Split case

[AJ Peacock]

He is saying pretty much the same thing. Bump it .002 only. But benchrest is different than hunting. You need to have some neck tension on a heavy kicking hunting rifle (don't need it on a single shot benchrest gun). You can adjust the neck tension with the neck bushings.

AJ

 

[Bud H]

Well, I have only neck sized for years, and never had a problem with chambering, and I mostly shoot single shots. Each to his own

 

[243winxb]

Large chamber or dies over working the brass.

 

[birddog 68]

I've always full length sized and this case is the first issue I've had on the body so I think I will just chalk it up to something out of the ordinary.

 

[5250farmer]

Not a 280 shooter, only have 1 long action honestly, but i shoot a bit of short action, and alot of that is 223 precision reloads. Ive had 1 223 case split like that, I tossed it and kept shooting his buddies, some cycled thru close to a dozen times. 1 or 2 cracked necks, no other cracked bodies. I wouldn't toss the lot of once fired unless this happened again.

 

[David_h]

For hunting and reliability I use the full resizing die set to just bump the shoulder back -.002 to -.003
If your chamber is not on the big side you really shouldn't be moving the dia down very much at all.

+1. I also recommend Full Length die. I use the specific shell holder from the Redding Competition Shell holder set that for my chamber gives me a consistent bump just enough to close the bolt each time.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Late to the party, but, in most cases that split like that are from a drawing fault. That part of the case is thinner longitudinally and splits because it is pulled apart as the case swells and doesn't shrink at the same rate as the rest of the case. Same type of drawing fault can cause a case to split in the web area at the extractor cut. It stays unseen until it fails. Cups can have cracks in them that are not visible and each drawing thins the area more.
It is not caused by pressure being too high or oversizing, it is a weak spot caused when drawn.

Cheers.

 

[Mikecr]

Excess chamber clearance, or insufficient barrel steel around the chamber can contribute as well.
These conditions lower your local pressure limit.
Alot of FL sizing will never fix this, and you'll bring out brass weakness here even with neck sizing only.

What's the chamber history?
Can you measure case body growth from new to fire formed (web/shoulder/mid-body)?

 

[birddog 68]

This is a factory browning Xbolt.
I will get the measurements after work today.

 

[JustMe2]

The split is probably a defect created during manufacturing. Brass starts as a flat disk. That flat piece of metal could be thinner in a spot or the metal mixture may not be correct in that spot. The disk is then bent into a cup, the cup is then heated and stretched several times to elongate to the length of the cartridge, then .... So, maybe it's just a manufacturing defect of the one piece. They reject brass during manufacturing when a defect is detected. Maybe this one got by the inspection because it wasn't visible. I'd keep using the brass, but keep an eye on it like you normally do. If many start failing, then trash the lot.

 

[VTbluegrass]

I had a batch of new Hornady brass do this is a Kimber 84L in 30-06. Two rounds with a moderate load of H4350 under a 165 SST during load development. Threw it all in the trash and started over with Lapua, ended up a full grain above where the Hornady split. No ideas but my splits were identical.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

all the years handloading have had neck splits but never a case like this one. Been using military and commercial, resizing both up and down and never a case split like that. Contact the MFG of the brass ! Good luck let us know who things work out for you.

 

[birddog 68]

Excess chamber clearance, or insufficient barrel steel around the chamber can contribute as well.
These conditions lower your local pressure limit.
Alot of FL sizing will never fix this, and you'll bring out brass weakness here even with neck sizing only.

What's the chamber history?
Can you measure case body growth from new to fire formed (web/shoulder/mid-body)?

Here's my measurements
New- web = .465, mid body = .454, shoulder = .452
Fired- web = .472, mid body = .460, shoulder = .455
This seems quite a bit oversize to me but I am not sure. If this is excessive then I am definitely over working it.
The rifle shoots well and is only used for hunting so if I can only get 4 or 5 loads on a piece of brass I am ok with that.

 

[WYO300RUM]

This is a first for me. I've had split neck's before but never on the body.
I worked up to pressure and then backed off a full grain which is how I normally do it. Next outing on the third shot this happened. Everything looks fine on the other cases, no pressure signs.
I'm thinking that there was some type of inclusion or the wall has just thinned too much from full length sizing but I'd like to hear what others think.
280 AI, Nosler brass on 5th firing. Was annealed after 3rd firing and primer pockets are still tight. 60 grains of IMR 4350 (.5 grain under book max) using 120 grain ballistic tip.View attachment 744591

I didn't notice this morning when you sent photo but is that the normal full length size ring near base or separation ring ? I think sizing ring but wondering.