10 gauge hulls with rim splitting

[pmer]

I recently picked up a Browning BPS 10 gauge and have questions about what I'm seeing at the rim of the hulls. There are cracks or deformation on the rims of some hulls of newly fired ammo. The ammo is Estate brand 1 5/8 oz. 2 shot steel, max dram eq. 1375 FPS. The other picture is a once fired Federal hull factory buckshot load.

I've noticed more than half of the hull rims don't easily slide into the wad station of my 600 Jr as well (new once fired Federal rims) but new ammo rims slide in normally. I didn't notice the cracks till I reloaded a few rounds. The pic of the loaded shell is a once fired hull that WAS going to be fired a second time.

http://imgur.com/a/ZgrBpXR
http://imgur.com/a/Mvhuj85

Im wondering what I got here. Must be an issue with the action?

[toallmy]

I have similar problems with Fed hulls , solution is reload Remington hulls for the 10 gage . Sorry for the bad news

[pmer]

Thanks for the information. Have you tried Cheddite hulls or other brands? I have some Winchester ammo I can try but no Remington.

[MOA]

Pmer.
These are federal 3-1/2" skived mouth new hulls I got from BPI. I too use a 600 Jr. I load these and some Remington hulls I got years ago. I've had no issues of these fitting under the metal rim holder plate, so you might check to see if it somehow got flattened more than it should be. And so far no issues with some Cheddite 3-1/2" hulls either. I've not had any deformation on any of the hulls I use but I don't use estate hulls. You might choose another hull to use for your reloads. The Cheddite's I got from BPI I haven't shot many of them yet, and I'm using them for black powder in a Winchester lever action 10 gauge. Basically a 1 or two shot at most. Estate is now made by federal but if I was looking for a quality 10 gauge for reloading I'd be getting the federal like I'm using. I use plastic wads and I also build my wad column from the old fashion components depending on what I'm loading to shoot. If you end up getting new hulls be sure they are shived mouths. And use a SIX point pre-crimp. Sounds like you got some defective or at least less than top drawer hulls.

[toallmy]

Check the bottom rim around the edge for cracking . I have found federal 10 gage hulls brass to be brittle cracking around the edge of the bottom rim just like in your photo , even when loading not so heavy loads .
I didn't know Federal made 10 gage hulls for other companies but if so I wouldn't load them ether , reason being it's easy to miss the small cracks around the base even if you can see well & I can't see well .
It's a shame I load a lot of Fed hulls for the 20 & 12 gage and they seem to hold up well .
Noticing the swelling might have saved you a lot of trouble ......

[megasupermagnum]

Mec guys deny it. Everyone wants to avoid it. The truth of the matter is that the MEC's ring sizing die SUCKS hardcore, and always has. It's a poor design that more or less did the minimum job back when most shotgun shells still had their heads made of brass. That is no longer the case.

I know this always falls on deaf ears, but I've had two MEC's with that ring sizer, one in 12 gauge, and one in 10 gauge. Neither works for squat. In 12 gauge, for a while I had simply used the resizing ring from my Lee Load All II (or you can buy that ring for about $5). Unfortunately they don't make one in 10 gauge. I still load 10 gauge on a MEC 600JR, but for sizing shells I use a MEC Supersizer. Unless you buy a different press, that is going to be your only option. You can try using a good resizing lube like Imperial sizing wax, and it may get you by for now, but ultimately you will be frustrated until you get a Supersizer.

[woody1]

If I understand correctly your problem is with fired hulls, not after sizing. I think you may have a headspace problem.

[MOA]

If I understand correctly your problem is with fired hulls, not after sizing. I think you may have a headspace problem.

I think you are correct woody1. A trip to the gunsmith with the Browning is warranted.

[6pt-sika]

I load a good amount of 10 gauge over the course of a year all be it 2 7/8" . I have both a 600 JR and a Sizemaster for 10 gauge both fitted with short kits and I've never had the problem with the Federal hulls but I've only had maybe 50 Federals that I got from someone as once fired and cut them down . Now about all I load are REM I purchased new and cut or RST once fired that were already 2 7/8" or 2 5/8" . The 2 5/9" I have to roll crimp others are all fold crimped .

[megasupermagnum]

You can pretty clearly see in the picture that they have been run through the 600JR sizing ring. They look like they were a cats scratching post. I load both Federal and Remington hulls in 10 gauge, although mostly Remington since I have a lot more of them and they were a lot cheaper. The 10 gauge Federal hulls are crazy expensive, they were about double what you could by Remingtons for a few years ago. Neither one works well when run into a 600jr sizing ring.

Where about are you in east central MN? Any chance you would be close to Mora? I'll be in Mora in two weeks if you would like to try a Supersizer. I could even fire a couple rounds in my mag-10 to see if it the sizing ring, or your shotgun.

[trapper9260]

I load Feds in my Mec 600 JR and do not have any problems with the head on the case after reloaded, from firing. I also have Wins I load also. I shoot them in SXS . I will watch more for if I will have the same problem. I know from use that there will be some defects will show up normal with the mouth of the case. I just cut them shorter . Thanks for the look out for the problems .

[pmer]

If I understand correctly your problem is with fired hulls, not after sizing. I think you may have a headspace problem.

Yep new Estate and Federal ammo. I tried about a dozen new Winchesters and those rims seemed okay.

The picture of the Federal hull half way in my Mec was to show a new (once fired) hull with its rim deformation. The thickness of the rim grew about .006-.010"

Got a pretty good case of cheek slap now and have to give it a rest for a couple days LOL.

Another thing to note is that in the hull section of the Ballistic Products 10 gauage book it specifically mentions the BPS having trouble with rims of Federal hulls. I "rediscovered" that after my first post. So I think I just have to stay away from Federal hulls but I need to keep an eye on rims as I go.

[pmer]

You can pretty clearly see in the picture that they have been run through the 600JR sizing ring. They look like they were a cats scratching post. I load both Federal and Remington hulls in 10 gauge, although mostly Remington since I have a lot more of them and they were a lot cheaper. The 10 gauge Federal hulls are crazy expensive, they were about double what you could by Remingtons for a few years ago. Neither one works well when run into a 600jr sizing ring.

Where about are you in east central MN? Any chance you would be close to Mora? I'll be in Mora in two weeks if you would like to try a Supersizer. I could even fire a couple rounds in my mag-10 to see if it the sizing ring, or your shotgun.

I'm not far from Mora about 45 minutes south by Cambridge.

[smkummer]

I shoot remington steel, brass plated steel and brass I’m my Ithaca Mag. 10. The federal fired once and cracked the rim. I save the federal for my Spanish Mercury magnum double.

[6pt-sika]

Well I’m going to the club this evening for informal skeet and 5-stand . So as to practice for the upcoming SxS shoot the end of July I think I’ll shoot atleast a round with my hammerless 10 competition gun and my competition 10 hammer gun . Both are 32” full and fuller yet