Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Split neck from factory brass

So this is a new one for me, even after 15 years of reloading. I normally reload my own ammo but if it's too hot outside or if I buy a new/new to me gun, I shoot factory ammo.

In this case I purchased a new to me 243 Win. To go along with my new toy I purchased 1 box of factory ammo, shot it 4 additional times during load development. Now it's on its 6th loading (including the initial factory loading). I normally only shot a piece of brass 5x and then toss it (personal rule). Brass is getting harder to find si I'm breaking my rule. I purchased another 4 boxes of factory ammo (cause it's still freakin hot. Well it least it was).

Remington Core-Lok 100gr box had one neck split on me. I've never seen that before from factory ammo (heck never seen it ever since I only shot a piece of brass 5x)

I don't believe its the gun and brass is cheap enough just hard to find. Should I toss the rest or just reload the 19 remaining?

HaYen

I've had split necks on federal 30/30 ammo many
years ago when I'd first started hunting.
Most recently some Winchester white box 44 mag
ammo split down the side. Some I had out of a
different box a few years ago split all the way down
the side into the case head and into the pocket.
Good strong single shot that time so no gun damage
or damage to me. This last time was a Marlin 1894.
I imagine a pistol would have been damaged.
No problems with either gun with my own loads in
Remington and Starline brass.

Just me- I smash any questionable brass so
it can't be used and cause problems elsewhere

I would check the chamber since it's a new gun, and if you have a micrometer check for neck diameter, neck wall consistency, and shoulder position / head spacing. My cousin was shooting his 22-250 and he had a similar issue with Winchester factory ammo. Better safe than a kaboom. Alas, I am relatively a novice so others might have better suggestions. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some sort of inspection checklist out there like they make for cars. Good luck!

I purchased a box of Winchester (white box) 22-250. The first few rounds showed the start of case head separation. I measured the remaining for headspace and they were way out of spec. Never purchased another box. I always full length size new brass and inspect it.

I don't think it's my gun because out of 180 rounds so far it's only happened once

The remaining pieces look ok but my face is way too pretty so I may just toss them and buy a box of (gulp) Lapua since it's the easiest to find right now.

So you buy Lapua and toss it after 5 loadings? For fu cks sake... Read the test on starline 6.5 creedmoor brass. The author loaded it up 15 times with no problems whatsoever. 5 times and you toss it? What a waste...

I still believe the spec for brass is loose enough to allow for using what used to be "bad" material. Demand is so high that quality has gone down. BTW. this is why you re-work up loads with new lots of any component. Doubt your rifle chamber is at issue.

2 cents

I just started working up a load for a fieldcraft 7-08 I just bought from a fire member. I have some win brass I bought from once fired brass. Its from a gun manufacturers test range and has only been fired once before. I've used bags of this stuff often inmy faux Ti 7-07 over the years with no problems.

However, on my second loading for the fieldcraft I had about 25% split necks. Nice wide splits for the full length of the neck. So it was the third firing and the necks were splitting big time. I haven't tried annealing yet. I'm going to run some of the same bag through the faux ti a few times. Probably just bad/hard brass. It came nice and clean so I wonder how they polished it. Still has the factory primer in it.

I've lost brass to split necks before but usually only after 5 loads and usually more than that even with never annealing. And I almost always full length size and only use bushing dies for a few of my higher end guns.

I'd like to get more than two loads because the first reload is to fireform to my gun. I full length size but set shoulder bump to only about .002". Then I consider the brass ready to start the serious work but I'm loosing this stuff on the first fireing after that. Accuracy was down too on the second loading with some flyers. Didn't notice if those were the split neck ones or not.

I need to pick up a new box of some good stuff. My other 7-08s always ran well with this once fired win stuff before but this fueldcraft is worth some quality brass. I'll see if Alpha makes 7-08.

Bb

This is what I was thinking. If you have good dies (that match your chamber) loading 15-20 times is not a problem.

On a job long time ago, I tested rifles and shotguns.
One brand of 12 gauge shells had split brass right at the rim. We were testing different brands of shotguns and this ammo split in each of the different shotguns that day. We sent the rest of the ammo back to the manufacturer.

Depends on how hot he is loading it. The necks of the lapua 308 brass I was loading for mid/long range would start cracking after 3-4 reloads even with annealing. Lapua brass is nice, but I don't think it's as strong as the other brands.

Brass is getting harder to find or it's really Lapua ... I mean really expensive (haha).

Five loadings is rule I set way back when I was learning to reload and nice gentleman on these boards told me to "stop mixing your [bleep] and set a reload limit!!!". I'm not going to out him but if you read past the anger he makes perfect sense.

I may learn how to anneal. A guy at our local club is getting (in his words and I have no reason to doubt him) 60 - 70 reloads on his 338 Lapua.

Have a great day folks!!!