| Check your brass [message #22979] |
Mon, 01 July 2013 08:55  |
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Crubear
Messages: 1798
Registered: March 2010
Location: NW Georgia
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I picked up a load of 7mm Rem Mag brass recently and started the process of tumbling and sorting it out by headstamp. I also make it a habit to check the brass to find any problems before they become my problem....
Well, let me introduce you to the first formal piece of brass I've ever seen.
This little fellow was the only cull out of 400+ cases. but it's impressive. The part that got me was it was fired. Now, since the bad spots were at the case mouth the impact on the shooter if the case failed would be minimal. By the time the pressure becomes a problem the bullet is down the barrel and all you should get is a possibly odd sounding shot.
If the problem was at the head of the case though....
Bottom line, inspect your brass. It doesn't matter if it's been reloaded a couple dozen times, is brand new out of the bag, or is in a box of factory loads. It's your face, eyes, nose, and other soft tissue; keep them intact and those around you safe.
Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!
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| Re: Check your brass [message #22982 is a reply to message #22979] |
Mon, 01 July 2013 14:46  |
jamesgammel
Messages: 1708
Registered: August 2012
Location: Lovell, Wyoming
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Rich,
Personally, I'm surprised that you even found this spent case at the range. Best guess, is it was a reload, and the neck had a dent at the mouth prior to seating the bullet. I'd also venture a guess that the shooter was shooting a "flat-base" bullet. A slight dent would have been "ironed" back out had he seated a "Boat-tail" bullet. The reloader musta have been half asleep, or worse (drinking?) while seating the bullet as the mouth at that dent was shove inside the case neck and forced to seat to full depth and that increased ram-stroke needed wasn't noticed as well. It was obviously bad enough that the shoulder collapsed as well. That shoulder collapse well could have weaked the brass enough to fracture on ignition, and half the shoulder, neck, and bullet all flying en-masse down the barrel. IF that happened, there wll could have been an extreme pressure overload result with a likely 30 (or more) caliber "wad of metal" (with increased weight over the original bullet). The shooter was either a real tight-wad, or totally clueless besides in-attentive since he actually fired the dang thing. Since his corpse wasn't laying there you assume (and hope) that he escaped relatively unscathed. I do as well, and hope that that case's shooter learned a huge lesson and learns and adheres to basic reloading rules, and common sense. He may have gotten lucky that time, but sooner or later his luck is going to run out if he continues with his folly. Thanks for showing the pix, and your bottom-line is spot-on.
Jim
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| Re: Check your brass [message #22983 is a reply to message #22982] |
Mon, 01 July 2013 15:53 |
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Crubear
Messages: 1798
Registered: March 2010
Location: NW Georgia
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I can't say for sure one way or the other, I've picked some pretty messed up cases out of a factory new pack every once in a while though.
The biggest mistake I ever made reloading involved range brass. I found 50 41mag cases at the range and stuck them in an extra ammo box (MTM) I had at home. One day I dropped all the fired cases in my grey MTM boxes to prep for reloading my 44mag. I was out shooting Hornady 180gr XTP over a max load of Blue Dot and one of the cases didn't feel right, it had a large bulge on one side where the bullet had pushed it out. Couldn't figure out what was wrong until I looked at it more closely and found the case was a 41mag. Thanking God I hadn't fired it I decided it might be wise to check the rest of the box... yep, found 1 (one). Fired. If you ever wonder why I REALLY like TC (Contenders), this was why. I have that case on my reloading wall as a reminder to NEVER put range brass in the same style box I use for another cartridge.
Honestly, I have all the barrels I want or could ever need..... wait, look, there's another!!
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