AA Brass neck splitting

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  • 65Whelen
    Warrior
    • Sep 2014
    • 671

    AA Brass neck splitting

    Of the last 168 reloads I've got 12 pieces with the neck splitting. I thought maybe it was associated with my latest barrel so I measured the neck after firing (.294) and after resizing (.287).

    A little history, I lost most of my reloading info in a computer crash but I started with 180 pcs. of AA brass and used just under 900 primers reloading for the Grendel. In a perfect world that's 5 reloads per piece but I've lost a lot of brass to load development, some were a little hot and wouldn't chamber after resizing. I have 75 cases left. Now factoring in my the attrition rate, I guestimate the remaining pcs. have at most 10 reloads on them.

    The neck splitting started in my last two batches of reloads. Is this just another case of reality not meeting expectations? I've read many time on the Forum "you should get 15-20 reloads using AA(Lapua) brass". Any thought or advise is welcome.
    Last edited by 65Whelen; 07-10-2015, 05:35 PM.
  • LRRPF52
    Super Moderator
    • Sep 2014
    • 8569

    #2
    What kind of case lube are you using?

    I had my first split neck in 6 years last week, after thousands of rounds and multiple loadings. It was sized with imperial wax, but I have since gone to Hornady One-Shot spray-on lube.

    Old school wax works the cases much harder, and I could see that at the base as well.

    You can also use bushing dies to decrease your neck sizing variation.
    NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

    CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

    6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

    www.AR15buildbox.com

    Comment

    • LR1955
      Super Moderator
      • Mar 2011
      • 3355

      #3
      Originally posted by 65Whelen View Post
      Of the last 168 reloads I've got 12 pieces with the neck splitting. I thought maybe it was associated with my latest barrel so I measured the neck after firing (.294) and after resizing (.287).

      A little history, I lost most of my reloading info in a computer crash but I started with 180 pcs. of AA brass and used just under 900 primers reloading for the Grendel. In a perfect world that's 5 reloads per piece but I've lost a lot of brass to load development, some were a little hot and wouldn't chamber after resizing. I have 75 cases left. Now factoring in my the attrition rate, I guestimate the remaining pcs. have at most 10 reloads on them.

      The neck splitting started in my last two batches of reloads. Is this just another case of reality not meeting expectations? I've read many time on the Forum "you should get 15-20 reloads using AA(Lapua) brass". Any thought or advise is welcome.
      Work hardening the necks by sizing them. Most likely cause is a Lee sizing die or the lube you are using, or a combination of both.

      If you are using a Lee sizing die, you have most likely found your problem. You won't fix it and Lee will swear it is to specs. Destroy it immediately and buy another brand of sizing die. I recommend one that uses bushings.

      I prefer Dillon spray lube over Hornady but either will do fine and you won't work harden the brass.

      LR55

      Comment

      • 65Whelen
        Warrior
        • Sep 2014
        • 671

        #4
        Using Hornady Dies and Hornady One-Shot lube spray.

        Comment

        • am4966
          Chieftain
          • Jul 2014
          • 1036

          #5
          Use Google Drive to back up your reloading info so you don't have to worry about a computer crash and maybe back up to a jump drive too. That's 3 places since I know you reloaders work hard for that info.
          12.5" SBR Grendel - Need Barrel
          Surge - Rugged Suppressor
          Been a fan of the Grendel from the very beginning and haven't second guessed that choice one time.

          Aim small, miss small!

          Comment

          • LR1955
            Super Moderator
            • Mar 2011
            • 3355

            #6
            Originally posted by 65Whelen View Post
            Using Hornady Dies and Hornady One-Shot lube spray.
            Sounds like a good combination.

            The only time I have cracked a neck on a Lapua Grendel case is when using the Lee sizing die.

            I have cracked necks in other cartridges but they were cartridges that required altering a parent case such as the 6.5 / 06. Sized down some LC 30-06 to 6.5. Chambered fine but apparently the brass was still too thick and the necks cracked. Used commercial .270 brass and no problems at all.

            Sometimes a company will make their sizing die in a manner that it sizes down too much and the expander button does a job on the brass when pulling it through the necks. Also, sometimes they make the expander button too big.

            And guys tend to avoid getting lube inside the necks so there is even more stress put on the necks when pulling a expander button back through.

            Anyway, not sure what is happening with yours.

            LR55

            Comment

            • 65Whelen
              Warrior
              • Sep 2014
              • 671

              #7
              Originally posted by LR1955 View Post
              And guys tend to avoid getting lube inside the necks so there is even more stress put on the necks when pulling a expander button back through.

              Anyway, not sure what is happening with yours.

              LR55
              Now there you hit on something. I always avoided getting lube on the inside of the neck. Somewhere along the line I was taught not to get lube on the inside because it might contaminate the primer, resulting in a primer hit but no ignition(a dead primer).

              Comment

              • LR1955
                Super Moderator
                • Mar 2011
                • 3355

                #8
                Originally posted by 65Whelen View Post
                Now there you hit on something. I always avoided getting lube on the inside of the neck. Somewhere along the line I was taught not to get lube on the inside because it might contaminate the primer, resulting in a primer hit but no ignition(a dead primer).
                65W:

                Dragging a expander button through a neck without lube will not help the life of the brass at all. It will work harden the necks.

                Some guys are scared to get some lube inside the necks for fear that somehow it will contaminate the powder or do something to the primer. I imagine if you deliberately sprayed a good amount of spray lube directly into the case and coated the inside, you may contaminate the powder but this would be a deliberate act and not a byproduct of using spray lube as directed.

                For my more important loads, I lay the brass out on a lint free rag with the necks facing me. I spray the Dillon Lube on the brass at a slight angle so I can get some of it inside the necks. I roll the brass and spray again. Then roll a couple more times before dumping it into a bin for sizing. I don't hose the brass down with the lube. A little spray is it. It takes a minute or two for the Dillon lube to dry before I run it through the sizer. I may wipe the outside of the brass down after sizing but never bother with the necks. I don't throw it into a polisher either.

                I have thrown the brass into a plastic container, sprayed two or maybe three short sprays of the lube onto the brass, covered the container and shook it. The lube seemed to cover the outside of the brass well but not always the inside of the necks.

                Get some lube inside the necks and your life will be easier.

                LR55

                Comment

                • FW Conch
                  Warrior
                  • Nov 2014
                  • 289

                  #9
                  When I have to lube the inside of necks I use a "Q" tip. The primer goes "flash" and the powder goes "boom". :-)

                  Comment

                  • lawndartmike
                    Bloodstained
                    • Mar 2015
                    • 53

                    #10
                    I lube the cases like LR1955 and have never had a round that wouldn't fire. I have had several Hornady necks split after 3-4 reloads. This has happened on both the 243 and 6.5 Grendel brass.

                    Comment

                    • earl39
                      Unwashed
                      • Sep 2014
                      • 18

                      #11
                      Work hardened brass is nothing that proper annealing will not fix which will stop the split necks due to hard brass.

                      Comment

                      • sneaky one
                        Chieftain
                        • Mar 2011
                        • 3077

                        #12
                        Q tip -lightly lube inside the necks. I use a lube in between the Hornady One shot, and a creamy--it's cabelas pump spray- does not evap quickly--- put a few dollops into a small ultra clean container- q tip- barely moist rub into necks high speed-- let dry for 5 min.---, actually pulls any remaining soot out, if cleaning was so-so.
                        Spend a few bucks on the ultrasonic cleaner units, if you can.. Lyman unit for $69.00 is awesome to clean de primed brass. Pre warm the water.

                        Steel 89 and I went thru the annealing process one day, it did help on the 7.62x39 brass--- The AK stuff.

                        Have not tried it on Lap brass yet. YES, a many of us own the lee sizer die. It is about right for same AK brass- for neck tensions.

                        LR1955 has it right as to getting the neck sizing die --bushing die. I use the Std. Forster sizing die.,, 18 reloads - no annealing -yet....And no split necks- on any Lap brass. AA brass IS Lapua brass. Same Same. Have not shot Hornady brass more than- once, or twice so far.

                        Tumble later for shiny brass. Walnut shells work well for me. Compressed air thru the flash hole! Eyeball it. Toothpicks handy. Q tips. Also. Stock up gents, ladies too.
                        Last edited by sneaky one; 07-16-2015, 05:15 AM.

                        Comment

                        • sneaky one
                          Chieftain
                          • Mar 2011
                          • 3077

                          #13
                          Last edited by sneaky one; 07-16-2015, 05:43 AM.

                          Comment

                          • LRRPF52
                            Super Moderator
                            • Sep 2014
                            • 8569

                            #14
                            Another thing I did to my Hornady dies was turn the expander football to a nice polish, rather than the course machine mark texture it had. If you think about the expander ball dragging against the inside of the necks, any imperfections in the surface are going to gouge into the brass, and create a riser for the super-heated plasma to work on during combustion.

                            Since brass is so soft, the burning plasma will win and find the path of opportunity to push through the neck.

                            A friend of ours who shoots professionally for Savage's F-Class team noticed that as soon as he started annealing, he saw a significant incidence of split necks, and started losing brass really fast.
                            NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                            CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                            6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                            www.AR15buildbox.com

                            Comment

                            • cory
                              Chieftain
                              • Jun 2012
                              • 2985

                              #15
                              Polishing the expander is a great idea. Has anyone tried lube the expander instead of the inside of the case directly?
                              "Those who sacrifice liberty for security, deserve neither." Benjamin Franklin

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