Hi All,
Bought a box of "Custom Loaded" ammo from a local gun shop about a week ago. This is 62 grn FMJBT 223 Rem that are loaded in this gun shop. I believe the bullets are pulled military resized, brass is MS headstamp - military & civilian -. Pretty sure the powder it TAC. Fired 10 rounds, no problem easy extraction, primers fine. Gun brand new so not concerned with the accurary that much. Gun was clean, barrel inspected etc. when I shot round 11 this morning. Hit 9"inches high @ 100 yards, left to right was fine. Nothing lose on gun or scope and nothing abnormal noted when I shot. Figured it must have been me since I was using a 1998 F150 for my "Rest". Broke the gun open and out cam a 223 brass the length of a 9MM Luger case. Not good. I removed the remaining piece of brass very easily by inserting a wire bore brush into the brass from the breech end. The primer on this round was not flattened. The brass did look old. The brass split as if it was cut in half with a knife. I put the 2 pieces back together and measures 1.77" I measured about ten of the unfired rounds and about half of them exceeded 1.76", with a couple just over 1.77". The 39 remaining rounds will not be fired.
few questions:
1. is 1.77" long enough to pinch the bullet an cause this separation? Gun is a SB2 Handi.
2. should I have the gun inspected before I shoot it again? Gun seems fine, locks up fine. There were no powder burns between the receiver and barrel or under the barrel.
3. Should I pull the bullets on the unfired rounds and measure the case lengths before I tell the Gun Shop owner? When measuring case length of a loaded round I can barely catch the edge of the case mouth with my caliper so I want to make sure I am measuring these right.
thanks for your help.