Fix for buckled shoulders

[VenatusDominus]

I recently received an order of 6.5 PRC Peterson brass. The order was on backorder for almost six months. While seating Hornady 147 ELD-M bullets, I buckled shoulders on two of the cases. Figuring the necks were to tight, I ran my expander button from my Redding Type-S Full Length Bushing Die through the remaining cases to open the necks up but still managed to buckle another 3 case shoulders. With brass being scarce and having waited 6 months for it, I wasn't happy about losing even 5 cases. So I did a search the net and couldn't find anything about salvaging buckled case shoulders, so I came up with my own solution.

First I tried using my die to resize the case, but the bulge prevented it from fitting in the die. Then, using my RCBS collet bullet puller (one size larger 7mm collet) and secured it around the case neck and then tried lowering the ram on my press, but no joy. Next, I pulled the bullets using a RCBS collet bullet puller, salvaged the H1000 powder (also hard to come by currently) de-primed the case and then annealed the shoulder and neck. Again, using the RCBS bullet puller I secured it around case neck and lowered the ram just enough to pull out the buckle. Then I ran the case though my Redding die without the busing and finally ran the button back though the neck. The case will now chamber in my rifle and will fire form out any remaining minor deformity on the first firing.

Pictures: 1. buckled case; 2. case being annealed; 3. case the RCBS collet; 4. case after being "pulled"; 5. case being sized in Redding die; and 6. final case.

Annealing turned out to be the key to pulling out enough bulge that case could fit in the Redding die.

 

[Scythe]

I know the pain of a buckled shoulder on brass that is hard to find.
Nice recovery.

 

[Old Rooster]

Well done!

 

[BillNye]

I do the same process! They are indistinguishable after fireforming. Although I use an expander mandrel inside the neck while I grip with the next size up collet puller so I can get a firmer grip without damaging the neck

 

[Rhett Crider]

I recently received an order of 6.5 PRC Peterson brass. The order was on backorder for almost six months. While seating Hornady 147 ELD-M bullets, I buckled shoulders on two of the cases. Figuring the necks were to tight, I ran my expander button from my Redding Type-S Full Length Bushing Die through the remaining cases to open the necks up but still managed to buckle another 3 case shoulders. With brass being scarce and having waited 6 months for it, I wasn't happy about losing even 5 cases. So I did a search the net and couldn't find anything about salvaging buckled case shoulders, so I came up with my own solution.

First I tried using my die to resize the case, but the bulge prevented it from fitting in the die. Then, using my RCBS collet bullet puller (one size larger 7mm collet) and secured it around the case neck and then tried lowering the ram on my press, but no joy. Next, I pulled the bullets using a RCBS collet bullet puller, salvaged the H1000 powder (also hard to come by currently) de-primed the case and then annealed the shoulder and neck. Again, using the RCBS bullet puller I secured it around case neck and lowered the ram just enough to pull out the buckle. Then I ran the case though my Redding die without the busing and finally ran the button back though the neck. The case will now chamber in my rifle and will fire form out any remaining minor deformity on the first firing.

Pictures: 1. buckled case; 2. case being annealed; 3. case the RCBS collet; 4. case after being "pulled"; 5. case being sized in Redding die; and 6. final case.

Annealing turned out to be the key to pulling out enough bulge that case could fit in the Redding die.

Haven't had this problem yet but good to see this. Great recovery. This is not the first time a thread on Peterson brass doing this has been posted here but appears their annealing at Peterson needs some QC.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Clever how you managed to rehabilitate some wrecked brass. I would have just tossed them out and spent my time figuring out what went wrong. In the zillion cases I've reloaded, I've been fortunate enough to have never had that happen.

 

[59FLH]

Nice job. Did you plug the case neck when you grabbed it with the puller die?

 

[jimbires]

nice work . I doubt I would have tried to salvage the buggered up brass . I probably would have thrown that brass away .

 

[orange1948]

Thanks for sharing. I will definitely try this…the next time it happens to me.
Duane

 

[nksmfamjp]

Did you reanneal after getting the buckle out?

Also, did you determine why it was buckling?

 

[Alibiiv]

Haven't had this problem yet but good to see this. Great recovery. This is not the first time a thread on Peterson brass doing this has been posted here but appears their annealing at Peterson needs some QC.

I agree as I too have read this same issue on another thread. Makes me wonder about Peterson brass now????

 

[Mikecr]

I recently received an order of 6.5 PRC Peterson brass. While seating Hornady 147 ELD-M bullets, I buckled shoulders on two of the cases. Figuring the necks were to tight, I ran my expander button

So to be clear, you bought new brass, and with no annealing and no sizing you loaded up and seated bullets to run into this?
Did you do ANYTHING to cause this?

 

[Harry Knutz]

Your seating die was adjusted too far down, Backing it off would have solved your problem. Your brass was annealed before it left the factory.

 

[Rhett Crider]

Your seating die was adjusted too far down, Backing it off would have solved your problem. Your brass was annealed before it left the factory.

Appears that way. Should have felt the extra pressure. The other complaint I remember now was split necks after 3 firings I believe.