Another Hornady brass thread!

[okie man]

I know this has been said before but , why does it have to be like this? So I fire sized 100 Hornady 6.5 creedmoor cases while breaking in my new rifle. Loaded 50 in 25 case batches doing final break in and load development last summer. Loaded the other 50 with my best load and never fired a shot during hunting season. Went out today, 30 degrees , and started shooting . I put 10 rounds down the tube and half the cases had split necks. Any one else have an issue with necks splitting in the cold but not when it's warmer? Should I be looking at a better quality brass? 2 shots per case isn't gonna be any cheaper than 5 plus from Lapua or adg . Thoughts?

 

[Rick Richard]

I know this has been said before but , why does it have to be like this? So I fire sized 100 Hornady 6.5 creedmoor cases while breaking in my new rifle. Loaded 50 in 25 case batches doing final break in and load development last summer. Loaded the other 50 with my best load and never fired a shot during hunting season. Went out today, 30 degrees , and started shooting . I put 10 rounds down the tube and half the cases had split necks. Any one else have an issue with necks splitting in the cold but not when it's warmer? Should I be looking at a better quality brass? 2 shots per case isn't gonna be any cheaper than 5 plus from Lapua or adg . Thoughts?

Been there and done that, which is why I stay away from that brand of brass too.

 

[25WSM]

Sounds like you really worked the necks a bunch. How much is your sizing die reducing the neck before the expander opens it back up?
Shep

 

[WY02K]

I have some virgin Hornady 270 brass that you can seat primers with a pencil eraser. They are good for 1 firing, unless you are willing to glue in the primers.

 

[okie man]

That I don't know, using RCBS full length die with 2 thou bump. As good as this gun is shooting I'm gonna get a bushing die set for it.

 

[25WSM]

Okie just take the expander out and size one. Measure before and after. I've seen rcbs size necks more than .015 and then expand them back out. This really kills your necks. A bushing die will help immensely.
Shep

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

Not saying Hornady brass isn't without flaw however, something isn't right. I'd be looking at the process and dies as the culprit more than the brass if it's doing that after just 2 firings. I use a ton of Hornady brass for plinking and they all have well over 10 reloads on them (I do anneal and size/trim as little as possible). Primer pockets have held up better for me than Peterson brass as well.

 

[kiwikid]

Let me see if I have this right. You bought 100 cases and loaded them so they would be fire formed to your chamber, then you loaded 50 (2 batches of 25) and fired them for final break in and load development. Then the remaining 50 were loaded with your best load and have been sitting from before last hunting season, so less than a year?

Did any of the two batches of 25 split their necks when you fired them?
What process did you use to clean your cases please?

Since you used the same dies with the two batches of 25 and if none of them split I don't see how the dies are causing this. To me it seems that something in your process has made the necks brittle other than resizing them.

By the way I am not a fan of Hornady brass, I have factory loaded 257 Roberts ammo here that some of the necks are cracked on before I have even fired them.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I know this has been said before but , why does it have to be like this? So I fire sized 100 Hornady 6.5 creedmoor cases while breaking in my new rifle. Loaded 50 in 25 case batches doing final break in and load development last summer. Loaded the other 50 with my best load and never fired a shot during hunting season. Went out today, 30 degrees , and started shooting . I put 10 rounds down the tube and half the cases had split necks. Any one else have an issue with necks splitting in the cold but not when it's warmer? Should I be looking at a better quality brass? 2 shots per case isn't gonna be any cheaper than 5 plus from Lapua or adg . Thoughts?

nope... most of the Hornady casings we shoot in our 6.5 creed have a half dozen shots or better on them and haven't even needed a trim, other than the initial ten thou. short that I always do...we are using Hornady dies too... I refuse to drop what rcbs wanted for dies on a kid's gun...

 

[ORCON]

Who's got the doll?

 

[YZ-80]

Okie just take the expander out and size one. Measure before and after. I've seen rcbs size necks more than .015 and then expand them back out. This really kills your necks. A bushing die will help immensely.
Shep

Yup, .295 to .280 without the expander. Was at the bench when I read this so I tried it. Less work on the neck region with a bushing die for sure. BTW, on my 3rd reload cycle with Starline brass in 6.5 CRDM. So far, so good. Doesn't seem to stretch much at all.

 

[mike06]

I know this has been said before but , why does it have to be like this? So I fire sized 100 Hornady 6.5 creedmoor cases while breaking in my new rifle. Loaded 50 in 25 case batches doing final break in and load development last summer. Loaded the other 50 with my best load and never fired a shot during hunting season. Went out today, 30 degrees , and started shooting . I put 10 rounds down the tube and half the cases had split necks. Any one else have an issue with necks splitting in the cold but not when it's warmer? Should I be looking at a better quality brass? 2 shots per case isn't gonna be any cheaper than 5 plus from Lapua or adg . Thoughts?

Get some Peterson Brass and you will never look back. At near 50 firings on the .308 SRP I bought last year pockets still tight not one split neck. I do anneal every firing.

 

[wyodeer]

Mine are on the 5th or so hot load and good to go. Not one split neck yet

 

[okie man]

Let me see if I have this right. You bought 100 cases and loaded them so they would be fire formed to your chamber, then you loaded 50 (2 batches of 25) and fired them for final break in and load development. Then the remaining 50 were loaded with your best load and have been sitting from before last hunting season, so less than a year?

Did any of the two batches of 25 split their necks when you fired them?
What process did you use to clean your cases please?

Since you used the same dies with the two batches of 25 and if none of them split I don't see how the dies are causing this. To me it seems that something in your process has made the necks brittle other than resizing them.

By the way I am not a fan of Hornady brass, I have factory loaded 257 Roberts ammo here that some of the necks are cracked on before I have even fired them.

Only thing I've done differently is fire the second batch of 50 in much colder weather. I sized and prepped all 100 at same time after fire forming. I tumble with corn cob media and I don't tumble to a mirror finish. I clean dirty necks with scotch brite pad. I'll have to pull my die apart and see how much I'm squeezing the neck in morning.