Brass Problem

[Olio Tutto]

brass problem..?

while prepping my brass i found about 9 pcs. that had cracks both vertical an horizontal in only the neck area one actually i broke off with just finger pressure...
i don't want to answer my own question but would that be from brass fatigue [thinking maybe i should have annealed the brass]
the brass was new and is remington brand which has been re-formed to a different caliber an has been fired 3 times now getting read for the 4th reload

any thoughts ...

 

[Mikecr]

What was it reformed from/to?
How was that reforming done?
And let me guess, you FL size the necks.. Right?

 

[Olio Tutto]

the case was .260.. reformed in a hydrualic die to a .25 souper but w/ a 45* shoulder .. which then went to a FL sizer before firing... then has been only neck sized there after

 

[Mikecr]

I don't see how hydraulic dies could neck-down a case..
How was the case necked down?
Why was the case FL sized?
Where did you get the Remington brass?
What is the chambered neck clearance?
what are the fired & unfired necks measuring?

 

[Olio Tutto]

hydrualic die is a form die that is the same demensions as the finished chamber in order to form the brass it must seal itself in the die thus the .260 brass. when you force the brass into the die it seals an sizes the neck to .25 cal [ maybe your not formilar with a hydrualic forming die system ]
the form die may not bring the case to the full demensions thus the FL die to finish shaping the case
rem brass was avaliable quanity at the time... in the beging my .243 & .308 brass fired brass but found new brass was less steps an more positive [less waste]
chamber neck is not a tight neck vhamber no need to turn cases... offhand i don't have the measurments at my desk

 

[Mikecr]

when you force the brass into the die it seals an sizes the neck to .25 cal

I haven't ever used a hydraulic die, and use a Lee Six bushing system instead.
But I still wonder how a hydraulic die, that forces a case outward, manages to DOWN size a neck?

I wonder about this and your neck sizing on reloading, because even though Rem brass is among the worst in existence, it is still your actions that are causing outright failure of it.
Alot of people might suggest going with well annnealed Lapua or Norma brass instead of Remington.
But I'm trying to reach the root cause here, before suggesting you risk trashing that level of brass.

 

[Olio Tutto]

i just finished reforming the last 50 of remington brass... when i get around to loading/shooting them i see what happens...
i've not had a problem till fri. when i noticed these failures in the brass
in the very begging i use fed , hornady an winchester but very few of each
the gun has less 700 rounds shot so i'm hoping its not that...
meanwhile my thoughts have been the brass as you say rem is not the best
'the rem brass last shot i think i'll try to anneal an then retry'
i did do was change my load from h4831sc to h414 which is somewhat hotter but worked well between 1 & 2 firings so that was a second thought. no pressure signs noticed or felt at the present formular

the hydrualic form die as may have figured out is with the use of water...
you put a dead primer in the case .. fill it with water .. the shell hold dose not have a hole thru it, it is solid so you run the case up in the die .. where the decap pin would be you insert a pin an wack it w/ a lead hammer it almost shapes it perfect... hornady made me a set of 3 pcs ... neck die to expand 243 cases .. Fl die both to form or reset the case an the main thing the form die
exspense .. but save much more in the long run barrel ware.. an componets

 

[Mikecr]

So how did you neck down 260 necks to 25cal?

 

[Olio Tutto]

the neck was formed from .260 brass by just pushing it up into the hydrualic die [which created the seal in the forming die in the 1st place]

the same as if you took 30-06 brass an forced it up in a .270 fl die