Checking for Incipient Case Head Separation?

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I use a straightened safety pin with a 90 degree bend on the end to check for incipient case head separation.

My concern is that I've never felt a ring.

My oldest rifle brass is 7.62x54R Winchester. The majority of it has been reloaded three to five times apiece using mild to warm loads, depending on whose data you use.

I've been loading at 47 grains of Varget under 150grn bullets these days. The previous load was 47.2 grains of Varget or H335. (I only used one pound of H335; didn't like the stuff).

I'm dropping back to 45 grains Varget because I just don't need the velocity at the ranges I shoot at. Heck, I only went up to 47 grains in the first place because it's Hodgdon's minimum. After looking over more data and deciding I won't flash the powder I'm going back to it.

The first two times I reloaded I sized full length, then something like 3/4 length. I only neck size now because I figure the military chambers are a bit generous, and I like headspacing on the shoulder.

Point being, these cases have sizing marks in different spots and I just really don't trust using the outside to judge. There are no new bright rings, and the rings that I see from sizing have obviously been there for a bit. None are raised.

So... I guess my concern is that these cases have more than a few reloadings on them and I think I should be feeling something I'm not feeling.

Advice?

Thanks,

Josh

[Mooseman]

If you cant feel a ring , there may not be one, when you do feel one with a sharpened wire , you will know it...

Rich

[400short]

mild loads, three to five times? sounds like your brass is still ok...

[hhranch]

I've used the bent wire sharpened to a chisel point for years to check for incipient case head separation. Usually I don't start until a bright ring appears just in front of the case head web. the inner indentation is easily felt once you know what you are looking for. If you have any doubts, just keep reloading a case until it separates, then you can see how it necks down just ahead of the web before failing. If you are lucky, it will be a partial failure that will allow you to extract the case. Otherwise, try a stiff new chamber size bore brush from the chamber end, or a new oversize brush from the muzzle end. A couple of times with this will educate you in a hurry about case head separations!

[Dschuttig]

I've used the win 7.62x54r brass over ten times with full power loads before I noticed a ring forming. I started to neck size my brass after about the 5th time. (didn't have the neck sizer before then)

[Gee_Wizz01]

As Mooseman says, if you can't feel it, it probably isn't there. When you have one, you will be able to feel it. For about 30 years, I used a straightened paper clip with a 90 deg bend on the end which was slightly sharpened, and it works great. Recently I broke the hardened tip off of a 90 deg dental pick, and I slightly sharpened the remaining tip. This works great, but not really any better than the paper clip, the main advantage is dental pick has a better handle for my fumble fingers.

Also 3-5 mid power loads is not many loads. I have a box of 7.62X54R that has 17 loads with no issues. These loads were 314299's at approx 1800 fps. Sounds like you are good to go.

G

[Char-Gar]

If you cant feel the little "tick" with your pin, then you are good to go. With properly adjusted dies for the chamber, case separations should never be a problem. They are not a necessary part of handloading.

[nanuk]

I recently bought some supposedly once fired brass, supposedly in good shape, for the 303brit

I sorted it and noticed the different color rings around the base, so tried different things

the bent safety pin worked best. that sharp point at 90Deg will hang up easy on a ring.

Remember to check all 360 degrees... mine have some failures limited to one side only.

the comforting thing is ALL of them that have an issue show the color difference on the outside.

I checked all my brass, and I found NO thinning inside, where there was no change of color outside.

I NOW know what I need to look for

[3006guns]

I finally found one, in a .303 British......first one in many years of reloading. Trust me, you'll feel it. I subject any doubtful case (damged mouths, bases, etc.) to a "mouth crush test" with pliers and from there it goes into the scrap bucket.

[1Shirt]

I have been using an old crochet hook for many years.
1Shirt!

[fa38]

If you have any doubts, just keep reloading a case until it separates, then you can see how it necks down just ahead of the web before failing. If you are lucky, it will be a partial failure that will allow you to extract the case. Otherwise, try a stiff new chamber size bore brush from the chamber end, or a new oversize brush from the muzzle end. A couple of times with this will educate you in a hurry about case head separations!

The new brush works great when trying to remove a separated case in the rifle chamber but does not work worth a darn when its in your sizing die.