375 H&H Case Head Seperation

[1Shirt]

Had never had a complete case head seperation on any thing until last week, when I had one with an RP case in 375 in my #1 Ruger. Load was 20 gr. Trail boss, 250 Lee PB, std primer. Front of case came out with 45 cal brush with no sweat. This batch of brass was on it's 6th. loading. I size with RCBS die, and leave 2-3 full turns from bottoming out the die on the shell holder. Obviously not enough!

I went back thru all fired cases with the head of a nail trick to check for inside ridge on brass. Found about 16 of my cases from various batches of loading to have inside rings, and they went into the scrap bucket. My next step was to order a set of Lee neck sizing collet dies for 375H&H, which should arrive today.

I have been somewhat lax in checking all of my cast ctgs for inside rings, but that will now become more of a routine. I have all of the single neck sizing collet dies that Lee offers outside of full sets, and wish that they would offer just the collet die only in all the cals that I load cast for. Would particularly like to get 303, and 30-30 only.

This however brings up a question to other cast loaders of 375H&H regarding case life. Would be interested in knowing your case life with this ctg and cast.
I Trim every 3-4 times fired, and I anneal every 4-6 times fired.

Anyhow, feel that sharing mishaps like this on on my part, might help someone else, and add to the bank of experiances on this forum.

Thanks in advance to all who respond to this thread.
1Shirt!

[Larry Gibson]

1Shirt

You've just found out what i found out a time back about the three six bits. If the FL sizer pushes in on the sides of the case in front of the belt you will get case head seperation after a few firings. By the time I had backed out the FL die si it wasn't hitting the cases isdes it was sizing enough of the neck. With the price of three six bit brass the solution was simple for me; get a real NS die. Mine is a Reding NS die and I haven't lost a case to head seperation since I got it. My full bore practice loads using a 375449 at 2200 fps have been NS'd numerous times and are not close to needing a FL sizing yet.

Larry Gibson

[RobS]

My next step was to order a set of Lee neck sizing collet dies for 375H&H, which should arrive today.
1Shirt!

The Lee Collet die will help save and extend your brass; I use it with excellent results with my 375 H&H brass. I full length resized when I first purchased my R&P brass and since have loaded them 5 times with the Lee neck sizing die. My loads have been with a 270 grain boolit pushed out from 2000-2300+ fps with either 4060 or RX15. The 6th time around though I'm going to have to full length resize them.

[Char-Gar]

Because the H&H case headspaces on the belt (in theory), many folks don't worry about setting the shoulder back during resizing, or don't keep a watch on that. Even though the belt will headspace, the repeated moving of the shoulder will case the cases to seperate after a time.

I highly encourage folks to adjust their dies to headspace on the shoulder or neck size only, with belted cases. The same can also be said of rimmed cases.

[white eagle]

When I had a belted magnum that is exactly the way I did it
figured what would it hurt and supposedly
more, better, accurate ..

[1Shirt]

Good replies! Thanks guys. I push heavy cast to 2200-2300 w/boolits on up to 320 gr. Appreciate info.
Paul
1Shirt!

[ColColt]

I first experienced case head separation back in '69 with a 30-06 that had excessive head space. I was told by the gunsmith who fixed that problem to check with a paper clip by bending it to form a hook and push the clip all the way down to the bottom of the case and drag the hook up slowly and you could feel where the incipient separation was forming. I did and ditched most all the cases of that lot as most you could feel(and see) the ring. Fortunately, when it happened I never knew it. I lifted the bolt and all that came out of the chamber attached to the extractor claw was the head section leaving the rest of the case in the chamber...good ol'98 Mauser action may have saved my eyesight.

[1Shirt]

Got the Lee Collet die and it is great. I do have to watch my brass because I have 2 375's, a #1 Ruger, and a CZ, and obviously chamber are not the same. I was originaly told to check inside case seperation potential ring with a crochet hook and used one for many years. A flat headed nail works equally well, particularly a thin headed one.
1Shirt!

[RobS]

Got the Lee Collet die and it is great. I do have to watch my brass because I have 2 375's, a #1 Ruger, and a CZ, and obviously chamber are not the same. I was originaly told to check inside case seperation potential ring with a crochet hook and used one for many years. A flat headed nail works equally well, particularly a thin headed one.
1Shirt!

I would seperate your brass out for each firearm. I've done this in the past to keep from having to full length resize some of my 30 cal stuff.

[Char-Gar]

When I started handloading back in the day, my mentor showed me a case with the bright ring on the outside of the case, toward the head. He told me that cases that looked like that were on the verge of separating. Every times I see such a case, I check it on the inside with a bend paper clip and sure enough, there it was.

I dont check until I see a case in a batch showing the outside ring, then I check the whole batch and usually find several with problems.

[MikeS]

Thanks! I learned 2 things tonight from reading this thread! The first is the 'nail trick' which was something that was obviously something that could be learned. The other thing I learned wasn't so obvious. When I read the first post in this thread, my initial thought was to reply to ask what the 'nail trick' was, but by continuing, and reading the whole thread, I learned what it was. So I also learned to read an entire thread before asking questions!

[smoked turkey]

Thanks to all for the good information regarding proper case sizing and the "nail trick". I have used the bent paper clip but for some reason it didn't work for me. I will try a nail with a thin head next time. From the posts it appears that this is a problem in general and not with just belted cases. Seems I have read that for the most part belted cases are more prone to case problems. Is that true?

[fredj338]

Because the H&H case headspaces on the belt (in theory), many folks don't worry about setting the shoulder back during resizing, or don't keep a watch on that. Even though the belt will headspace, the repeated moving of the shoulder will case the cases to seperate after a time.

I highly encourage folks to adjust their dies to headspace on the shoulder or neck size only, with belted cases. The same can also be said of rimmed cases.

This ^ The wide variation in chambers & dies is what is causing your headseps if you are not neck sizing or minimal partial FL sizing. That is how I have always setup belted or rimmed rifle cases for longest case life & best accuracy w/ 100% reliable functioning. Neck dies will extend the life of the case but may result in ammo that is diff to chamber, not what you want in a hunting rifle, especially if it's getting DG use like a 375h&h.