass. Maybe I should help him make up his mind. Would be nice borrowing something from him for a change.

Had an identical issue with Remington green box factory a few years back. I am guessing sub-par brass from factory as 1/2 split on initial firing. Had PRVI reloaded half dozen timesfor the same 2 .303s without issue.

Turns out the other ammo was my hunting load of 150 gr. Sierra flat nose, 31 grs. 3031, WLR primer in PPU cases. The base of the neck .340 in the diagram above is .334 reload, .344 fired case, front of main body .413 above is .410 reload, .420 fired case. It looks like the brass stretched to factory specs. Maybe the old Rem brass is faulty. David

Sounds a treat, Rick. For years I used a pocket propane torch (Bic lighter) and dropped them straight into a pan of water. Now I follow Mule Deer's protocol whereby a simple candle does the trick. I spin the case in my bare fingers until too hot to handle, then into a wet paper towel to cool things down and wipe off soot.

One of those machines would be neat though, especially if one had a big pile of brass to do. I was wishing for something like that last summer when I processed 500 pieces of Lake City brass for the AR. I annealed all the brass over a couple evenings while watching TV. (I probably didn't need to anneal them in the first place, but...)

I had that happen with old Remington loads.

My dad's 303 does the same exact thing..

I'll have to give the 99G 303 another chance with some different ammo.

David, if it is your reload that split you might try backing out your sizing die a little bit so the brass doesn't have to expand so much. Verify that it chambers okay before you load.

I cant rember a win. 303 brass ever spliting on me, always seems like the remmy stuff!

Rick it was the new old Remington ammo that split. My PPU reload didn't. Luckily I've got a lot of win. 303 brass. David

On a slightly different tangent: What we need is a modern "Everlasting" case. Back 100 or so years ago, Everlasting cases were employed by target shooters. They were simply cases that were turned in a lathe to match chamber dimensions, with a hole bored straight into it down to above the primer leaving the case walls extra thick. Said hole then had a step in the neck, a couple thousandths oversize but the correct diameter to accept the bullet which was then thumb-seated so as to rest upon that tiny ledge. Powder charges were greatly reduced due to greatly lessened internal capacity, but like I said this was for target shooting so who cared? (The fallacy of shooting nothing but full throttle ammo with every pull of the trigger is one I never understood. It doesn't take much to merely punch a hole in a piece of paper.) One could go to the range with but a couple of empty cases, de- and re-prime on site, dump a powder charge in, thumb seat a bullet, and shoot. No dies/resizing involved and no overworking of brass, all of which spelled indefinite case life. By employing small-ish powder charges one saved money on powder costs, and if one took it a step further and used cast lead bullets one could realize savings that would boggle the mind. If done today, it would cost but pennies per shot, and I guarantee that the brass you started with today would still be in service 5 years from now, none the worse for wear.

Companies like Lyman provided Everlasting cases on demand. I betcha there would be a market today if someone undertook to exploit it.

Took the 99G 303 and the SRC 303 out to the range. The 99G didn't split cases for my reloads with PPU and WW Super brass. The base of the neck stretched .008 with the WW and .012 with the PPU. The case just where the shoulder starts to taper down to the neck stretched .011 with both cases. The Rem. 180 g. Core-Lokts stretched .008 and .009 at the base of the neck and .003 and .010 at the shoulder shooting them in the SRC. They didn't split and I shot a 1 3/16" 3 shot group with them at one hundred yds.
I think the 99G's chamber might be very slightly oversize and I shouldn't use old Rem. factory ammo in it. I may anneal the remaining Rem. brass and try it again in the 99G. The rifle is back in the stable of shooters. Didn't have time to try it at 100 yds.
I also took the 30-30 SRC with the Stith and Weaver KV. It's a tackdriver. It shot 5/8" and 7/8" groups with WW Super 170 g. power point bullets. David

Lots of good news in that post!

That might send the elk back up the mountain though. But, they probably don't read much...

All's well that ends well!

The neat thing about collecting firearms is the principle of cull rate. We do not have 2 shoot them all AND WE DANGED SURE DO NOT NEED TO DEPEND ON EM ALL FOR HARVESTING GAME. What I am getting at us when I couldn't afford a rifle and borrowed them to hunt with and them sons a beaches wouldn't perform....it was tag soup. Now I feel like Bill Belly check of the East Coast Deflators. I.E. Patriots. U don't perform.....Next man up. Do your Job. But I also agree old brass is very friable and will split with out annealing. I; like Gnoahh ( one of my hero's BTW)...use a candle.

Thought you guys would like some pics.
First are the two SRC's with the target. Top is the 303 with a Weaver K4 I got from SBroun last year and a Lightfoot mount and bottom is the 30-30 with the KV and Stith mount I got from Lightfoot a few days ago.

Next is the 180 gr. Rem. Core Lokt fired in the 303 SRC. These are from the box of ammo that split in the 99G 303. The group is 1 3/16.

Then I shot my hunting load of 150 g. Sierra FP, 31 g. 3031 and a WLR primer. 5/8" group.

After zeroing the 30-30 SRC at 25 and then 50 yds., I moved back to 100 yds and shot this 5/8" group with Win. 170 g.
PP's.

I adjusted the Weaver KV and shot this 7/8" group. This scope is very precise in it's adjustments. The remaining 2 shot group was fired after another minor adjustment. I was running low on ammo and time so didn't fire a third shot.

Time ran out and I didn't shoot the 99G at 100 yds. I'll put a Lightfoot mount and possibly a Leupold scope on it. If it's accurate I'll have to decide which of the 3 to hunt elk with. Decisions, Decisions!
David

both David then you can't miss or you'll get 2 at a time

norm

I could strap saddle scabbards on my back and carry both, then shoot one with each hand wild West gunfighter style. David

Put a Lyman Alaskan with 7/8" Redfield rings and a Lightfoot mount on the old split case rifle (99G 303) and shot it today with 31g 3031, 150 Sierra FN and WLR primer. Got it zeroed in and shot a 3 shot group of 1 1/4". Only trouble is the primers are backing out slightly. I didn't mike the cases but they look alright. David

How tight does the lever lock up on it? A tighter bite might help.

Now that you mention it, not very tight. Sometimes the lever dropped slightly when I fired it. I remember a post on here about tightening the lever but didn't save it. Any help with my problem child would be greatly appreciated. David

I'll email some info.

Good shooting! I bet u are gonna solve this!

Mike, I answered your email. Thanks. John, I plan to. The 99G is my only TD 303 and I am going to start working on a TD Savage grand slam. David