PSA: Check Your Virgin Brass

[lancetkenyon]

While prepping some 28 Nosler virgin brass (expanding mandrel, chamfer/deburr, prime), I charged with the load (82.3gr N570), and always visually check powder level before seating bullet. Good thing. Noticed powder level was halfway up the neck, which is not where it should have been.

Dumped the powder back out, and saw some brass inside the case. Dug it out with a hook, and this is what I found.

Glad I always check powder level before seating bullets. In 10s of thousands of pieces of brass, this was a first.

 

[nksmfamjp]

Holy cow! That is top quality brass. Did you call them?

 

[lancetkenyon]

Holy cow! That is top quality brass. Did you call them?

Sent an email with photos, as this just happened tonight.

 

[LoneTraveler]

Great you caught the high powder level. Could have been a disaster.

 

[Frog4aday]

Never seen anything like it. Thx for the pics & the reminder that following a standard process every time is good (visually checking powder level), even when you don't think you need to. Weird stuff can happen. Glad you caught it!

 

[sobrbiker]

Wow! I always run a flashlight across a set of charged cases-good catch! Surprised to see that from Peterson!

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I had the same thing happen to me with 6mm creed but with adg brass.

 

[Pdvdh]

I found brass "curly cues" in a new casing also. I found it because I weigh all new cases prior to loading them, and the case was overweight. It evidently happens on an infrequent basis.

 

[jimbires]

I had the problem this past summer, with well used brass . I had prepped and primed 50 pieces of brass . a day or two later I was going to finish these . filled with powder and noticed one was way fuller than the rest . I dumped the powder , and looked into the case , there was a dead yellowjacket bee in it .

 

[Mark37082]

The old saying "trust but verify" is applicable in just about everything we do. Especially when explosives are involved.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I found brass "curly cues" in a new casing also. I found it because I weigh all new cases prior to loading them, and the case was overweight. It evidently happens on an infrequent basis.

I weighed these. 4.9gr.

 

[Pdvdh]

I think I found mine in Lapua .223 Rem cases. Whatever case it was, the excess weight caused me to inspect the casing looking for the cause, which is how I found the brass shaving inside the case.

 

[kdenn]

Thanks for the post and a great reminder.

 

[fp4]

Thanks for the reminder. I will be teaching a gal how to reload soon and this will be brought up
with her.