30BR Neck separation

[steve210]

Cases that have been shot (a lot) will Crack where the sizing bushing stops some times. A bronze brush on a chamber rod will bring them right out. I keep one as well as a drop rod in my shooting box just to keep ol' murphy at bay, best I can. It also tells you it's time for some new brass.

 

[Straightshooter1]

When my sizing/ trimming was completed I annealed. Seemed the logical time to do so.

Am I doing it right? Beats me.

One thing I know for certain is that when I size my brass, the work hardening is substantial and I'm not moving the brass as much as one does when necking up. I recently found that I needed to get my necks softer than where I wanted them to be in order to hit may softness target after sizing (that being the softness I see in virgin Lapua brass). If I were necking up (have never done any necking up BTW) I'd be annealing my brass a little softer yet before the necking up. And I'm pretty sure that really helps avoid any kind of neck splitting.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I have lost a few 30BR necks, after multitudes and multitudes of firings. I turn mine to .0097 as well. I have certainly lost more 6PPC necks.

Just stick an appropriate size bronze brush in and out the neck will come.

 

[muleystalker]

Single stroke.

I find when expanding a neck up in caliber it has always worked best for me to size it up using several passes, short strokes if you will. insert the mandrel a bit, pull back, hit it a little farther, back out then hit it again. I usually go 3-4 short strokes to expand a piece. And be liberal with the Imperial sizing wax.

 

[Owens85]

I find when expanding a neck up in caliber it has always worked best for me to size it up using several passes, short strokes if you will. insert the mandrel a bit, pull back, hit it a little farther, back out then hit it again. I usually go 3-4 short strokes to expand a piece. And be liberal with the Imperial sizing wax.

This ^^^^^^

 

[AlNyhus]

Having done hundreds and hundreds of 30BR cases with the Lapua, there's only been a few neck splits during the expand up process. But stuff can happen. I've always found the Lapua factory stress relief to be fine for expanding to .30.

I just did these for a new barrel. Single pass over a tapered 6 to .30 expander, into a .327 neck non bushing full length die to straighten the necks and neck turn over a carbide mandrel. The neck/shoulder area gets a light stress relieving as the final step. At that point, they are ready to shoot (primer pocket and flash holes are also done). Load work can start at the first firing. The same process is used whether it's Lapua or Peterson 6BR brass. On Peterson 7BR brass, I don't stress relieve the necks as they are significantly more malleable (pre-expanding) than Lapua or Peterson 6BR.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[Leadfarmer]

@AlNyhus sorry, just want to make sure I'm reading what you said correctly. You uniform primer pockets before the first firing?

 

[AlNyhus]

@AlNyhus sorry, just want to make sure I'm reading what you said correctly. You uniform primer pockets before the first firing?

Yes. I used to do that...wait.until after the first firing to settle the pockets. The pockets changed over the years and doing them from the start became a better approach. -Al

 

[TommyD11730]

Having done hundreds and hundreds of 30BR cases with the Lapua, there's only been a few neck splits during the expand up process. But stuff can happen. I've always found the Lapua factory stress relief to be fine for expanding to .30.

I just did these for a new barrel. Single pass over a tapered 6 to .30 expander, into a .327 neck non bushing full length die to straighten the necks and neck turn over a carbide mandrel. The neck/shoulder area gets a light stress relieving as the final step. At that point, they are ready to shoot (primer pocket and flash holes are also done). Load work can start at the first firing. The same process is used whether it's Lapua or Peterson 6BR brass. On Peterson 7BR brass, I don't stress relieve the necks as they are significantly more malleable (pre-expanding) than Lapua or Peterson 6BR.

Good shootin' -Al

Thanks for the reply. A lot of good info there.

Just 1 question, if you don't mind. You made mention you start load development 1st firing. I was instructed to Jam the loads .020 to make sure the shoulders move forward. Do you continue to keep the loads jammed after the brass has stopped moving?

Having shot my brass for just the 2nd time today I recorded some of my best groups ever. So that being said unless something drastic occurs after my 3rd firing I plan to remain jammed.
Is that the case with most 30BR loads?

 

[steve210]

I'm not Al, but every 30Br that I've had or helped tune usually is jammed pretty good. Usually less than ten thousandth off of hard jam( letting the bolt seat the bullet)