Peeling copper off the bullet

[Teknys]

I had commented in a previous post about how consistant the Federal brass I reloaded for a 243 weighed......
Now I definatly had a BRAIN FART :shock:

I can't believe I didn't see this coming. The first bullet I seated, I stopped half way because how much pressure it was taking to seat it. The copper was being pushed up the bullet. I looked at the necks and they all had a square mouth. I dumped all the powder and chamfered inside and outside the mouth of the case. I loaded 43.5gn of RL19 and started to seat 90gn bullets again. They seated a little easier but were requiring much more pull on the press then I've done before. Still had copper slivers and "trash" at the case mouth. I just brushed them all off and away I went. I noticed the wall thickness was much greater than the W-W brass (didn't measure).
This gun the week before with factory ammo was just piling holes on top of each other and banging the gong out to 400yds with out missing a beat.

We couldn't get this reloaded ammo to even stay on the target. AGAIN BRAIN FART :shock: . Sticky bolt lift.... I should have looked at the 1st case not the 20th case. Flat primers, some not even round anymore, ejector marks on every case and also a few had brass melted from gases getting past the primer.

I think that the bullets seating so hard which was removing copper in the process had them so tight that I was getting pressure spikes to who knows how high getting the bullet to launch from the case.

I just measured case length of unfired loaded cases 2.038 - 2.040 and the fired cases were 2.047 - 2.068. I checked some of the bullets in the box and they were .243.
The ammo went into the chamber just fine and smooth, coming out was tight.

Could the wall thicknes gave me an Inside Dia that was too small and then upon "forcing" bullets in and firing, pull the necks out that far?

I took a R-P new bass and seated a bullet right when I got home and it seated smooth with no copper being pushed up, like bullets should seat.

Any ideas??

 

[Guest]

Sounds like you oversized the case necks. What kind of dies do you use?

 

[GB300wm]

Maybe you have a very tight chamber. Try putting a bullet into a fired case with your fingers. You should be able to drop it in with little resistance. If it won't fit in the fired case then the chamber is tight and you will have to turn your case necks. Turn them just enough until a bullet will just fit into a fired case. Try that and let us know what you find. :grin:

 

[Teknys]

The dies are RCBS, 1st time using them.
I could not push in a bullet into 15 of the cases.
The bullet went in easily into 12 cases.

The cases that the bullet would not go into had the pressure signs.

That was a good idea to check. I'm out the door to fish Steelhead tonight and will check back in a few hours.

Thanks

 

[GB300wm]

Good luck fishing and let us know about the trip. Looks like you will have to turn your case necks to allow expansion and release of the fired bullet. After turning and firing, you should just be able to put the bullet into the fired case with a little tension, but you can put it in there. Don't turn more than you need too. All that will happen is you will overwork your brass and shorten the case life. :grin:

 

[Ol` Joe]

I just measured case length of unfired loaded cases 2.038 - 2.040 and the fired cases were 2.047 - 2.068. I checked some of the bullets in the box and they were .243.

Max case lgt for the 243 is 2.045" Your brass may be too long for the chamber and pinching the bullet. Unless you`ve a custom chamber I doubt very much the necks are too thick to release the bullet. most factory chambers are loose as a .....

 

[Guest]

I just measured case length of unfired loaded cases 2.038 - 2.040 and the fired cases were 2.047 - 2.068. I checked some of the bullets in the box and they were .243.

Max case lgt for the 243 is 2.045" Your brass may be too long for the chamber and pinching the bullet. Unless you`ve a custom chamber I doubt very much the necks are too thick to release the bullet. most factory chambers are loose as a .....

If the brass was too long they wouldn't chamber.

 

[rick smith]

The unfired cases were less than max length. The necks are too thick for his chamber. Fifteen of the fired cases would not accept a bullet twelve would. Very inconsistant brass.Rick.

 

[Teknys]

We put one Steelhead in the fridge last night.
I'm leaning towards inconsistant brass. These were from different factory boxes of federal ammo shot from different guns over the years.
Remember this gun shot both Rem and Federal factory ammo great last week end.
I seated one bullet in new Rem brass and it went into the brass and seated like butter - very smooth and no messed up bullet.

My plan:
Size some Rem brass - trim - chamf - primer - (41 - 43 gn RL19) and try these.
I can't get past the difference in the seating and wrecking of the bullets with the Federal brass compared to the Rem brass that was smooth and easy.

This was the first time I tried Federal brass and won't be the last. I'm always learning something new to do and to watch out for.

 

[DrMike]

Brass collected after being fired in different rifles will require FL sizing. One suggestion I might make concerning shaving the brass is to use a VLD chamfer. It will cut down on that problem.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Federal brass is MUCH thicker then Winchester brass. Of all the factory brass, Winchester is typically the thinnest. The thicker federal brass will cause serious pressure spikes if you use what was a max load with Winchester brass. I usually back off 4+% when switching from Winchester to new Remington brass, more for Federal, military, Lapua ect.

 

[DrMike]

I usually back off 4+% when switching from Winchester to new Remington brass, more for Federal, military, Lapua ect.

+1

It is a sound idea to back off and rework loads when changing any component due to variations in manufacturing, etc.

 

[old #7]

Did you trim before loading?
I have seen some very rough case mouths before. If you just champher the mouth without trimming these rough mouths become like a serrated knife and will cut copper off the bullet easily.
I would suggest trimming to a uniform lenght before champhering. This will clean up the face of the case mouth. If you still have troubles a VLD champher should solve your problems.
I have had good results from Federal brass.