Split case mouths

[captn-tin]

Just getting some Starline 454 brass ready for reloading. While belling the cases 9 out of 40 came out of the die split at the case mouth. This is the 3rd time around for this batch of brass. Unusual ? Thanks

[NSB]

Only expand the case mouth enough to get the base of a bullet started. If you're getting that many you're probably over expanding. That's not enough loads to cause the brass to harden that much.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Contact Starline, I had the same problem with some brass and that company said the problem was their error and took care of it.

[captn-tin]

NSB Don't think case mouth was belled to much. Mid case dia = .469, case mouth after belling = .491. Boolit enters case ever so slightly. Silver Jack Hammer. I'll give em a call. Cant hurt. Thanks to the both of you...captn-tin

[osteodoc08]

22 thousandths is quite a bit. I bell just barely to see and the base of the billet can rest on the case.

I'd still call starline and see what they have to say.

[JSnover]

Any chance you could size them down a little less? Or size them less often? I don't load .454 but I do load other straight walled cases and I try to work the brass as little as possible.

[maxreloader]

I've always seen a correlation between the amount of roll-crimp on magnum loads vs brass life. Some guys like to roll-crimp the bag out of them. Combine that with a bell and case life drops off quicker than the taper crimp cartridges in my experience.

[captn-tin]

osteodoc08....When I place boolit in case mouth it barely starts to cover the gas check. Don't think over belling is the problem. No problem with FA brass. This is the first time I've had a problem. JSnover... Hadn't thought about not sizing them. Would definitely ease the working of the brass. Thanks to you both...captn-tin

[captn-tin]

maxreloader...I'm wondering if the fact that I used the redding profile crimp, instead of the standard roll crimp might have anything to do with it.

[MyFlatline]

Might try annealing a few to see if that helps

[osteodoc08]

osteodoc08....When I place boolit in case mouth it barely starts to cover the gas check. Don't think over belling is the problem. No problem with FA brass. This is the first time I've had a problem. JSnover... Hadn't thought about not sizing them. Would definitely ease the working of the brass. Thanks to you both...captn-tin


If you've belled so much it's covering the gas check, still too much, IMHO. I bell just enough to get the boolit started without shaving lead or crunching brass. It also allows for more uniform neck tension. I've got some 44 Special to load after the game. I'll try to get an actual measure and see if I can post a picture.

[osteodoc08]

I took a sized 44 Special casing and measured the mouth at .450" at the outside. The picture has a zero bell, 5, 10, 20 thousandths bell added with a hornady expander die. You only need 5-7 thousandths bell to seat a bullet. I hope that helps illustrate it a bit better.

211455

[trapper9260]

Might try annealing a few to see if that helps

I was thinking the same to try beside contact the company. For the ones that is split If the company dose not ask for them trim them down to the next cart. and use them for that one .Like you would do with 357mags. that get short or start to do the same and make them into 38spl.

[captn-tin]

Update....Called Starline, and the tech said it sounded like the brass had been over worked, and then over belled. Sooooo, everyone was right but me. Ha. After resizing the case mouth , reduced the bell down .006 over mid-case dia as suggested checked for splits, found none and am now good to go. I'll load em up tomorrow. Once again,Thanks to all....Captn-tin.......osteodoc08- good pics. Is that critter blood on those boolits ?

[Hickory]

At the first sign of split mouths, anneal every case at the mouth.

[osteodoc08]

captn tim

Glad you got it worked out. As far as critter blood, nah, just some PC boolits sent to me by a good friend here to try out. Haven't jumped on the PC bandwagon. But I have to admit, shoot just as well, are cleaner and can coat and size and dump them in a jar with no worry about lube migration.

[captn-tin]

HA! osteodoc08.....and here I thought you were practicing recover and reload.