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Old July 4, 2012, 11:12 PM   #1
Prof Young
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Hairline splits?

Loaders:

Found my first split case today and tossed it, of course. The split, in the neck of a 223, was very obvious. I've been inspecting my cases closely assuming that splits were small and hard to find. So my questions . . . do hairline or microscopic splits occur? Are most splits pretty obvious?

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Old July 4, 2012, 11:20 PM   #2
ScottRiqui
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Due to the pressures involved, I think that if you get a neck split, it's likely going to be noticeable.

It *is* possible to detect imminent head separation (where the rim end of the cartridge separates from the body) by running a sharpened tool down the inside of the case and feeling for a small ridge. This thread details the procedures with pictures.

I don't do it yet, because I've got so much .223 brass that I haven't reloaded any particular piece more than once or twice, and I'm using pretty mild loads. If I ever get up to the 4th or 5th loading on a piece, I'll probably start checking them.
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Old July 5, 2012, 05:49 AM   #3
WESHOOT2
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Most defects are obvious, but all too often they are NOT.
Until you fire it.....
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Old July 5, 2012, 08:34 AM   #4
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I have found some 357 Sig cases that seemed to have a network of fine cracks in the shoulder area. They were nickled cases, so I suspect that they were too hard and had been fired in a chamber that allowed the shoulder to blow forward when fired.

Those cracks were not so obvious that somebody who just puts slightly dirty brass into a progressive wouldn't be able to miss seeing them in the usual powder smudging on a case. But,if you clean your cases and then actually look at them individually, you should be able to reliably notice those cracks with normal eyesight and decent light.

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Old July 5, 2012, 09:00 AM   #5
tkglazie
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Quote:
if you clean your cases and then actually look at them individually, you should be able to reliably notice those cracks with normal eyesight and decent light
Agreed. This is one of the reasons I purchased a cheap tumbler to begin with. Shiny brass is so much easier to inspect (and find on the ground, for that matter)
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Old July 6, 2012, 05:24 AM   #6
WESHOOT2
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three dimensions

I refer specifically to the splits and cracks on the interior walls of a case.
They are virtually impossible to visually capture
If not split through those cases normally pass a 'clink vs bad tooth' test.
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Old July 6, 2012, 07:30 AM   #7
243winxb
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223 case neck cracks

Some cracks in the necks of 223 brass can be very hard to see. Depends on how much pressure/gas vented from the crack. Even harder to see after sizing the brass. Does the gas venting damage the chambers neck area? I dont know, wish i had a bore scope.
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Old July 6, 2012, 10:06 AM   #8
603Country
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I don't always tumble the rifle brass, but I do always use OOOO steel wool to clean the neck/shoulder of each case when I'm readying them for the next loading. It only takes a second, and almost every time when there's a case neck split, you can feel it when the steel wool hangs up just a teeny bit in the split. I don't think there's a faster way to find neck splits. And once the brass neck is shiny, the split, which isn't shiny, is easy to see - even if it's very small and in the very early stages of a full fledged split.
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