Symptom of impending brass failure

[Lefty Trigger]

6.5 Creedmoor reloads using Hornady brass has approx. 6 reloads and once annealed. Never loaded hot and actually most of my loads are light, the last 2 reloads were 39.2 gr of H100V shooting 140gr Nosler RDF. Got 3 rounds that had tight bolt opening or would turn but not pull back without hand "bump". Have not come across loose primer pockets yet but worried the brass is about done. I have heard that the Hornady brass is not know for life span but I would have thought more than 6 loads?? Thoughts...

 

[dsculley]

Probably the first thing I would do is check the length on the cases that were tight. It could be the necks needed trimming.
Then, compare this brass to a piece of sized brass, measured from base to shoulder. How much are you moving the shoulder when you size?
Use a paper clip to feel for the beginning of case head separation.
Make sure the chamber is clean with no oil.
Slowly and carefully chamber a sized case to feel for any resistance.

Unless you are oversizing your brass I would think they would last longer. I would expect the primer pocket to be the first thing to go. If you go step by step you should be able to find the problem.

 

[HillBilly98]

Probably the first thing I would do is check the length on the cases that were tight. It could be the necks needed trimming.
Then, compare this brass to a piece of sized brass, measured from base to shoulder. How much are you moving the shoulder when you size?
Use a paper clip to feel for the beginning of case head separation.
Make sure the chamber is clean with no oil.
Slowly and carefully chamber a sized case to feel for any resistance.

Unless you are oversizing your brass I would think they would last longer. I would expect the primer pocket to be the first thing to go. If you go step by step you should be able to find the problem.

^^ good advise. I have also had brass that was hard to open or close on because I was neck sizing and did not have die set far enough down.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Probably the first thing I would do is check the length on the cases that were tight. It could be the necks needed trimming.
Then, compare this brass to a piece of sized brass, measured from base to shoulder. How much are you moving the shoulder when you size?
Use a paper clip to feel for the beginning of case head separation.
Make sure the chamber is clean with no oil.
Slowly and carefully chamber a sized case to feel for any resistance.

Unless you are oversizing your brass I would think they would last longer. I would expect the primer pocket to be the first thing to go. If you go step by step you should be able to find the problem.

I keep all my brass trimmed and check every time I resize it. My tolerance is .004 over 1.910 length if it is .005 it gets trimmed. I also full length resize and only push the shoulder back .002 but I only anneal the cases every 4th reload cycle so this batch was on the 6th reload. Out of 30 rounds fired that time I had 3 that were tight and have marked them for checking out. Earlier today while prepping my next batch of 30 I did come across 1 that seemed to "take" a primer really easy, like almost no effort at all to press it in. I have that case marked to see if it sticks in the chamber if it does I'm going to retire the whole lot of 150 pieces. The good news is that my local supplier is now carrying Starline brass in 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[rwj]

The good news is that my local supplier is now carrying Starline brass in 6.5 Creedmoor.

I’d consider using Peterson brass... https://www.grafs.com/peterson-cartridge-company

 

[Peebles24]

I’d consider using Peterson brass... https://www.grafs.com/peterson-cartridge-company

+1 on the peterson. Although i have never used starline rifle my peterson seems very nice. Im on second firing and will anneal after this set if my annealeez ever comes in.

 

[Homerange]

6.5 Creedmoor reloads using Hornady brass has approx. 6 reloads and once annealed. Never loaded hot and actually most of my loads are light, the last 2 reloads were 36.2 gr of IMR4895 shooting 140gr Nosler RDF.

Really !
Well 10 minutes research suggests otherwise.
Punch your numbers in here and it's plain you're already past max charges !
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

But that's not all !
https://shop.nosler.com/nosler-bullets/rdf-match-bullets/rdf-6-5mm-140-grain-bullet-500ct.html
The 140gr RDF is 1.420" OAL making a long pill and would suggest if you were loading to a magazine length or throat length not suitable you'd need to seat these deep and thereby further lifting pressures in an already 'printed' max load.

Got 3 rounds that had tight bolt opening or would turn but not pull back without hand "bump". Have not come across loose primer pockets yet but worried the brass is about done. I have heard that the Hornady brass is not know for life span but I would have thought more than 6 loads?? Thoughts...

This situation is most likely of your own making and the reasoning is outlined above.

Back the charge off heaps and rework your loads !

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Really !
Well 10 minutes research suggests otherwise.
Punch your numbers in here and it's plain you're already past max charges !
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

But that's not all !
https://shop.nosler.com/nosler-bullets/rdf-match-bullets/rdf-6-5mm-140-grain-bullet-500ct.html
The 140gr RDF is 1.420" OAL making a long pill and would suggest if you were loading to a magazine length or throat length not suitable you'd need to seat these deep and thereby further lifting pressures in an already 'printed' max load.


This situation is most likely of your own making and the reasoning is outlined above.

Back the charge off heaps and rework your loads !

Good catch but I mixed up my original post and listed the powder load for my 7mm (fixed it). The powder in my Creedmoor is actually H100V and these rounds are not at mag length, single feed length of 2.820

 

[Dos XX]

Die might not be sizing the base / .200 line enough.

 

[nmkid]

I have never used Hornady brass so I don't know if 6 loads are good or not. I use Peterson and Lapua. Going by the Hogdon site it appears you are not shooting light loads.

 

[MGYSGT]

Sizing die not deep enough. Screw it in another 1/8 turn.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Sizing die not deep enough. Screw it in another 1/8 turn.

Wow 1/8 turn would push my shoulders back a ton. I'm not thinking that is the answer, could be some of the brass is just wearing out since it is an expendable part of the process. Will find out tonight if the primer pocket theory holds up...

 

[#40Fan]

Well, if you are getting rid of it soon, try to size it more, load it, shoot it and see what the results are.

 

[fguffey]

Got 3 rounds that had tight bolt opening or would turn but not pull back without hand "bump".

This goes with the question "ANY THOUGHT?"; if the case had been hit with high pressure and the bolt cammed back when opened the case should have been pulled from the chamber. If the bolt just flops up and down without moving the case to the rear the case is locked to the chamber ands requires the mechanical bump on the bolt handle to eject the case.

F. Guffey

 

[Homerange]

Good catch but I mixed up my original post and listed the powder load for my 7mm (fixed it). The powder in my Creedmoor is actually H100V and these rounds are not at mag length, single feed length of 2.820

This concerns me that you can make such a mistake in load data when coming to the forum for advice and raises the possibility that you're also making loading mistakes that have resulted in these over pressure loads.
WRT Hornady brass, not pushed hard it's perfectly fine brass and I've had no failures in any I use.

For your own safety I hope you discover the pressure problems with your loads.

 

[1lnbrdg]

6.5 Creedmoor reloads using Hornady brass has approx. 6 reloads and once annealed. Never loaded hot and actually most of my loads are light, the last 2 reloads were 39.2 gr of H100V shooting 140gr Nosler RDF. Got 3 rounds that had tight bolt opening or would turn but not pull back without hand "bump". Have not come across loose primer pockets yet but worried the brass is about done. I have heard that the Hornady brass is not know for life span but I would have thought more than 6 loads?? Thoughts...

2 biggest culprits i usually see here, dies not matching chamber dimensions at the base, suggest small base sizing die (.308 small base or .45 ACP will work on just the base, not pushing the shoulder back) or the other possible problem, not enough primary extraction:

 

[Lefty Trigger]

This concerns me that you can make such a mistake in load data when coming to the forum for advice and raises the possibility that you're also making loading mistakes that have resulted in these over pressure loads.
WRT Hornady brass, not pushed hard it's perfectly fine brass and I've had no failures in any I use.

For your own safety I hope you discover the pressure problems with your loads.

Well don't let that concern you as I just simply made a mistake looking at my data book while trying to type on the computer. The good news is that after shooting about 40 rounds tonight I had no issues at all. One of the guys at the range thought it could have been some carbon built up in the neck area of the chamber. I just did a serious cleaning job yesterday so maybe that could have been it?

 

[fguffey]

Wow 1/8 turn would push my shoulders back a ton.

It is like a trigger word or trigger phrase: The additional 1/4 turn of the die is equivalent to lowering the die .017". I understand the reloader is the 'bump' reloader with the ability to shorten the case between the shoulder to the case head .002"; the additional 1/4 turn of the die is what a bumper reloader does when they are angry.

F. Guffey