Case Head Separation Photo Please?

[Lee T.]

Would any one be able and so kind as to post a photo of an impending head separation on an M2 case? I've never experienced one and would like to have a visual of what to watch for as my re-use count goes up. Thanks very much!

[Maury Krupp]

A web search for "incipient case separation" images will turn up dozens.

Trouble is too often by the time you see anything it's too late.

A better check is to drag an L-shaped sharpened wire up the inside wall of the case at several places. A straightened safety pin with the tip bent 90deg works well.

You're feeling for any catches, drag, or rough spots. Those are all signs that case has reached the end of its life.

If you wet tumble, that gets the case clean enough so you can shine a flashlight into the case and see the bad spots. Of course by then you've already resized, deprimed, and tumbled; that's a lot of work for something you're going to throw away.

Maury

[joem]

I usually don't worry about separations. The only one I've had are on .303 British and 11.75 Danish. I have broken case removal tools that are in my range bag.

[da gimp]

Had some with IVI 7.62 NATO once fired brass that were reloaded one time............... middle of range load, Win 748 powder, 150 gr Sierras......... came to the firm conclusion that the Canadians do not like for folks to reload their brass..................it dinna matter if we neck sized them or full length resizing, all original factory loads were fired in an H&K 91AZ.......... & the reloads were used in it..............also had verticle splits too.....

[John Sukey]

A funny. The only case head separation I have ever had was with my pizza Winchester chambered to 45LC, and it was the first round I ever fired in the rifle! (Not a reload, but rather factory ammo)

[jimb]

I've had them on an M1 carbine, .303 Brit and 7.62 NATO. But after over 100.000 rounds of reloading, you are bound to have a few.

[Johnny P]

Had a Mk1 No.3 that case head separations were the norm. Kept a tool in my pocket and never looked back. I had a pre 64 Winchester 94 .30-30 that I never suffered a case head separation with except for a box of Norma ammo. Never happened before, and never happened again except for that one box of Norma ammo.