Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Split Cases

I have a late 60's/early 70's model Winchester 94 in 30-30 Win. that was my grandfather's that I decided to get out and hunt with again. I shoot factory Winchester PowerPoints. Yesterday, I was checking the zero of some guns and shot it twice to see where it was hitting. After the second shot, I picked up the two fired cases and as I was walking to the target I felt something. I looked at the cases and noticed that there is a split running lengthwise in the bend of the bottleneck. What is causing this? Is it safe to shoot? As far as I know, the gun didn't do this before but it has been years since I even shot it. Did I get some bad brass in this lot? Help!!

Is it brand new ammo, or stuff that has been stored w/ the rifle for many years?

Ammo bought last year or the year before. Absolutely no more than 2 years old.

Could be an excessive chamber (not likely if you don't remember it ever doing it before). Being as how it isn't August anymore, I would probably rule out high ambient temperatures causing excessive pressure.

My guess, its the ammo. While it doesn't happen often, even factory ammunition producers can flub on a lot once in a while. It may have one or two grains too much powder for your gun.

And it could be a combination of any of the above.

I would suggest buying a new box of ammo (or two) and see if the problem persists.

Could be bad brass , I had some new Remington ammo do that one time.


Mike

More likely just some hard brass.Even the factory misses some now and then.

I have been having the same thing happen with the same ammo in a Savage 1899 .30-30. Winchester 150 and 170 grn Power Points in the silver box. I haven't checked the lots but it's stuff I've bought at three different stores over the last three years.

Today I fired five and split two,(factory)one had two splits in it. I don't think it's the rifle because I've used Remingtons and Federals and reloads on non-Winchester brass and not had a problem.

Maybe the rifle is gouging the brass when it is chambered, leaving a lengthwise weakened area? .30/30 brass is pretty thin to begin with in the neck and shoulder area. I've been a serious brass scavenger for a long time now, and over the years I've picked up once-fired brass from all of the common brands that have failed on the first firing, mostly cracks in the shoulder and neck area. Anything that is made by the billions is going to occasionally fail.

I'd call the manufaturer with the lot number. I had some Fiocchi 9mm that did the same thing - 10 rounds before I noticed and all were the same - they already knew of the problem with that lot and offered to replace them.

I recently had a similar experience with 150 gr Rem Core Lokt in a mid 1950's Model 94. I think they are 6-7 years old. I bought 6 boxes of these when they were on sale and shot over 2 boxes with no previous problems in the same rifle.