.45-70 case separation

[.36navy]

I was shooting my sharps the other day when the top 1/3 of a starline .45-70 case separated from the backhalf. Load was 535 lyman postell bullet 60 grains of 1 1/2 f old eynsford powder with a walters wad .03

has anybody had this happen before?

225952

[gpidaho]

That must have been one heck of a crimp. LOL. Seriously, the only strait wall cartridge I've had that happen with was a 30 carbine load made up with purchased brass of unknown previous firings. I just counted it up to over worked brass. Gp

[Tom Myers]

I was shooting my sharps the other day when the top 1/3 of a starline .45-70 case separated from the backhalf. Load was 535 lyman postell bullet 60 grains of 1 1/2 f old eynsford powder with a walters wad .03

has anybody had this happen before?

225952

Yep. I've had it happen to me a couple of times and have helped remove the front part of the cartridge from the bore several times.

Each time that it happened, the probable cause was traced to a blow tube that introduced moisture in the chamber instead of placing the moisture into the powder fouling in the bore.

Not saying that is what caused your problem but since I started using a blow tube that reached through the chamber and sealed against the rifling, I've never had it happen again.

I also make sure that I flip out any moisture that has condensed in the blow tube before placing the tube into the chamber where it might inadvertently drip into the chamber.

Another preventative measure I have use is swabbing the chamber with a dry wool mop before each shot.

Do whatever it takes as it is a real pain in the kiester to remove the front half of cartridge ironed into the rifling about 3 inches in front of the chamber.

[Starvnhuntr]

I had the same thing happen about 2 years ago when I loaded a bunch of 45-90 cases with schuetzen and compressed them with a wad. This was with no boolit seated and I let them sit on the shelf through the winter in an unheated garage. They were exposed to a lot of moisture as I live in the pacific northwest. the powder soaked up moisture and corroded the casings to the point that two out of three separated just about exactly like yours look. I did the homework to know that's what it was. let us know if you come up with the same answer.

[Starvnhuntr]

I found a pistol casing on the end of a rod was the perfect diameter for driving out the front end of the separated casing. if my memory is worth a #### it might have been a .40 S&W driven out from the muzzle

[sharps4590]

A tip for easy removal of a separated case. 'Course you're gonna have to carry Cerrosafe with you and a means to use it.

Plug the bore just in front of the separated case, pour in melted Cerrosafe, drive out case and Cerrosafe. It is by far the easiest way I have learned to remove a separated case. Thankfully I've only needed to do so only once or twice.

[Kev18]

Same thing happened to me with my 1886 in 40-82. Its just a 45-90 cartridge necked down so it is in a way similar to yours. Anyways, that happened to me when I used magnum primers with 3031 or trail boss. I had no idea what I was doing with smokeless powders at the time. I only reloaded BP before. So I caused to much pressure in the case so they ended up looking exactly like yours.

[craneman]

I have had this happen on several occasions. Once while shooting in a light rain and other times while wiping with wet patches. All were due to a wet chamber.

Todd

[country gent]

A lot of times a simple phosphor bronze brush of caliber size or one bigger pushed just into remaining case will grab and remove it.

[Keith]

I had the same thing happen about 2 years ago when I loaded a bunch of 45-90 cases with schuetzen and compressed them with a wad. This was with no boolit seated and I let them sit on the shelf through the winter in an unheated garage. They were exposed to a lot of moisture as I live in the pacific northwest. the powder soaked up moisture and corroded the casings to the point that two out of three separated just about exactly like yours look. I did the homework to know that's what it was. let us know if you come up with the same answer.

I did the same thing. Sized down some 45-90 for a home made 40-90. I did not anneal, I lost a lot of cases just like that. I have not shot it since but I have 100 sized new cases that I will anneal now but it may be too late. We will see.
Must add, these did not sit unfired but were loaded and fired same day. I got one out with a tight patch but another resisted and came home to use Cerrosafe.

[jbrower]

Every now and then this happens at BPCR Silhouette matches and results in someone calling an alibi.

What we do to remove the stuck case is take a bullet, tap it down into the muzzle with a muzzleloader ball starter (I keep one in my range box just for this situation) and then ram it down using a cleaning rod. Just like slugging a bore. Once the slug gets to the chamber it will push the broken-off case neck out. Only takes a minute or so.

[Don McDowell]

If you run a cleaning rod up the bore without anything on the tip, put a brass brush with a patch on the threaded end and pull that brush and patch back thru the case usually pops out. If someone has the Bore Wiping System as sold by Buffalo Arms you can also take one of those wipers with the felts down from the muzzle and pop a split case out in no time.

[Lumpy grits]

Wet chamber is most likely the cause.
LG

[jbrower]

Wet chamber is most likely the cause.
LG

I hear this and it sort of makes sense but then I wonder: I wipe my .40-65 bore between every shot. Patches are dampened with a 1:4 mixture of Ballistol and H2O. My bore has plenty of moisture in it yet after thousands of rounds I've only had one broken neck. My brass (Starline) is never sized either: it's all fire formed and most are on their 8th or 9th loading.

[Lumpy grits]

I hear this and it sort of makes sense but then I wonder: I wipe my .40-65 bore between every shot. Patches are dampened with a 1:4 mixture of Ballistol and H2O. My bore has plenty of moisture in it yet after thousands of rounds I've only had one broken neck. My brass (Starline) is never sized either: it's all fire formed and most are on their 8th or 9th loading.

I suggest you anneal the case mouths, of those Starline cases.
I also suggest you dry the chamber before firing.......
LG