Author Topic: Split Brass??? (Read 584 times)

ABaker · « **on:** July 08, 2004, 04:29:04 PM »

I was looking over some brass that I recently shot and I noticed that one of the cases has a split in the neck. It is almost a 1/4 inch long. It is Winchester brass. Is this a sign of high pressure? Is it just because it's new?

KN · « **Reply #1 on:** July 08, 2004, 05:30:44 PM »

It is probably just a defective case. If its once fired and already split it probably had a defect from the start. Unless your loading way over max. You didn't say what caliber it was. KN

Questor · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2004, 02:45:28 AM »

What caliber was it? I shoot 45ACP cases until I either lose them or they split.

In 44 magnum, the necks start to split because of heavy roll crimps after a while.

ABaker · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2004, 02:13:36 PM »

22-250

KN · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2004, 03:27:41 PM »

It's not that uncommon. I use winchester brass for my prairie dog loads and after loading and once firing 1000 rounds I found a couple that had split that way. My loads are a little below max so know its not high pressure. Probably just a bad case. KN

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2004, 05:00:11 PM »

I've almost stopped using Winchester brass all together(especially 223s).

Out of the last dozen or so bags of 100 223s that I've bought, only one bag didn't have at least one case that was cracked from the factory. Most of the cracks were in the neck, but a few were in the shoulder area. Their tolerances have also been slipping badly over the last few years.

I guess quanity has become more important than quality to Winchester.

I now use a lot of Federal, and although it tends to be slightly on the soft side, at least it's uniform, and in usable condition. Out of thousands of Federal cases, I've yet to find a major defect.

SeaBass · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2006, 05:51:28 PM »

I know this is an old thread. But I was quite disappointed to find 5 of the 11 Winchester 55gr PSP (New Factory Ammo) I fired while breaking in the barrel of my Savage 12 BVSS .22-250 today, were split badly on the neck and shoulder. Luckily the head stamp was a tiny bit different from the Win white box 45gr stuff I was also shooting. I was able to separate the two. I planned on using win brass to reload since the white box stuff shoots very well and is cheap. The white box brass seems OK maybe they just had a bad batch of brass or old powder or something. Never had that happen with new U.S. made factory ammo before. :?

Steve P · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2006, 06:23:01 PM »

Sounds like your brass was not properly annealed. I would send it to Winchester and request replacement brass. Even brass with odd angles and special temperment (like 22 hornet) should give you 3-4 firings.

Steve