The Guns We Own

[GrauGeist]

Is it just me, or is there actually a discoloration at the leading and trailing edges of those cracks?

Discoloration not being from discharge, but more like an existing impurity in the brass. The condition of that brass is highly suspect, Matt...perhaps look at the intact casings to see if there's any deformities on the verge of cracking.

I'd suspect poor brass quality there and if confirmed, demand a refund.

 

[Shortround6]

The only thing I can think of left is to use a mic or dial caliper on the cases and compare them to the others or measure about just below the cannular (about in line with the splits) and measure the web diameter just forward of the rim and grove and see how much difference there is, there should be some. And the measure the same two points on the unsplit cases. Again there should be a few thousands more diameter than just in front of the rim (that is what re-sizing is for but a big difference could mean the chamber is over size. A small or little difference could mean just bad brass.

After that it is chamber casts or specialty tools.

 

[Matt308]

I'll break out the Dillon calipers sometime this weekend, hopefully. These Federal Cartidges were not new, but rather 10-12yrs old. But that is not enough time that I would suspect any significant deterioration, if any. Discoloration looks more like sheer stress indicators (note 45 degree angle for you mechanical engineers) combined with heat effects. So I'm not thinking manufacturing defects in the metallurgy, since I only see it at the ends of the split. Now are the walls too thin? I'll run a paper clip in the inside and see if there is a distinct resizing ring. .38spl is such a low pressure round, that even if the brass was remanufactured it would have to have quite a few reloads on them. I'll check the case length too. If they are overly long, that might be another indicator that I have reused brass. Highly doubt that coming from Federal.

 

[Shortround6]

I doubt Federal would try to pass off used brass as new but but might have gotten a bad lot of brass from a supplier or if not sufficiently annealed during the drawing process it might be (or have become) more brittle than normal.

 

[bobbysocks]

with cracks that big i would think you would see some discoloration in the chamber of the cylinder. personally i am thinking its the brass' fault....either cheap ( thin wall )...or defective. just in case next time i shot that gun i would inspect the brass from each chamber and if one is cracked i would mark it and see if it produces another.

 

[Matt308]

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Torch]

I've only had one cracked case when I reloaded 9mm,.45,44m,357/38 and .308. It was with a .308 but it split at the neck, I usually don't reload my brass more than 5xs especially with hotter loads. Your scenario is a little weird,you had no issues with .357 but only .38, I would think if it were an issue with the pistol itself it would show up on the .357s....

 

[Torch]

Interesting thread..Old reloads - split cases [Archive] - The Firing Line Forums

 

[Torch]

Funny,I had a model 66 with a 3" barrel,liked the little gun. When I took the wife for her NRA safety course I let her use it. i had .38 sissy/target loads for her and she was doing fine. Ran about 75 rds of those and ran out. I hand her another box which dummy me had not marked, and all of the sudden I hear KABOOM,multiple times,I look over and she is wide eyed,missed the target and not happy. I didn't realize it but I gave her real hot in spec .357rds that I used in my larger framed S&Ws. Thing is I had to tap the spent rounds out of the cyl because the case's had swollen. Never cracked thou.So the point is the cyl absorbes the pressure,not the case. I'm still leaning towards the brass being defective.

 

[Torch]

From the SigForum...Age shouldn't have anything to do with it. Measure the bore diameter and measure some of the unfired brass to see which is the problem. You may want to measure the fired rounds too, both normal and cracked cartridges.
Also inspect the bore of the barrel to see if it has a crack or other problem.

 

[mikewint]

Change of subject but a new ammo store opened about 16mi away and he is stocked to the ceiling with just about everything and while prices are higher than I'd like to see they are not too bad. Bought several bricks (YES BRICKS) of .22LR (Remington Golden Bullet) for $35 ber box. And last night on Gunbroker I actually got a BRICK of .22WMR CCI for $117. Had to stay up till after midnight but it was worth it

 

[GrauGeist]

I bought a box of Remington .22 Goldens a while back to run through my Umarex at the range. Damned things kept misfiring and effing up, so I abandoned them for some Winchester .22 ammo that worked flawlessly.

Can't say I was too impressed...

 

[Torch]

.22lr brands can be so touchy depending on the firearms,You would think because it runs good on one it would work well on another. Used to have a Sig skeeter,that was one tempermental .22..Got rid of it and picked up a Ruger mk2 instead. No trouble what so ever. Or just stick to my S&W 6" 617.

 

[mikewint]

Dave, have not tried them yet, the box says "high velocity" but we shall see

 

[javlin]

.22lr brands can be so touchy depending on the firearms,You would think because it runs good on one it would work well on another. Used to have a Sig skeeter,that was one tempermental .22..Got rid of it and picked up a Ruger mk2 instead. No trouble what so ever. Or just stick to my S&W 6" 617.

I hear what you are saying.I had an old(50-60yrs) 22lr tube feed and on rd#15(18 )would feed but misfire I finally broke her down last year and the nylon buffer was damaged got a replacement and seems fine now.How the buffer came into play but rds 16-18 would fire and it was more prone to Remy but occured some with CCI.

 

[GrauGeist]

Hope they work fine for ya', Mike!

Possible that I got a batch made too early on a Monday morning or perhaps my Umarex doesn't like 'em.

 

[razor1uk]

No bulges whatsoever on any brass fired. Just a longitudinal crack.

Just wondering if that's the natural as is surface of the casings, as they appear of quite a granular appearance - I gather this might be from previous usages, otherwise indicative IMHO of a poorer quality metallurgical brass alloy 'recipie'.

Also as suggested by others, as the splits seem mostly similar and in one area on each case, it could indicate firing pressure induce swelling to fit the naturally fractionally larger bore of the chamber - would reused casings get heat treated by firing while suffering some pressured induced thinning of the cartridge/case walls?

Mind-due, coming from the UK with only personal experience with an 2.2mm air rifle, I always thought gun cartridges were supposed to be smooth and 'shiney' looking in comparison to those pictured there.

 

[javlin]

This comes from Michael Banes Blog here : The Michael Bane Blog

When I finally got to shoot a 4-Bore a few years ago at one of the Vintager World Cups it was everything I hoped (or imagined) it would be. The double-barreled 4-Bore didn't so much recoil as alter the entire space-time continuum...one instant I was standing in one place; the next instance, a different place. The entire universe shifted a couple of degrees...like being in an episode of Dr. Who.

A very enjoyable read

They are heavy for a reason; they are powerful! The metal must contain the tremendous strain of the charge and breech thrust, and they must have enough mass to keep the recoil from crushing the shooter. As it is, they generate well over 200 foot-pounds, something special when you realize that a .458 Winchester only backs up with a gentle 56-pound shove

 

[GrauGeist]

wow! That would be simply awesome to give a try.

When I was much younger, I was given the opportunity (ok, actually I was volunteered) to give my Uncle's .8 gauge a try.

No problem, I thought...a little bigger than a .12 gauge, what could it hurt?

If there was ever a real-time demonstration of dividing by zero, this was it. When the smoke and dust settled, I got up from a sitting position and handed the shotgun back then went and sat down (on purpose) for a while to heal a little bit.

Don't recall what make it was, but I know it was fairly old, top-break single barrel and beat the sh!t out of me.

 

[mikewint]

Dad had an old 10 gauge goose gun but that was as big as I ever shot, can't even imagine a 4