[sharky8js]

I aquired 10+ lbs of .223 / 5.56 cases I was going thru them and found several where the necks were split.
What causes this?
Can they be used for something else? I know there are some calibers that be made from other caliber cases.

 

[dh1633pm]

I guess the ones with the split necks could be cut down if the rest of the brass is still good to make 300 Blackout.

 

[woodstock]

May well have been use in a M249 Light machine gun or other belt fed SAW.

 

[sharky8js]

OK the machine gun makes sense, the guy I got them from builds machine guns for a living.

So does anyone here need some to cut down to make some 300blkouts?
I'll have a total after I finish going thru them.

 

[curt mini14]

mine start to split after 7 or so reloads witch are middle of the road around 3000 fps.

 

[dh1633pm]

So does anyone here need some to cut down to make some 300blkouts? I'll have a total after I finish going thru them.

I may have need of a few. Few thousand that is. I would be interested.

 

[DKBravo]

I have 1000 remington 55gr hollowpoints for sale if youre interested

 

[sharky8js]

Well I counted out 21 split, 2 30cal, 1 300blkout.

I have 6lbs of sierra 55gr bullets - So I'm good on those -Thanks DK!

 

[ssb73q]

I have 1000 remington 55gr hollowpoints for sale if youre interested

Hi DK, what are you asking for those bullets?

Regards,
Richard

 

[Kevin]

The split necks may be from being reloaded before.

On the brass with the split neck, do the primers look they are bulging from the inside? I am wondering if the split neck could be from excessive pressure.

 

[BobbyG]

mine start to split after 7 or so reloads witch are middle of the road around 3000 fps.

Repeated firing then reloading work hardens the brass to the point where they split. Case necks can be annealed before this happens but care must be taken not to heat the case and head area.

 

[medalguy]

I reload for an M16 and I've never experienced split necks before except for worn-out brass. Are those reloads? I load a LOT of military brass and never see split necks on any milsurp brass, whether fired out of a SAW, M16, or minigun.

 

[BRL]

mine start to split after 7 or so reloads witch are middle of the road around 3000 fps.

That's good information to know.

Glad you gave me a ballpark figure.

Was wondering when to consider bringing them to the scrap yard.

I'll probably quit reloading them at about 5-6 even though I pretty much load them with light bullets & charges.

But that number range is an acceptable lifespan to me.

At what count do most of you other .223 reloaders consider the cases finished?

 

[medalguy]

I load almost exclusively military cases. I swage and trim to .005 below recommended trim length when I first get them, using a Dillon 600 Super Swager and Dillon 1200 sizer/case trim tool, load them 6 times and toss. I never trim again. I also don't worry about split necks or case separations.

It might be a little bit more expense tossing after 6 loadings but then I don't have to carry a case extractor around with me either. That's a real PITA with an M16.

 

[woodstock]

I reload for an M16 and I've never experienced split necks before except for worn-out brass. Are those reloads? I load a LOT of military brass and never see split necks on any milsurp brass, whether fired out of a SAW, M16, or minigun.

I buy brass sometimes from someone who gets it from a federal training facility. It is all once fired and out of a thousand rounds I find 6-10 with split necks. I Don't know the reason but I do know that these are all once fired from new ammo and not reloads.

 

[magnomark]

<_<Some of the brass that's once fired from a training facility with split necks is do to diff't chambers in diff't guns.I my self have many once fired milsurp brass and have rarely experienced split necks in over ten loadings-simply because I check for length and trim every loading,and inside neck ream.Also I don't load hot as I find my best accuracy at the mid range to lower end of the scale.This tends to make my brass last longer.Also I don't do "spray and pray" and heat up barrels,as I believe that this also contributes to shorter brass and barrel life.

 

[BRL]

My brass usually starts out as once fired American Eagle brass that my non-reloading buddies don't have any use for.

I trim them on every reload and out of about every 100 reloaded cases there might be two or three that didn't require trimming to bring them back to my original length, even with the light powder charges I'm using.

Also for the most part the reload bullets that I've been using for my AR-15 do not have a cannelure, so I must rely on case neck tension to keep them in place which is why I don't mind scrapping them relatively early.

No big deal as the cases are free for me to start with.

 

[sandog]

Hard to tell with brass that you get from another source, split necks could be from having been reloaded a few too many times, or from being fired in a chamber that is a bit too big, probably not from excessive pressure, that would be more on the order of loose primer pockets and other indicators. I've always wondered why military brass is annealed at the neck as the military doesn't re use brass, I guess it adds some peace of mind for reliabiity? Or maybe they are just thinking of us civilians getting to use the surplus brass afterward!

 

[woodstock]

Hard to tell with brass that you get from another source, split necks could be from having been reloaded a few too many times, or from being fired in a chamber that is a bit too big, probably not from excessive pressure, that would be more on the order of loose primer pockets and other indicators. I've always wondered why military brass is annealed at the neck as the military doesn't re use brass, I guess it adds some peace of mind for reliabiity? Or maybe they are just thinking of us civilians getting to use the surplus brass afterward!

I'm pretty sure that all new brass is annealed at the shoulder area. Military brass just isn't polished out like most brass for civilian use. I have heard that this is so the military inspectors cans see that it was annealed. I have my doubts about that personally though.

 

[sandog]

I never thought of commercial brass being annealed, makes sense as the factories know their brass from loaded ammo could get reloaded multiple times, and they wouldn't want to get a reputation of having brass that splits easily. But it seems it would be real hard to polish out the discoloration from annealing. I say this cause a few weeks ago I went to work and forgot to turn off some Mil brass going in the tumbler. It was going for 10 hours, and annealing was still as visible as when new. Maybe the factories have a way of polishing it so it can't be seen. That batch of brass that I over did sure was clean and bright though!