Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Ideas and comments. What happened?

Had an incident at the range last time out. Was shooting a target load in my Swift. 39 grs AA2700,CCI BR primer, 52 gr SMK ( a proven load in this rifle ). 3rd firing on new Winchester cases. The cases were culled by weight and length.



The above photo shows the case, there is a burn hole and crack starting at the web.In 30 years I have never had this happen, split necks from age Yes. Got sprayed pretty good out of the pressure relief port. Hope you can see it good. Ideas?

Swifty

I think it's just crappy brass. I had a dozen or so once fired 22-250 cases from Winchester that had splits in the shoulder area AND I am still awaiting a replacement bag of .218 Bee brass that was returned to them due to so many pieces being defective.

never seen anything like that before..The primer look normal?

Defective case that had a small piece of foreign material in it or just a forming defect.

That's my guess anyway.

If you cut the case in two you might be able to see something out of the ordinary on the inside.

"Defective case that had a small piece of foreign material in it or just a forming defect."

Yep.

I had the same thing new win. brass 50ct. bag from Bass Pro. I got in touch with Winchester they said send us your bag with stock markin and fired cracked brass and 5 loaded rounds and load. They sent me a 100ct. bag and a letter of sorry it was bad brass. Shootin new stuff and it's ok....later

Swifty52: I will go with the majority here BUT my first thought was a case head seperation that also split forward a tad.
Thank goodness you weren't hurt what ever the cause!
IF this happens again I would swap dies and use more (better) case lube on the chance that this is some sort of EARLY case head seperation issue.
Keep your shooting glasses around.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Nope nothing out of the ordinary ( I cut it open ). The pin hole developed right at the top of the web to chamber junction. Flash hole was fine, no burrs or defects. primer wasnt cratered or flattened. So have to go along with the defect in manufacture.
Also dont think it was even close to premature case head seperation due to the fact the crack extends upward from the hole, and not any defects or signs of it going around the head. Most definately NOT getting rid of my Redding Competition dies as they were a bit pricey.
I will watch for it from now on in the remainder of that bunch, but am a little leery of Win brass at the moment. Norma or Remmy from now on.

Thanks for the input
Swifty

Swifty52: I am currently reloading for 7 (seven) Varmint Rifles in caliber 220 Swift - 6 (six) of them use Winchester brass and one uses the Norma brass.
According to my Loading Log I have never used Remington 220 Swift brass - so I can't comment on that.
I have never had a similar type incident over the last 40 years with Winchester brass.
I did a quick price check and Noram brass (per 100) is more than TWICE as expensive as Winchester ($51.99 vs $108.99!).
When my Swift Rifle that uses Norma brass "eats that brass up" I will probably give the Remington stuff a try as the Norma is just to expensive nowadays for Varminting.
Your load is well below the factory MAXIMUM loading - and its even well below the factory (AA) minimum listed loading so I doubt it is a pressure issue.
It was either a factory flawed case OR indeed it was "premature" case head seperation - and if it was the latter then with the mild loads you are using, then something is working that brass.
Indeed your intention of "watching for it" is wise.
If it were me I would get one of the accompanying pieces of fired brass and cut it length wise and examine (measure) the case web area and compare that with a new unfired piece of similar brass.
Again best of luck to you.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

"Got sprayed pretty good out of the pressure relief port."

I hope you had your shooting glassed on. That happened to me once and I would have taken it in the eye if it weren't for my safety glasses. Somewhat unnerving to say the least, glad you weren't hurt.