Shrinking Flash Holes

[dromia]

Well I've experienced something new just now.

Been loading up some .22 Hornet for the range tomorrow. I came to process a batch of S&B cases, these have been twice fired, first time from new with factory jacketed second time a reload with a NEI 45 gn boolit sized to .225" gas checked over 6 gns of VVN110 and a Remington small rifle primer. They shot good with a velocity 12 feet from the muzzle of 1550 fps.

I was using a Lee collet die on the tumble cleaned cases, on the third one when I removed the case from the die the depriming pin was missing and I found it stuck in the flash hole from which it dropped inside the case and was easily removed.

Faulty decapping mandrel on the Lee collet die thinks I, no problem I'll decap them them put them through the collet so I grabs a Lee universal decapping die pops it into the press and sets about the case. It feels tight going in, this isn't right so I lifts the handle again the decapping pin has separated from the rod, this time its stuck fast in the flash hole.

This is funny thinks I as they decapped OK when I reloaded them a week ago with the same Lee decapper.

I then tried the flash hole with the decapping rods from a Redding .22" Hornet set, a lyman universal decapping die and the decapping rod from a Lee Loader .22" Hornet set, all wouldn't fit.

Seems that the flash holes have shrunk. The R-P cases that I did earlier from being fired with the same load decapped OK.

Anyone had the same experience or have any views on this phenomenon?

I'm off for a cup of tea. :(

[R.C. Hatter]

I have been reloading for over 50 years, and have seldom seen what you describe. I have seen it with an individual cartridge case, but not very often. A whole lot of brass, doing the same thing would lead me to believe the brass itself was at fault. Have you reamed the flash holes with a uniforming type tool like the K & M, or Sinclair. If not, I would try that, then if the condition persists thereafter, try a different brand of brass.

[59stude]

I have had the same problem both with S&B and Priv.Partizan 9 mm cases, sometimes at the first reload, so now I have started to sort all my 9mm brass headstamp by headstamp, so I can deprime without problem with the decapping pin come lose and stuck in the case.
I always deprime all my cases on a single Lee press with an Lee universal decapping die before cleaning in tumbler and only have had this problem with S&B and priv.Partizan in 9mm and 38Spl/357 cases.

Just my 2 cents.

59stude

[trk]

I've had S&B brass take out decapping pins too. SO I just pitch it out and use other brass. OK, if I didn't have a lot of other brass I'd just run the drill/uniformer through it all.

[clodhopper]

S&B cases can also have loose primer pockets on first reload. A primer rattling around an AR lower can wreck your trigger.
Any case from S&B goes into my scrap brass bucket.

[Bent Ramrod]

I've had occasional occurrences of small flash holes, but I never thought they shrunk in firing. I figured they were endemic in the batch and that the decapping pin, after widening a certain number of them, just came unscrewed or loosened in its collet and started sticking in the flash holes of the remaining shells in the batch. Generally this meant a trip to the vise and extreme tightening with a screwdriver, after which either the problem would resolve itself or repeat itself. If the latter, I would try to thin the decapping pin with a file in a drill chuck or lathe. But I've never noticed that the same shells, upon firing, would have smaller flash holes the next time I decapped.

[giz189]

Possibly it is softer brass and the brass is working its way down and in. I have not had any flash holes shrink, but I usually clean my primer pockets with my primer pocket uniformer and have noticed it cuts a tiny bit out after firing each time. A lot of softer brass might mke this worse. Don't know, just my .02.

[Three44s]

Last summer I had trouble with some 9mm luger cases.

I ran a drill bit the right size and then my uniformer (inside flashhole deburrer) and all was well.

Three 44s

[357maximum]

I had the same thing happen with some S&B 357mags several months ago...i did not think too much of it at the time and I only had a 50rd box of 1x empties. I uniformed them and restuffed the lot.....I had to uniform them again after a stiff load of 2400.....I figured it was a batch of soft brass and sharpie marked the batch for scrapping after the next firing...i have not fired them yet...i will check to see if it happens again, but I planned on tossing the lot anyway.

I had it happen with a real small batch of older S&W marked 38spcl also...did not think too hard about it and simply tossed them in the bucket for the scrapper after their 3rd firing(2nd reload) but they have been smelted into something else long ago. They were some spiffy loads and I figured it was my load choice that caused the issue.


You might just have give us all something to think about here.

[Ed Barrett]

I have a bunch (75) 9MM makarov cases by S&B I have reloaded them several times and haven't had any problems. I don't have any in other calibers, I will have to check around.

[Czech_too]

I've also encountered S&B 22 Hornet brass with small flash holes, but only S&B. These were once fired cases too. Figured they were made that way, not that could be soft brass. Don't think that I've reloaded them since.

[Echo]

Not to hijack, but I've had some S&B .38 Special that had tight primer pockets - didn't notice holes being undersize.

[ReloaderFred]

Flash holes in different brands of brass will vary in size, since there isn't any specification for the size of the hole. Some brands use smaller flash holes than others. As mentioned, you can drill them out to a specific size that suits your needs.

Decapping pins also vary in size from one manufacturer to another. I used to have a list of the different sized decapping pins, but lost it somewhere in my shop, which means someone will find it when I die, and they're sorting through my "treasures".

I've never seen flash holes shrink, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. I've found S&B brass to be good brass, and I like the tight primer pockets. Some brands start with loose primer pockets and you can't load brass that primers won't stay in.....

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dromia]

Well so far the problem with S&B cases seems to be with calibres with small rifle and pistol primers, of course that could just be reflection of popular use.

I have a few hundered S&B cases in .303" that have ben loaded half a dozen times with 2000 fps plus jacketed loads and their flash holes seem normal with no problem to date.

I'm going to give the Hornet cases a ream with the flash hole deburrer and try them again see if the problem persists.

Those lee decapping pins don't seem to be kept in the collet mandrel and decapping stem by much, they were pulled out not snapped off.

[Herb in Pa]

I'm on load #14 with Privi brass in the 22 Hornet..................

[dromia]

Aye, the issue seems to be with S&B brass.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm in the process of making 500 used 9x19 cases into 9x18. All of the S&B cases had very tight primer pockets, so tight I could not twist my RCBS primer pocket cleaner in them. It went in but stuck. I only have a few so far and I'm tossing them. Primers are too dear now to take chances.

[dromia]

What were the flash holes like?

[beagle]

I've had some of the S & B close up as well. Primarily .22 Hornet.

Here's what I think is happening. S & B brass is real soft and that's all right for cast loads as we're not running it that hot. It does show a lot of denting and deformation in the head area especially with .30 Carbine and 9mm.

I suspect when we resize, this is being felt down throuh the base and rim and is deforming the flash hole and making it smaller.

Just my opinion but I've experienced it./beagle

[dromia]

I've had some of the S & B close up as well. Primarily .22 Hornet.

Here's what I think is happening. S & B brass is real soft and that's all right for cast loads as we're not running it that hot. It does show a lot of denting and deformation in the head area especially with .30 Carbine and 9mm.

I suspect when we resize, this is being felt down throuh the base and rim and is deforming the flash hole and making it smaller.

Just my opinion but I've experienced it./beagle


In my particular case they were neck sized (Lee collet) only.

The brass is definitely soft.