Bullets pushed into PPU 243 Winchester case!

[ohland]

Went over to the farm today, the farmer was up and working, and of course, the old retrobate and him talked about the success of turkey season. Farmer got a nice big Tom using the OR's blind, so that's pretty good. BUT... I asked for some fired 243 Win brass so I could set my dies up so I could load some Hornady 75gr V-Max. Some coyotes over there, and it's all for the good to correct that problem...

He gave me 3 cases and two unfired rounds. One coyote was hit with one of these loads, but managed to run off. Does not seem good for cartridge quality? The bullets had backed down into the case on those two rounds and I'm not sure why. The rifle is a Remington 783 in 243 Winchester. Wish it was a 788, but you deal with what you got... Brass is Privi Partisan from a box of 50 new cases I got from Graf's.

Sort of a head scratcher.

Measuring PPU cases: Headspace is 1.627, fired case necks are .278, unfired case necks are .277, case lengths are pretty much 2.032, wall thickness appears to be .015, which compared to the .010 of my 7-30, seems thick.

All this looks to be within SAAMI spec.
Headspace: 1.634 -.007
Neck: .276
CTG length: 2.045 -.020

I need to get a tubing mic, these calipers sorta fall down on the necks. Bullets are .243 dia. I was ditzing with the bullets after pulling them, and I pushed one back into an unfired case with my fingers. Now yes, I am muy macho, or as a very poor copy of me would say, mojo, but that aint right. I believe I have a Lee 6mm collet die.


One of the unfired cases has what appears to be a 3/16 inch long crack, parallel to the case axis, centered on the transition between the shoulder and up the neck. Again, this PPU was new, maybe one reload on it. Farmer does not reload, and I don't remember the OR cranking out a lot of rounds....

I have reloaded for my 6mm Rem with 100gr bullets in my 788, and I never had a bullet retreat. Some point battering, perhaps, but they all stayed tight.

Nosler, Lapua, and Hornady are generally available. PPU is available thru Grafs. You gotta look for 243, fond some at Bass Pro and Cabelas.

:popcorn:

[376Steyr]

Case neck thickness varies from brand to brand and lot to lot. Sizing dies have tolerances too. Couple a "big" sizing die neck with "skinny" neck brass and you don't get enough neck tension to firmly hold the bullet. I've had this happen with American-made brass and dies.

Suitability for reloading isn't high on some European ammunition companies priorities. I suggest annealing the remaining PPU cases, and hoping that is the only thing wrong with them.

[ohland]

annealing the remaining PPU cases, and hoping that is the only thing wrong with them.

I will be replacing them with Winchester.

[flounderman]

You probably need to polish the expander button down. It doesn't make any difference how you squeeze it, when the button is pulled thru it expands them all the same. You can size any of the 308 family to 243.

[country gent]

To get an accurate idea if neck wall thickness. measure a 243 bullet and make note of it to 4 places (.0000) then seat in sized case neck and measure again to 4 places. subtract the bullet dia from the loaded round dia and divide by 2. Measure at 2-3 places around dias for roundness also. Sizing dies normally size smaller than needed then expander opens it back up to needed bullet dia. Your dies amy be large for neck wall thickness or expander may be slightly large. With jacketed bullets shoot for .002 tension. with cast .001 should be enough.

[ohland]

You probably need to polish the expander button down.

We'll see what happens when I whip up a box of 75 V-Max.

[ohland]

To get an accurate idea if neck wall thickness. measure a 243 bullet and make note of it to 4 places (.0000) then seat in sized case neck and measure again to 4 places. subtract the bullet dia from the loaded round dia and divide by 2. Measure at 2-3 places around dias for roundness also. Sizing dies normally size smaller than needed then expander opens it back up to needed bullet dia. Your dies amy be large for neck wall thickness or expander may be slightly large. With jacketed bullets shoot for .002 tension. with cast .001 should be enough.

I need to pull out a honest to goodness micrometer for better repeatability. I like my Starrett electronic caliper, but it has limits.