I'v made a wildcat from a .222 Rem, using Lapua brass. The shoulder is moved forward and all but .010 of case taper is removed. I also have a 30° shoulder. I FF brass using COW and Clay's. Cases are 90+% formed. Initial load workup was well below max...very easy bolt lift. This case separated during FL resizing using a bushing FL custom die. I had resized several cases prior to this case separating when the ram was raised. I can't believe the case was thinned in this area after fire forming and firing only once...appreciate any observations/ advice.
Case separation above the web a wildcat. 222
- Thread starter lpreddick
- Start date
Need a crush fit on the forming fire.
MGYSGT
Silver $$ Contributor
Had that happen with some new brass once. Turned out the shoulder on the new cases were too far back and that is where it separated. Took me a while to figure it out. Had a bunch of light primer strikes until I started seating them out farther. After the first successful firing everything was ok.
Fireforming with COW can be boring as heck. I do not do that any more. You have a classic example of excess headspace.
If I were in your situation, and 10K plus wildcat brass in the reloading room indicate that I have been there, I would size the brass with the next size expander button to open up the neck. I would then size the brass back down to 6mm creating a false shoulder. You want the shoulder out far enough where you have to use some effort to close the bolt. If you can close the bolt on a sized brass without effort, you are pushing the false shoulder down too far. Here is an example of a case with a false shoulder. Load is mid-range and used for hunting. No need to waste the powder and primer.
If I were in your situation, and 10K plus wildcat brass in the reloading room indicate that I have been there, I would size the brass with the next size expander button to open up the neck. I would then size the brass back down to 6mm creating a false shoulder. You want the shoulder out far enough where you have to use some effort to close the bolt. If you can close the bolt on a sized brass without effort, you are pushing the false shoulder down too far. Here is an example of a case with a false shoulder. Load is mid-range and used for hunting. No need to waste the powder and primer.
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