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FOR RIFLE RELOADERS
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:00 pm
by jhutto
How many of you measure case wall thickness to anticipate case seperation??
I am reloading a hot 300 RUM and am trying to determine brass life, a little nearvous to pull the trigger after reloading a few times....
Also consitering my .308 rounds.
Re: FOR RIFLE RELOADERS
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:57 pm
by bpet
Not I.
I do check brass and look for tell-tell ring around base and case elongation as signs of stretching (and other visual checks) but I don't measure wall thickness. Probably would if I had the proper tool but I'm too poor from buying pistol ammo. But, I don't load much of the hot stuff any more either.
Re: FOR RIFLE RELOADERS
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:08 pm
by longtooth
Same here. I load hunting rounds in 308 & my 300wsm. I just visually inspect all brass. When it shows definate fatigue or a crack line I throw it in the salvage bucket.
Re: FOR RIFLE RELOADERS
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:27 pm
by CDH
My reloads all split the neck before case head separation becomes a worry, but then again I don't load that hot. With normal loads the only time you will have a problem is if you run your sizer down too far or have an oversize chamber...
With that said, the sharp paper clip method is tried and true but required a bit of practice and a deft hand to master.
Re: FOR RIFLE RELOADERS
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:00 am
by Houston1944
My most accurate 308 load is a little on the warm side, 165 gr bullet, ave 2895 fps. I have fired a few thousand of these the past many years and all of my failures were splits at or just below the neck. The failures were always after 4 or 5 cycles. I only have bolt action rifles so when I resize I use a neck only die. My failures in 223, 7mm-08, 270 and 7mm mag have all been the same, split cases. I have blown out primers and extractors, have had cases split, but never had a case separation failure in a rifle. After cleaning I inspect each case to look for cracks or anything unusual about the surface, then I measure to see if the case needs trimming.
I use only Lapua and Winchester brass in the 308, Wnchester and Remington in the others. I keep my rifle loads in groups based on number of times they have been reloaded. Once I have a couple of splits appear I just mark that group and leave the brass on the ground after firing. Hunting rounds are either new brass or "once fired" loads.
Re: FOR RIFLE RELOADERS
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 6:56 pm
by jhutto
Thanks for the information!
I neck size for all the rifle loads i use.
Maybe that will help me out.