Thread: Oh no. Why?

Had a go with some 180eldm in the 7mm rem mag today. Second shot with starting load @ 65.5gr 2217 the case came out in 2 pieces. Nothing out of the ordinary happened after pulling the trigger other than the impact was way off.
Fired 20 other rounds and all fired good. Brass was bought as "once fired" and this was the 3rd fire.
Failed brass?

Case head separation, how many times has the brass been loaded and fired?

Can be sign brass being overworked big time. Minimum spec dies and max spec chamber is good for doing this. I STRONGLY suggest your next step is get familiar with that most complicated of reloading tools....the bent paperclip gauge....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Can be sign brass being overworked big time. Minimum spec dies and max spec chamber is good for doing this. I STRONGLY suggest your next step is get familiar with that most complicated of reloading tools....the bent paperclip gauge....

Tell me more regarding that high-tech tool please? Headspace issue?

Get paper clip.straighten all but last curl. Take pliers and bend over a 5mm section of long leg,scratch inside walls of case with this to "feel" for a dip/crack/something different inside wall of case

I believe with 7mm mag you really want to partial length resize so you only neck size and do bugger all to the shoulders n body...that way when it goes boom...the brass only moves a little bit to fit chamber....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I believe with 7mm mag you really want to partial length resize so you only neck size and do bugger all to the shoulders n body...that way when it goes boom...the brass only moves a little bit to fit chamber....

Ok thanks, I'll give that a crack. I did a fl resize with a tiny shoulder bump as some brass was not cycling properly

If you bought the brass off trademe, there is no guarantee it was actually once fired, I have hardly ever seen brass advertised on there as more than once fired, but plenty of times I have seen brass with different primers advertised as once fired.

One takeaway from this is, if working up new loads, do it with brass of known providence, so that any pressure signs can be read for what they are and not a different variable.

Another option if you have two paper clips is to just bend each into an L shape. Spread cases out on the ground and hold the paper clips between thumb and forefinger in each hand. You can use them as divining rods to find which cases are marginal. This method works best if the marginal cases are above ground water, and the good ones aren’t. Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Attachment 276154

Originally Posted by DBD

Had a go with some 180eldm in the 7mm rem mag today. Second shot with starting load @ 65.5gr 2217 the case came out in 2 pieces. Nothing out of the ordinary happened after pulling the trigger other than the impact was way off.
Fired 20 other rounds and all fired good. Brass was bought as "once fired" and this was the 3rd fire.
Failed brass?

Attachment 276152
Attachment 276153

I'd be wearing safety glasses in the future till you got that sorted.You only got 2 eyes.

winchester brass?

What brand brass ?

Originally Posted by longshot

Another option if you have two paper clips is to just bend each into an L shape. Spread cases out on the ground and hold the paper clips between thumb and forefinger in each hand. You can use them as divining rods to find which cases are marginal. This method works best if the marginal cases are above ground water, and the good ones aren’t. Hope that helps.

So in order to truly utilise this method you would simply need to put your good cases in the groundwater and leave the marginal ones on the ground right? Does having residual Druidic ancestry help? I have a mate that reckons his family tree has some druids from way back.

Originally Posted by 30.06king

What brand brass ?

Nosler brass bought on here. I have some Hornady brass that also that was fired in same rifle to keep going with.