Split Necks in Ruger American

[etmci]

I'm having a problem with split necks in my Ruger bolt rifle. This is happening with new Starline brass shooting Hornady 123 grain SST bullets. My handloads are not hot or excessive in any way. The loads shoot and function well in my AR. Should I consider annealing the cases? I have no experience with annealing and have never thought it necessary with unfired brass. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Ruger makes lousy barrels. If their throat is grossly tight, really jamming the neck when the round is chambered, you can crack the necks. If their throat is grossly oversized, you can crack the necks.

If you are using Lee dies, their sizing die overworks the brass and you will end up with split necks but it will take a few shots.

I suspect the Ruger chamber is grossly oversize and if you are using a Lee sizing die, you are work hardening the neck.

LR-55

[DIANEB]

I'm having a problem with split necks in my Ruger bolt rifle. This is happening with new Starline brass shooting Hornady 123 grain SST bullets. My handloads are not hot or excessive in any way. The loads shoot and function well in my AR. Should I consider annealing the cases? I have no experience with annealing and have never thought it necessary with unfired brass. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Wow that's weird I was able to get 8 loads before a few of my Starline brass started splitting...

[northdude]

I was having that problem with hornady brass. I annealed it and now use a lee collet die. If you suspect an oversized chamber see how a projectile feels in a fired unsized case

[Eye_guy]

[sundowner]

Wow that's weird I was able to get 8 loads before a few of my Starline brass started splitting...

Same here .

[Mesa1978]

i was getting split necks with Nosler brass. Annealing extended the life of the necks.

[Eye_guy]

i was getting split necks with Nosler brass. Annealing extended the life of the necks.

[Mesa1978]

Bad assumption, out of 50, 5 split necks on first firing.

[LR1955]

Bad assumption, out of 50, 5 split necks on first firing.

M-78:

You are assuming Starline sold a poor lot of brass.

I trust Starline to use brass that is made properly and I imagine they anneal their brass before shipping like most brass makers.

What he is describing is classic out of spec chamber. That's where I would look first.

LR-55

[Mesa1978]

M-78:

You are assuming Starline sold a poor lot of brass.

I trust Starline to use brass that is made properly and I imagine they anneal their brass before shipping like most brass makers.

What he is describing is classic out of spec chamber. That's where I would look first.

LR-55

The brass I had an issue with was Nosler, annealing once fired brass eliminated any split necks in the second firing. Any diagnosis without actually seeing/measuring the OP's hardware is a guess, at best.

[LR1955]

The brass I had an issue with was Nosler, annealing once fired brass eliminated any split necks in the second firing. Any diagnosis without actually seeing/measuring the OP's hardware is a guess, at best.

M-78:

I take it you were born in 1978? If so, too bad not a year later. I really liked the M-79. What a blaster that thing was!

To me, assuming the brass is bad is also a guess.

I believe he said the splits were on brand new, unfired brass.

Even the poorly made PPU stuff of years ago would shoot at least once without splitting the necks.

I do believe annealing will increase the life of the brass and that the new annealing equipment works very well. I just think it a better option to spend the money on good brass and a good chamber over a annealing machine.

I simply do not think his problem is the brass.

LR-55