Split case

[Dudemeister]

Today I was shooting some of my own .45LC loads out of my Vaquero. When I eject the brass, I usually just let it slide out on it's own. Since I reload pretty light, the cases don't usually obturate fully so they just drop out. Occasionally you get the odd one that needs a little push, but in general they come out easy.

But today, after I shot the six, one of them just didn't want to come out until I actually had to apply some pressure to the rod. When it came out, I noticed it was split almost the full length of the case.

The brass is "Starline", and this particular case is from a batch that was only loaded twice before. So what could have gone wrong, and why is it that the split is so nearly perfect. I can only think that it had to be a defect in the brass, or some kind of damage that may have happened during the resizing process.

As I mentioned before, I shoot pretty light loads (at the starting point of the recommended load), and while I was shooting, it didn't feel that any of the shots had any more perceived recoil that any another. I other words, no hot load.

So what could cause this type of case failure?

 

[rcmodel]

You nailed it, one way or another.

1. Defective brass to start with from a defect in the forming dies. (Unlikely with Starline brass)

2. A spec of galled brass stuck in your resizing die left a scratch on the case and weakened it.

Or:
3. Chute happens sometimes, and there is no explanation for why?



If you get more?
A. I would inspect sized cases for scratches from your sizing die.
B. I would investigate an undersize sizing die over-working the brass.
C. I would investigate a scratch or galled brass on the expander scratching the insides of the cases.
D. I would investigate over-size chambers in the revolver resulting in the same over-worked brass.

rc

 

[ReloaderFred]

Pretty common in straight wall handgun ammunition. I've got a bucket full of split .45 Colt brass, plus just about every other caliber that can be shot through a handgun. It's nothing to lose any sleep over.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Dudemeister]

Thanks guys.

I really wasn't freaking out or nothing. It's just that this is the first time I got a split case like this. I've had a few older cases that had a small split lip, I've even had one that had a separated head. but never like this, almost full length.

 

[GJSchulze]

I've only seen a few split cases, but this one looks like it was cut. It's too straight and the edges are too clean to be a "natural" split. I agree it must gave gotten a deep enough scratch caused by a tool, probably a die to be that straight. I see what looks like an irregular inside edge in the bottom half of the split which is consistent with it being scored on the outside.

 

[FROGO207]

I get mouth splits on old worn out brass frequently but on 1X or 2X fired brass I would watch this batch for more problems.
Hope it is just one bad piece of brass and not your whole lot. Starline is usually good brass and lasts many reloads for me. RC covered the things to look for if problems continue.

 

[Shooter57]

one case, it happens. if you start getting more you need to start looking for the cause. dirty die a burr somewhere hard to say a cause with just one.

 

[dagger dog]

Have you been shooting the same brass in a 45 Colt lever gun ?

Rumor has it most lever guns in that cartridge have rather generous although SAAMI spec' chambers.

Helps in reliability with straight walled pistol cartridges.

 

[Sam1911]

I find that something like 0.5% or 1% of my .44 Spc. brass splits just like that in the first 4-5 loadings. No worries, just happens.

For what it's worth, some percentage of autopistol brass does, too.

It doesn't present a hazard. In fact, I've found cases that somehow made it through my loading process with a crack like that and became a new loaded round and (sssshhhh! don't tell anyone, but) they worked just fine, too.

 

[GJSchulze]

my .44 Spc. brass splits just like that

Are you saying it splits clean and straight like that? Splitting is one thing, but that split doesn't look normal.

 

[Dframe]

Case splits are not uncommon. I've seen them straight and ragged. What causes it? Who knows? there could be many causes. They're not dangerous and you simply throw the brass in the recycle bin and move on. "Nuttin to see here, Move along"

 

[Sam1911]

I'm kind of going with the idea that "a split is a split" until I found any further instances of something strangely perfectly repeatable going on. Even if I did, I'd probably toss the split ones and keep on keepin' on.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Yes, I've seen splits that were clean like that. I've seen them in just about any pattern imaginable, but there's nothing really unusual about that split. I've had it happen many times with straight wall handgun cases.

Just the other day I had half a 10mm case left in the chamber and the next round jammed into it. Some say straight wall pistol cases won't separate like that, but this isn't the first one I've had do it, and I've found half cases in the brass I buy from the range, too. Brass is relatively soft, and it's going to give eventually. The individual case decides when it's time to split....

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Dudemeister]

The case in question was one of 300 I loaded a couple of months ago. I still have 3 boxes of them ready to shoot.

I looked at the dies and I don't see anything, and I also can't see anything obvious on any of the remaining loads or the already spent brass.

So at this stage I can only assume this was a factory defect, but I'll keep a close lookout for similar problems.

 

[TenDriver]

I found a factory defect, split case FC .223 tonight when I was decapping. It was range pickup, but the crimped primer gave its history. Splits happen.

 

[gunlaw]

I have had 45 Colt cases split after 1 or 2 reloadings a few times with various head stamps. I believe it is because 45 colt brass tends to be on the thin side regardless of the brand.

 

[Dframe]

"Split Happens" LOL! Sorry I couldn't help myself.
I've had factory 146 grain midrange target wadcutter ammo split. Sometimes it just seems to happen.

 

[Wil Terry]

QUIT WORRYING ABOUT IT !! Brass has been splitting for 150 years now.
Toss this into your worry pile of suppositions; The brass HAS to have room in the chamber to expand enough to split. ......oh my goodness....now you gotta figger out which charge holes of six might be TFB......oh my...

 

[kimbernut]

Split happens-classic

If possible temporarily mark (some folks etch numbers into their cylinder chambers)which cylinder chamber it was fired in and note if more splits seem to come from that chamber. Not likely but possible that there is a flaw in the cylinder. Once eliminated as suspect the temp. mark can be removed.