30.06 case failure after 3 reloads - it pays to inspect brass closely

[zambezi]

I anneal after every case usage. In that way I hope to extend the life of my brass as best I can.

The two calibers for which I have a relatively low number of cases are now racking up reload cycles more quickly that those calibers for which I have a larger pool of once-fired brass.

My current .375 and 30.06 batches are at 4x and 3x fired respectively.

Today I prepped some 3x fired 30.06 brass and found 6 case fails in a batch of 33. Not ideal. But better to discover pre-usage. This emphasises the need to be vigilent during case prep. The first example was first flagged via beams of light through pinprick holes:

The others were more obvious:

Three cases were Federal, and three cases were Sako. So not a brand issue neccessarily. Uniquely, I full resize my 30.06 cases [whereas I shoulder bump .223, 6.5x55 and .375] because that gave best accuracy when I developed the load for this chambering. I wonder if I am over-working the brass in the shoulder/neck and should contemplate trying a shoulder bump instead...

 

[JohnCZ]

That's not something you see everyday in a 30-06.
I full length resize my 30-06 brass and share it between two Blaser and a Mauser, no dramas.
I would be checking the trim length and cleaning the chamber as a starting point.
Have the cases in the photo been cleaned as there is no soot to indicate hard necks?

 

[jthyttin]

Batch of 33, at least 2 makes of brass and 6 of them clearly failed (unsafe to use). I'd consider using the rest only offhand practice and ditching after next use. Or ditching right now if situation allows.

Then get something like few 50rd boxes of Norma Jaktmatch for new brass (don't know what is economically best solution in UK). Adjust your dies so that brass is not overworked (FS but "only enough")

 

[zambezi]

I would be checking the trim length

All cases need trmming. After re-sizing, I take them back to a SAAMI endorsed 2.492"

Have the cases in the photo been cleaned as there is no soot to indicate hard necks?

Yes, and some were sooty pre-ultrasound. But, as I said, I anneal after every shot so in theory the neck and shoulders should be ductile enough for fire-forming without cracking. But this now looks to be the most likely issue. IIRC, someone has stated previously that the Sako brass formulation is a tad on the hard side.

cleaning the chamber

After every outing. Like a person with a niche variation on OCD. [I have never been minded to operate the hoover, so it is not common-or-garden OCD]

ditching after next use

Agreed. And then I can start on my Christmas gift to myself: shiny new Lapua

 

[palo]

I think you could be over working your brass . Your full length die could be sizing the neck more than needed and then the expander ball is opening it up again.
I would try a bushing bump or redding type S die with the correct bushing to see.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm. Odd place to fail - I always wondered if repeated annealing was counter-productive?
As a thought - when seated where is the bullet’s base i.e. is it level with the split?
Just curious…

 

[Muir]

Mixed lot brass is always a headaches...not worth the time and effort . Toss them and start anew. -Muir

 

[zambezi]

Your full length die could be sizing the neck more than needed and then the expander ball is opening it up again

That resonates: the downward motion of the press to resize is easy. The upward motion of the press as the expander ball egresses the case neck take two Weetbix.

I may need to invest in a more sympathetic 30.06 die...

I use a bushing die from Redding for my 6.5x55mm cases and that is a very unstressed case prep experience: the press arm movement is easy.

Since I have only one 30.06 chambering, it makes sense to drop the full resizing routine and get something that works the brass minimally.

 

[zambezi]

when seated where is the bullet’s base i.e. is it level with the split?

No, a bit higher.

 

[jthyttin]

If you want new dies, buy them. But personally I'd look into what exactly makes the down stroke on press hard. Take the expander out and polish it. Some form of cleaning and/or lubricating the inside of neck while expanding will help a lot. You might want to clean the expander periodically to keep the "feel" the same.

Ultrasonic might be getting the necks "too clean". Also keeping shot brass for a long time will IME not help in expanding (some reaction in soot that's left inside necks, I think). I've found that brass fresh from vibratory tumbler is easy to expand (no need for lubrication). This might differ based on media and if you add anything to it.

If you do lubricate the necks, pay attention what happens before bullet seating in your loading procedure. You want the necks uniform while seating, don't want anything contaminating the powder, and only after testing you know if you want dry lubricant like graphite powder inside necks or not.

I always vibratory tumble after sizing (to get rid of lubricant) so I can lubricate necks with whatever I like (dry or wet), if I feel I need it (based on cartridge, make and style of dies etc)

 

[Jagged77]

That resonates: the downward motion of the press to resize is easy. The upward motion of the press as the expander ball egresses the case neck take two Weetbix.

This is definitely not right, the upward stoke should give some smooth resistance but not as you describe. I think this is the cause of your issues - have you checked the shoulder measurements with a comparator tool after sizing?

Get some imperial sizing wax and apply inside the necks before sizing and note the difference. Your shiney new expensive Lapua brass will thank you for it! Give them a tumble or wash in hot soapy water after to get rid of the excess lube.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Yep - try ensuring you get lube in the neck right to the shoulder.

 

[zambezi]

Take the expander out and polish it

Did that. To be fair it was near pristine as I had cleaned after last usage.

have you checked the shoulder measurements with a comparator tool after sizing?

Yup. Still pretty close to my notes of 3 years back: 1.970" then, 1.968" to 1.970" on samples today. [I have never changed comparator tools or vernier, so this is apples-to-apples]

imperial sizing wax and apply inside the necks before sizing and note the difference

In my notes I had used a graphite neck lube previously [2020] to ease expander ball, but it seems to have dropped off the schedule. Realistically though, that may make motion easier but cannot alter ductility.

vibratory tumble after sizing

I only own an ultrasound cleaner. I may consider adding a corn-cob style of tumbler as an additional final step. [steel pin tumbler did not work for me]



On balance, I think I am going to buy a Redding Type S 30.06 sizing die set. The way that works is:

• full case resizer [at center below] bumps shoulder but leaves neck untouched
• neck sizer die fitted with .337" ID bushing to deliver circa .305 ID on Lapua brass [which is 0.16" thick at neck] seen at left below
• Trim and deburr...

 

[palo]

Or you could buy the redding type s full length bushing die which will size the body, bump the shoulder and size the neck in one go.

 

[zambezi]

you could buy the redding type s full length bushing die

That looks the simplest solution. Per the Redding website, you can remove the decapping pin. I.e. shoulder bump + neck tension set by one die but without an expander ball in play. Correct?

Thinking it through, I can see that you may buy more than one bushing over time. Either because you change your brass manufacturer, or because cases thin with extrusion over time. I.e. to maintain same case neck ID, bushing ID may alter over time. [if you need to trim case length, that metal flowed from somewhere ]

 

[JohnCZ]

Couple of quick points -
1. Doubt that you are over working the brass, head separation is more likely if this was the case as brass flows bottom up, could also cause thickening necks.
2. I use Tikka brass (Sako produced) and have loaded multiple times to the fact that I rarely count the firing. I anneal when I see soot down the neck and trim when they near max. length. I have necked 30-06 brass (Norma, Sako, Rem) millimetres up and down (think 30 to 35) to various calibers without splitting necks.
3. Annealing is not required every firing especially if you are using a torch (AMP machine is on another level) as you are introducing neck tension variation for little result. Trimming also is only required when needed. Yes I have OCD and had to stop myself from doing this as well as turning and reaming necks, squaring primer pockets, weighing cases etc.. all irrelevant in commercially produced hunting rifle chambers. Makes little difference in the field but whatever floats your boat I guess.
4. The chamber in my Weatherby 300WbyMag was so big that RCBS dies barely fitted fired cases and yet FLS without ever losing a case (cheap Hornady brass), brass can be massively worked and reworked without splitting and that's what makes it almost the perfect metal for cases.
5. Full length resizing if being done correctly definitely does NOT over work brass, yes more than neck sizing, but not overly. As I shoot Blaser rifles mostly there is a requirement to FLS brass and I simply do it without an expander ball and resize the neck in a second step with a Sinclair neck expander mandrel as I did with my target rifle in 300WinMag.
One last question which I may have missed, has this rifle ever shown an issue before?
Hope these thoughts help.
Cheers
John

 

[zambezi]

has this rifle ever shown an issue before?

Nope. This is a new phenomenon in 10+ years of use. And borescope shows a chamber that is shiny bright and in showroom condition.


One other observation: case prep using existing RCBS full body die delivers a case neck ID of .305". Both my Barnes and Victus projectiles are .309" OD. Ergo an inteference fit of 4 thou. Most loading FAQs suggest aiming for a 2 thou interference fit. Could the additional 2 thou be an added stress over time?

Doubt that you are over working the brass

So then what might be issue? Running out of ideas.

 

[JohnCZ]

That's a bit weird in a known rifle and with two different case brands, a significant failure.
Are you shooting dry or lubed necks? After I size and trim etc. I will ultrasonic clean and walnut media tumble to remove burs, after that I tend to dry lube necks with Sinclair graphite which in my opinion is better for seating the bullet and providing a consistent bullet release.
When my reloading OCD was at full tilt I use to turn necks to 0.011" for factory chambers and run a measured 0.002" neck tension, are your case necks thick? Concentric etc.? What about pressure signs, I can remember back in the 1980's and 1990's PMC factory ammo split necks in 222 and 243 roo shooting rifles so often that we didn't even collect the brass, it was that brittle and the primers were always flat or blown.
Mystery!

 

[jthyttin]

So then what might be issue? Running out of ideas.

Not knowing the history of your brass, it might be "too old" and/or bad batch. I know some Sako get all kinds of symptoms "when old" but they're usually few decades old. And they look differently to naked eye, most of the time. I think it has something to do with the exact composition of the brass (which percentage of copper, zinc and trace metals). I don't have very favourable experiences of Federal brass, they could be good or quite bad.

And what to do? Contrary my previous advise of ditching the brass, I'd keep it around as samples and try to refine your process so that all phases of resizing process are "smooth". Maybe even aqcuire some extra brass (box of factory ammo?) if you really want to keep your new shiny Lapua as full batches. No reason to butcher them in the learning / refining process.

As a whole I'd say, yes you have OCD and think way too much. I'd try to figure out your current gear, but if new dies make you happy and give confidence by all means buy them.

I also think that you should apply the principle that first you fix things that are clearly wrong and don't try to figure out the root cause of some multi-variable problem before that. Example here being, if the down stroke on resizing process has been hard as long as you've reloaded these cases, it could have contributed to all kind of weird stuff. Fix it first, since at the very least it will stretch the neck/shoulder junction in a non-consistent way. Start with fresh batch of brass and if the problem resurfaces then deal with it.

BTW not knowing your annealing process maybe it's not part of solution but part of problem. I don't anneal, but it's more to do with me being lazy than anything. Have all the equipment would need to set it up and refine and practice a procedure that's all... (so I have no first hand knowledge of annealing)

 

[Fosbery Holster]

I had a similar problem to yours in fact it was worse, l couldn’t understand what on earth was going wrong until l stopped lubricating the inside of the case neck.
I returned to my previous method of reloading problem solved, now l also anneal after every fireing and can’t remember the number of times fired.