Case head failure

[joem]

Started sorting my well used brass. Scrap bucket is now a 1/4 full. I guess I got my monies worth out of these cases over the years. Even had a couple of case head seperations in the tumbler.

[PhillipM]

First of all the brass I used had crimped primers... That translates to "once fired." I full length resided the brass in a RCBS small length die and then trimmed them on a Dillon Rapid Trim machine and swaged the primer pockets with a Hornady tool.

THE PROBLEM!!! The Dillon Rapid trimmer instructions doesn't tell you that their machine is adjusted for OAL but it does it by setting the shoulder back... 0

Small length (base?) die? That may be your problem.

I thought the Dillon trimmer was a sizing die? I don't own one though.

[joem]

I don't know if the size/trim die will push the shoulder back or not. I try a sample of my trimmed cases in a max length case gauge and it doesn't appear that the shoulder has been pushed back at all. After many many reloads the neck cracks, base expands and doesn't fit the shell holder or the primer pockets get so loose they will not hold the primer. Those go to the scrap bucket.

[tmark]

Seven reloads of an 06 case is pushing things. Neck splits start to happen and that famous incipient ring shows its face not to mention the detection of inside fissures using a bent paper clip.

[Jim in Salt Lake]

I use a Dillon trimmer for .223, .308, and .30-06. The die can size but you can adjust it so it doesn't. Using a Dillon 650, I size/decap separately first and adjust the Dillon trimmer dies so they don't touch the sized shoulder. For .223, I have two sizing dies. I use the old die in the last press station to remove the burrs inside the neck with the expansion ball. Since all I need is the expansion ball, this die is adjusted to it doesn't hit the shoulder either. If you tumble the cases with stainless steel media after trimming, that takes the burrs off of the outside of the case neck.

[emmagee1917]

Even had a couple of case head seperations in the tumbler.

There you go ! Proof you shouldn't tumble loaded ammo. :>)
Chris

[PhillipM]

I use a Dillon trimmer for .223, .308, and .30-06. The die can size but you can adjust it so it doesn't. Using a Dillon 650, I size/decap separately first and adjust the Dillon trimmer dies so they don't touch the sized shoulder. For .223, I have two sizing dies. I use the old die in the last press station to remove the burrs inside the neck with the expansion ball. Since all I need is the expansion ball, this die is adjusted to it doesn't hit the shoulder either. If you tumble the cases with stainless steel media after trimming, that takes the burrs off of the outside of the case neck.

Thanks for the tip!

[joem]

There you go ! Proof you shouldn't tumble loaded ammo. :>)
Chris

The cases were NOT LOADED. They had been decaped/ sized and were being final cleaning before loading.

[emmagee1917]

I know , I know . Note the smiley face .
Chris