Starline 223 no good for 223 AI

[Pareto]

I've been reloading brass without issue using Norma, Lapua and even quality once fired LC brass. Multiple reloads without issue.

But I've now had 3 case head separations with the Starline brass. A 1x and 2 2x fired cases have all led to case head separation. The cartridge seems to have been cut neatly in half. These three were out of less than 40 cases I started with. That's a very high percentage of failures. I don't shoot at the maxium of my load tests and even farther below the theoretical maxima for my loads.

Is the Starline brass really so much more pressure sensitive than the other types of brass I mentioned? At any rate, I'll avoid it from now on for my 223AI.

 

[Doug Beach]

Case head separations aren’t generally a pressure problem.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Hearing rumblings about a bad batch of starline 5.56 brass recently

 

[RegionRat]

Batch/Lot number of @Pareto 's suspect lot?

 

[Jeff Porter]

Batch/Lot number of @Pareto 's suspect lot?

Not confirmed to that detail just that a couple of good shooters and one just OK shooter say they are not seeing good things after the first firing of some 5.56 cases. I will try to get more details but I believe the brass was all repacked from bulk so lot number may not be traceable in this case.

 

[Bat Rastard]

Can you post a picture of the case head separation?
Was it 223? Or 556?

 

[William Vogel]

I jam the bullet + .010 to fire form my 223AI to help make sure the firing pin doesn’t push the brass forward in the chamber. My Starline has about 6 firings and no problems. I bought it about a year and a half ago. You really shouldn’t be getting stretch much at the case head.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Sounds more like either your pushing the shoulder back too far or initial forming was not done correctly. Pressure blows primers and primer pockets out, makes cases stick in chamber etc.
Show us a pic of the head/primer of one of those cases.

Frank

 

[iukamedic]

I had the same issue with a Starline in a 223. First loading. Mine was at the neck junction

 

[Pareto]

I am late to answer some questions. But here's a quick photo I snapped at the range of the one case I kept. Average speed of all the rounds was 3150 and this one was 3141. 23.3 grains of N133 under a Fowler 52 bullet with Rem 7.5 primer. An earlier case failure was with a similar round but Berger 52 and CCI 450. I had two failures yesterday with Fowlers.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

From the pic, definitely not an over pressure problem. Actually looks like a mild load. I seem to remember a bad batch got out from Star-line awhile back. Give then a call, bet they will get you fixed up.

How far back do you push the shoulder back when sizing them?

Frank

 

[No manches"]

Neck them one calibre size up and leave a false shoulder..

This will take care of your issues

 

[Bat Rastard]

Looks similar to what I experienced. I was not pushing limits. Mine was 223. Was yours 223 or 556?

 

[Bill K]

True, usually a sizing problem, often too much bump on the shoulder, causing headspace issues and therefore case head separation.

Case head separations aren’t generally a pressure problem.

 

[jelenko]

I seem to remember a bad batch got out from Star-line awhile back

There was one. They simply sent me replacements.
When I asked if I could also use the ones I had - they said it wouldn't last one firing and strongly suggested to scrap them. The tech said they would split down the side - which sounds different than what we're seeing here.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Holy smokes. Hope there was no injury or damage to the rifle. I have 1500 starline 556 with 2 lot numbers. Its been good so far. I plan to use 250 of them that are once fired for 223 AI. I'll be so upset if that happens in a new 223 AI barrel!

 

[Pareto]

Nothing seems wrong with the rifle or bore. Subsequent shots with other brass shot well within the norm. But who knows if there is some minor damage I can't see, obviously.
Starline agreed to send me a new batch of 100. However, given that there are multiple complaints with Starline, I'm surprised they don't do a recall. I plan to use that brass solely for my AR or plinker Howa 1500 in 223 though. Never again in my bench 223 AI. I have plenty of Norma and LC brass that shoots better. To me there is nothing premium in the Starline 223 to justify it as better than average brass in all my 223/556 guns.

 

[BLEE]

Starline 556 is better than the 223 for 223AI and pushing pressure. The 556 has different metallurgy around the case head.

 

[Pareto]

Starline 556 is better than the 223 for 223AI and pushing pressure. The 556 has different metallurgy around the case head.

But, I'm pretty sure I'm loading within 223 limits, not 556.

 

[tommeboy]

Hearing rumblings about a bad batch of starline 5.56 brass recently

you mean like this? They know of a bad lot from a while ago. This was from that lot. They replaces them. All you have to do it call them.