.303B Case Head Separation

[caseyboy]

Suffered a case head separation this morning at the range. Now, I can't get the rest of the case out. Anyone have any tricks or tips that they are willing to share. It was a Winchester case if that helps and yes the web area is very thin.

Thanks Caseyboy

[curator]

Stuff a 20 gauge shotgum bore brush into the chamber then tap the broken case out

[VSchneider]

Try this, it usually works for me. Take the bolt out and put a large caliber (.338-.45) on your cleaning rod and shove it up in till it's part way up into the barrel past the end of the case. Then pull the rod back out. The brissels will usually catch on the front of the case and pull it out.
I used to shoot Lee-Enfields a lot with cast bullets and have had case head separations. The way that I cured the problem is by only neck sizing the cases. The chambers on the Lee-Enfields are usually very large and expands the brass out then when you full length size the brass it doesn't take many sizings to cause the head to separate.
Hope this works for you,
Van

[Bloodman14]

Brownell's carries a broken shell extractor. Money well spent.

[smokemjoe]

This is at last thing to try, Take a case and cut off at the web, Find a tap that you can tap the case with that dosent break threw the out side of the case, Take this tap then and run it into the broken case until its tight, Then tap out with a clean rod, Must of the time it will turn out when your running the tap in.

[Bob in Revelstoke]

I made a case remover from a piece of cold roll steel about 8 ins. long. Drilled a hole in the end and got an old tap that would tightly fit in the broken case. Remove bolt from rifle, insert rod and tap, give small turn and pull case out.
Always inspect cases before reloading. Usually you can see a crack forming at the web, but not always. Especially if you are using full house loads or near to it. Some cases will separate after 3 or 4 loadings if that. Low pressure with lead boolets is the way to go

I save the heads. On one leg of my bench I drill a 3/8 in hole and tap the heads in for decoration and as a reminder.

The Lee Enfield has a large gas port to vent escaping gas from the rear of the rifle. I have never heard of a mishap involving escaping gas. The Brits made a good battle rifle.

[caseyboy]

Thanks for all the advice. What worked is a 10mm by 1.5mm tap (took a cut off case to the hardware store to find the right size). Turned it in about 2 full turns using a 1/4" drive socket extension. Ran a 1/4" steel rod carefully up the muzzle and with about a 1/2 dozen firm taps, the brass and tap popped out. The brass was firmly in there. Now I have the right tool for when this happens again.

[walltube]

Welcome here, sound advice here.

Best quote yet per SMLE, (IMHumbleO): "Low pressure with lead boolets is the way to go." Thank you Bob in Revelstoke.

Ya'll Be of Good Cheer,

Wt.

[Gee_Wizz01]

Cerrosafe works good also. Just push a tight patch into the bore about 1/4" from the case mouth, then pour the cerrosafe into the chamber. The cerrosafe will fill in the area ahead of the case mouth. When the cerrosafe has hardened, use a dowel or brass rod down the bore and gently tap the rod with a mallet and the case will be pushed out of the chamber.

G

[MtGun44]

Brit chambers are way oversized. Strongly recommend neck sizing die for your .303
loads, which requires segregating brass if you have multiple guns in the caliber.
The oversized chamber is to ensure that you can chamber a dirty or corroded round,
potentially critical in the heat of battle. No mil gun designer cares one whit what the
brass looks like after firing, only that it survives ONCE.

Bill

[JeffinNZ]

If you read my sticky on Lee Enfield accuracy I cover off firing forming brass and sizing.

[1Shirt]

Good info, have just started loading 303, and have had one partial seperation that did extract, but don't want to have a complete one and go thru the process(es) listed. So----, I just ordered a Lee Collet sizing die. Have been supprised at the accuracy of the old battlefield round.
1Shirt!

[MtGun44]

Lee Collet sizer works very well for me. I expect you will like the results.

Bill

[1Shirt]

Got to the range on Tues, and had my very first full case head seperation. Have had partials before with other rifles, but they all extracted. Not so with this 303. It was a clean, even all the way around separation. Was glad I had just read this thread a few days before. Loads were lite, so pressure was minimal. I just pushed an 8mm brush down from the muzzle, and It came right out. By the way, the Lee Collet die and some new win brass came yesterday, so my last batch with FL dies is gone, and will now only neck size. Good thread, and thanks guys!
1Shirt!

[MtGun44]

Yeah, us weird handloaders are abusing the brass by reusing it! At least, that would
be the view of a military rifle designer. Working while dirty is highly rated by the "end
user" and nice condition brass after first firing is rated as ZERO on the designer and
end user's 'How Much Do I Care' scale.

Bill

[scb]

Cerrosafe works good also. Just push a tight patch into the bore about 1/4" from the case mouth, then pour the cerrosafe into the chamber. The cerrosafe will fill in the area ahead of the case mouth. When the cerrosafe has hardened, use a dowel or brass rod down the bore and gently tap the rod with a mallet and the case will be pushed out of the chamber.

G

When I was doing gun work this was the best and safest, for the chamber, way I had for removing separated cases if the oversized bore brush didn't work, and a lot of times it didn't. I've removed dozens of cases using Cerrosafe.

This is one I did for a guy at work this fall. I usually have the patch closer to the chamber. I won't melt the cerrosafe out 'til I need to use it again. Repeated heating seems to cause it to "degrade" (have a higher melting point).

[curator]

An added advantage to the cerosafe method is the clear impression of chamber length and throat diameter/condition. Just follow the directions and do your measurements within the time limits. Having made chamber casts for most of my .303 target rifles I discovered I was trimming my cases unnecessarily. So much for the 2.22" trim-to length specification. Cases made to real chamber length shot cast much more accurately.

Case head seperations are usually avoided by fireforming new brass with the case head held hard against the boltface then neck sizing threafter. Reloading once-fired factory ammo almost guarantees early head seperations since factory ammo is purposely made undersize to fit all rifles so chambered. Most of the head stretch occurs on the first firing.

[budman46]

caseyboy,

welcome to british chambering solutions 101. they wanted all the ammo they made to chamber and go bang. with a rimmed case and no concern for reloadability, they chambered their rifles...ah...generously. not a problem for virgin ammo/brass, but sure to give us reloaders fits.

my solution is to expand .303 brass necks to 8mm, then size until they just chamber in the intended firearm, creating a "false shoulder". after fire-forming to the chamber of a particular rifle, i keep brass segregated for each of my three enfields.

budman

ignorance is fixable, stupidity is forever...

[MtGun44]

budman,

Sounds like an excellent solution for rimless, but shouldn't be needed for rimmed brass
that headspaces on the rim.

Bill

[scb]

It's the same solution T/C said was required for both Herrett cases because headspacing on the rim is not as precise.
http://www.reloadingroom.com/index_f...%20Herrett.htm
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