Yellowknife
WKR
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2012
- Location
- Fishhook, Alaska
Question for the more experienced handloaders.
So I currently doing a significant of my shooting and hunting with a Tikka 30-06. Over the last few years I've probably put 800+ handloads through it just judging by the amount of components I've burned through. Biggest issue is I've had with it is that I lose brass due to neck splitting at a pretty high rate. I started annealing after the third reload, and that extended it a bit, but I still lose them between 6-7 shots. Faster if they are nickle plated.
30-06 brass isn't exactly in short supply, so it's not a critical issue, but in the interest of science and better loading technique, I'd like to learn more. It seems like in the reloading process, I'm working that neck really hard. So some measurements.
Outside neck diameter:
Before Firing: 0.334"
Fired Case: 0.342" (+0.008")
Sized Down: 0.328" (-0.014")
Expander Ball: 0.331" (+0.003")
Seated Bullet: 0.334" (+0.003")
The neck measurements after firing seem to be on the sloppy side of SAAMI specs, but perhaps my old RCBS dies aren't doing my brass any favors either. My questions to those who know more than me. Is it:
A.) My the neck too sloppy, and the abrupt 0.008" expansion on firing the issue? or;
B.) would I be better off with better quality or different dies, or;
C.) should I just get real religious about annealing every few shots.
I've had brass in other calibers live much much longer, so I know it's possible. I've used a mix of mostly R-P and Fed brass, with some Winchester when I can get it and they all eventually split the same way.
Insights?
Yk
So I currently doing a significant of my shooting and hunting with a Tikka 30-06. Over the last few years I've probably put 800+ handloads through it just judging by the amount of components I've burned through. Biggest issue is I've had with it is that I lose brass due to neck splitting at a pretty high rate. I started annealing after the third reload, and that extended it a bit, but I still lose them between 6-7 shots. Faster if they are nickle plated.
30-06 brass isn't exactly in short supply, so it's not a critical issue, but in the interest of science and better loading technique, I'd like to learn more. It seems like in the reloading process, I'm working that neck really hard. So some measurements.
Outside neck diameter:
Before Firing: 0.334"
Fired Case: 0.342" (+0.008")
Sized Down: 0.328" (-0.014")
Expander Ball: 0.331" (+0.003")
Seated Bullet: 0.334" (+0.003")
The neck measurements after firing seem to be on the sloppy side of SAAMI specs, but perhaps my old RCBS dies aren't doing my brass any favors either. My questions to those who know more than me. Is it:
A.) My the neck too sloppy, and the abrupt 0.008" expansion on firing the issue? or;
B.) would I be better off with better quality or different dies, or;
C.) should I just get real religious about annealing every few shots.
I've had brass in other calibers live much much longer, so I know it's possible. I've used a mix of mostly R-P and Fed brass, with some Winchester when I can get it and they all eventually split the same way.
Insights?
Yk