What am I seeing here? Cracked 38SPL cases

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Twmaster

Twmaster

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Went to the range last night. Shot some reloads in my S&W Model 10-8.

After sorting and inspecting my brass today I found these two cases. Both have fractures almost completely around the circumference of the case.

cracked38.jpg

I'm sure these cases have been fired at least twice.

Load data:

148 grain Hornady hollow base wadcutters, Tula magnum SPP, 2,7 grains of Red-Dot. These are very mild shooting loads.

I have previously found fired reloaded cases with similar fractures that may have been shot in this gun with other loads.

So what am I seeing here? Tired brass? Too tight a crimp? Detonation?

Thanks.
 
No exact count.

More info: All of the cases are Federal headstamped. I just dug through my junk brass bucket. The other brass with failures like this are also Federal.

I guess this is just a lot of junk brass.
 
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Was it shot in an old S&W Victory Model rechambered for .38 Special from .38 S&W?
 
If you have unloaded brass around the same age or can pull a few look for a ring "cut" around the inside of the case about a 1/3rd of the way up. Looks like a seperation starting. Not exactly something to mess around with. Ive never seen a pistol round do it, but anythings possible.

Match 10 also poses a good question here.
 
I don't think you can crimp it enough that it causes the case to crack. Federal usually really good brass.
 
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When I see failure on what looks like relatively new brass I usually suspect that the failure was caused by exposure to ammonia. If you keep your brass near cleaners or solvents with ammonia does your wife cleans around the area with such cleaners like Windex, etc. the exposure can make the brass brittle and cracks will be the result. Since ammonia is gaseous it doesn't require direct contact to combine with the brass.
 
In 38/357 my federal and R-P brass always fails before the others. My winchester brass always lasts the longest.

It seems the RP brass always cracks vertically, the Federal will crack however it chooses to, usually. Nothing set in stone there. Funy thing is, I prefer to reload the RP or Federal in 38 because the cases resize with less effort, the bullets seat with less effort, the primers seat with less effort, etc. Mainly because of thinner brass. They just dont last as long. Thats OK though, because in 38 special I have enough of it to last a lifetime and a half.
 
Can't a light load with a fast burning powder actually cause excessive pressure? I seem to recall reading that somewhere. 2.7gr Red Dot might be a little light. I load 3.2gr with a 158gr LSWC from MBC, data from Lee 2nd Ed.
 
Can't a light load with a fast burning powder actually cause excessive pressure? I seem to recall reading that somewhere. 2.7gr Red Dot might be a little light. I load 3.2gr with a 158gr LSWC from MBC, data from Lee 2nd Ed.
Click to expand...

Just read article last night saying that ill see if i can find it for you guys. It was in reference to light charges of fast burning powders. ill be back in a few hopefully with the goods
 
somethings is up. Notice how the cracks are around the circumference. Most case cracks I've seen generally follow the length of the case.
 
not supporting or denying these staements. Merely supplying the information.
Click to expand...

It has been rumored to happen in big rifle cases, but it cannot and does not happen in pistol cartridges. Otherwise there would have been millions of blown up 38 specials, etc. Most every pistol caliber loaded with AA#2 or Bullseye or titegroup would be blown up.

Its a myth. Those that claim that it happened to thier 38 or whatever handgun are not willing to admit that they accidently double charged a case. The fact is small charges in any case are harder to detect a double charge. People have egos that wont allow them to admit that they made a mistake.
 
ljnowell thats exactly how i feel. Im not even sure I believe it in a rifle case to be honest. Never tried it and probably never will. But I do agree with you it was a double charge and that would be nearly indetectable especially in a .30-06 or other fairly large long shell. I only supplied the link for the fella who mentioned it. I think it was someone who didnt want to admit a mistake due to pride or ego
 
Those cracked .38 cases had nothing to do with 'detonation', double charges, over-size chambers, or anything else.

It is simply bad brass.

Here is my take on SEE, or Secondary Explosion Effect in over-bore rifle calibers.
But, I DID NOT stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6976324#post6976324

Might be from when he was born!
Click to expand...
Dang guys!
Cut me some slack. :D

It happened about 3-4 years ago as I recall.

They were shooting metallic cartridges back then?
Click to expand...
As near as I can remember, we did actually have metalic cartridges back then.
Just not auto pistols or 9mm Luger. :confused:


rc
 
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RC thanks for the link. You really applied some thought to that. It makes sense actually as compares to the other theories out there. Learn something new everyday
 
Hey!
I didn't say it was true, or proven.

I said I personally think it is true.
And I could probably, maybe prove it, if I wanted to blow up a Magnum rifle bad enough..

But lots of folks smarter then me think it isn't true, so who knows.

Only the Shadow knows!

rc
 
Strange, I don't think I've ever seen a 38 spcl. separate like that. I have Federal that has been loaded who knows how many times, and it's still going strong through my 10-5. I would certainly scrutinize my brass a bit more aggressively after encountering failures like that.
I inspect the internals of my straight wall brass very carefully, as this is where the initial signs of a separation will appear 99.9% of the time.

GS
 
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