Brass ?

[rjtfroggy]

If after checking 200 pieces of brass (Lapua ) after 4th firing and threw out 152 for neck cracks would you throw out the remaining 48 or take a chance and just use for practice?

 

[itchyTF]

Do you anneal?

 

[WyleWD]

Save them for practice....... maybe. But if you have new brass ready to prep and put into service I'd probably pitch them. JMHO. WD

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Wow only 4 firings! I have 6br brass that is up to 17 reloads with no issues so far and some 6 Creedmoor Hornady brass that is at 9 firings. I anneal every 4th cycle.

 

[B23]

Maybe I'm missing something but I think I'd be looking for why I was getting cracked necks in Lapua brass after just four firings than whether or not I should toss the remaining 48 pieces.

 

[okie]

what is the neck dia. of your chamber/reamer? What is the loaded round neck dia.?

 

[243Lapua]

Something is not right. 4 firings and the brass is toast. I've done over 10 reloads on mine and the Lapua brass looks good as new.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

If after checking 200 pieces of brass (Lapua ) after 4th firing and threw out 152 for neck cracks would you throw out the remaining 48 or take a chance and just use for practice?

Annealing will prevent this.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Annealing will prevent this.

Maybe, maybe not. Need to find the root cause of it splitting necks in that short amount of time. I shoot with people that never anneal and they still get pretty darn good case life even with crap brass.

 

[std7mag]

I didn't know me & Lefty Trigger shot together...

I've done max of 30 reloads on PPU brass with no issues. And no annealing.

Something is up to cause neck splitting after 4 reloads.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Last week a shooter at the range showed me his .243 Lapua brass he was firing out of his bolt gun where after 4 firing they were almost all cracking or had definite separation signs at the neck and shoulder junction. He stated that he never annealed and that he also turned the necks. I had never seen that before, but I suggested that when he turned the necks, he might have cut into the shoulder at a wrong angle and/or cut too deep into the shoulder . . . but that was just my guess as I couldn't think of another explanation for this with just 4 firings.

 

[M-61]

I may have missed it but what cartridge are we talking about?

 

[rjtfroggy]

All this brass was bought at the same time a few years ago but never put in service.
It was all prepped with first an expander, then turned to 0.0115, full length sized, champhered and deburred. After each firing it went through the f/l sizer, champhered and deburred (just to clean up). Never annealed it.
Chamber is .269 (6br) modest load, 28 gr. 4895, 105 Bergers.
I first noticed cracks on some at 3rd firing. I am pretty sure this was bought around the same time others were complaining about their cases splitting around the shoulder/body junction ( had a couple of those also).
I already have a box of 100 waiting to be prepped, I am just waiting for colder and or stormy weather to do it. I have other stuff that needs loading first.

 

[Twicepop]

Something is not right. 4 firings and the brass is toast. I've done over 10 reloads on mine and the Lapua brass looks good as new.

I used to have a copy of Precision Shooting that did a longevity test on five different makes of brass. They had Remington, Federal, Winchester, Norma and Lapua. The three American manufactured brass had all be relegated to the scrap heap by the 12th load cycle, for neck/shoulder splits and case separations. The Norma brass went to the 30th load cycle before it too was scrapped. The Lapua brass went to the 50th load cycle before they stopped the test. They said that the brass showed no signs of the aforementioned problems the other brass had. The testers said that they felt the Lapua brass could have been annealed and the test resumed.

 

[okie]

Aint too much neck clearance---maybe you just got a bad batch there...?

 

[bozo699]

Whats your trim length?.......
Wayne

 

[rjtfroggy]

1.51

 

[searcher]

I'd lose the expander ball on your die - and I'd buy another die if you aren't using a bushing die. Can buy a decent full-length bushing die for less than a box of Lapua brass.

 

[rjtfroggy]

I'd lose the expander ball on your die - and I'd buy another die if you aren't using a bushing die. Can buy a decent full-length bushing die for less than a box of Lapua brass.

What would you recommend?
I am using Wilson's now.

 

[JimSC]

Maybe I'm missing something but I think I'd be looking for why I was getting cracked necks in Lapua brass after just four firings than whether or not I should toss the remaining 48 pieces.

Never had a neck split or crack. No kidding, I have heard of it but never experienced it

I stopped annealing years ago now and it is not uncommon for my cases to be make it well into the teens and have to be trashed because the primer pockets loosened up.