brass death

[Richard Coody]

just a question. when your brass reaches the end of life is it from cracked necks or loose primer pockets.

for me it is loose primer pockets but i am curious what others experience.

 

[DirtySteve]

Primer pockets. I know there are tools to tighten them but for me it's not work the effort. I got my moneys worth out of it and it is time to move on.

 

[eric n]

I’ve yet to see a split neck other then a fold I missed in Lapua 6 br brass.
Always primer pockets for me.

 

[Fotheringill]

Necks (not happened yet in five years), pockets (once in a while) tell tale marks and shade differences near base end of cartridge.

It ain't worth the risk, no matter how small, in getting my gorgeous face rearranged.

 

[ireload2]

My case failures vary a little.
Most die due to wear of pressing primers in and out. I do not expand primer pockets they just wear out. If I have another brand and batch of larger primers I can sometimes get another 4 or 5 shots out of a batch of old brass.

I have a few cases that crack or burn through the body about 1.5 inches above the rim. Too low to anneal but high enough to be overworked. This a from an older die for a straight case that sizes too much in the middle.

A few necks do crack but it is nothing more than a random occurrence. I think it is because I keep my expanders highly polished and the necks are always clean and well lubricated.

 

[Monte F]

I have not had to retire any from split necks (on my rifle cases, pistol is another story) or loose primer pockets. I am starting to have head separation on some of my Lapua .308 cases with lots (unknown number) of reloads and second hand to me.

 

[mikld]

For me it depends on the cartridge and load. I've reloaded 38 Special for over 35 years and never had a loose primer pocket, but plenty of split mouths, but some heavy 44 Magnum loads can loosen primer pockets in less than 12 reloads. My 30-06 brass is often retired after 9-10 reloadings regardless of primer pockets, and none have ever had any split necks (Garand ammo). I'm kinda anal about inspecting my brass and sometimes I'll retire a case if it just "doesn't look right"...

 

[kneedtospeed]

New Barrel...
...New Brass
In that order
Somehow, well maintained brass always out lasts the tube

 

[dttheliman]

Pretty much as stated by kneedtospeed , with 260 Rem and other 6.5's absolutely agree, however I have a TRG-22 in 308 that has had the same 200 pieces of lapua brass go through it around 11 times (I shoot them all and then reload at the same time ..... anneal bump the shoulder ...... there I said it! ) , YMMV but I don't load screamers in 308 , the rifle is still accurate at around 2400 rounds in total

 

[JFrank]

Pretty much as stated by kneedtospeed , with 260 Rem and other 6.5's absolutely agree, however I have a TRG-22 in 308 that has had the same 200 pieces of lapua brass go through it around 11 times (I shoot them all and then reload at the same time ..... anneal bump the shoulder ...... there I said it! ) , YMMV but I don't load screamers in 308 , the rifle is still accurate at around 2400 rounds in total

Sometimes they just come apart,
These were FL sized 10 times notice the cracks
SPJ

 

[Shynloco]

As to the original post, I'd say it depends on the caliber and how much I've turned/taken off the necks in thickness. Sometimes its cracked necks and sometime its loose primer pockets. Depends also on the loads/pressure I've been shooting. I believe its also knowing how your rifle treats the brass you shoot. And as we all know, not all brass is the same. I've just started using Peterson Brass (in 260 & .308) and am keeping tract in terms of comparing it to my Lapua that I've been using since I got into Benchrest shooting. And so far I'm impressed with how well Peterson is performing and how consistent (runout) it is.

Alex

 

[LHSmith]

Sometimes due to enlarged primer pockets, but majority due to refusing sizing in the back end. No -I am not a fan of primer pocket swagers or ring dies .......I look at brass as an expendable commodity and new brass solves a lot of problems.

 

[suasponte]

View attachment 1046388
Sometimes they just come apart,
These were FL sized 10 times notice the cracks
SPJ

Jim:
Typically case separations like that are a by product of bumping your head space back too far. I have seen cases separate like that but have never had one do it. It also appears that you have a carbon ring in your chamber by looking at the brass.
Terry

 

[JFrank]

Jim:
Typically case separations like that are a by product of bumping your head space back too far. I have seen cases separate like that but have never had one do it. It also appears that you have a carbon ring in your chamber by looking at the brass.
Terry

That's a good observation Terry, perhaps your right as I cam over ever so slightly that extra couple of thousands could have contributed. Quite a Carbon ring isn't it- Factory Savage neck is around.007 over and shorrrrt free bore . That round came apart at around 44.2 gr RL-15 without checking my book.
Just rebarreled to 6 br yeah!

Sorry to go off topic Gents
Jim

 

[JFrank]

Jim:
Typically case separations like that are a by product of bumping your head space back too far. I have seen cases separate like that but have never had one do it. It also appears that you have a carbon ring in your chamber by looking at the brass.
Terry

Terry
I assumed that the Carbon ring is from as said a loose neck. How do you read it ?
J

 

[dcali]

I have never experienced a spit neck in 25 years of reloading. Reasonably sized chambers seem to prevent them. It’s always been the primers that go first. I should mantion that I haven’t shot a factory barrel since I was a teenager and that my rifles are all generally mid sized (.308 based) or ARs (that kill primer pockets in about 4 firings).