Thread: Lapua 6.5 PRC Brass - Split Necks

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

is that a weird reflection or is there another mirror crack semi formed further down/around the neck..same shape but in mirror

Yep thats another crack forming, most of them are like this. Multiple vertical cracks all the way around the circumference of the neck some just beginning some blown all the way through


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

weird its the same shape... and agree with ol one eye..that LOOKS to be forced inwards.... I lost 2 from 20 brand new 22-250 and was pissed about it..lapua brass I would be livid.. something really weird going on here.

Originally Posted by Woody

Would be interested in cartridge lengths. You indicate "trimming where nescessary". It is possible you are not trimming back far enough.

I trim them to 2.015" using a L.E wilson case trimmer, every loading. I assume thats correct, from the hornady manual

Originally Posted by TeRei

You have likely had a reaction whilst ultrasonic cleaning. All brass is not perfect. Recall on another overseas forum someone was experiencing same issues. Will try track it down.

I also use lapua brass in my 6.5 Creed & .308. I follow the same process for reloading with that brass too, Same ultrasonic cleaner & fluid (hornady one shot sonic cleaning solution). .308 brass is 5-6 firings old & some of my creed stuff is 9-10 firings now and its all still great. Only 1 in 6 or so cases of this particular batch of 6.5 PRC brass that im having issues with

I use Laupa brass in most of my rifles and I had the same issues with this in my son's .223 after 2 firings not issues in other calibers.

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

Looks similar to what i started getting with my grendel. Annealing fixed it for me but see your already doing that

Thats a weird as crack, and for another one with that shape to be forming, are they all that shape?Something possibly in the die neck created that initially?
just putting out theories. Any more cases getting that crack after you cull the marked ones?

Originally Posted by johnd

Thats a weird as crack, and for another one with that shape to be forming, are they all that shape?Something possibly in the die neck created that initially?
just putting out theories. Any more cases getting that crack after you cull the marked ones?

All of the cracked ones are in various stages of cracking part or all the way through the neck on that same vertical direction in various places the whole circumference of the neck. The rest of the cases that havent cracked, look normal with no cracks or anything strange appearing, they look like brand new brass still.

I think what is weird is how the crack is shaped....and the other one forming is shapped same but in mirror...its a straight split but has two smaller splits on each end slightly further around the neck so 1;00 and 1;05 if you will..... so its not the same burr/dent/ridge on something doing the damage or all would be the same orientation.... please take photo of a few others together so can compare them....is it optical illusion or are edges of crack peened inwards??? like neck has come out onto a bit of crap in chamber...something like a tiny bit of wire or burr of case..which actuall WOULD explain the same shape of cracks,and maybe its flipped over in chamber neck at some point thus the mirrored dent???

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I think what is weird is how the crack is shaped....and the other one forming is shapped same but in mirror...its a straight split but has two smaller splits on each end slightly further around the neck so 1;00 and 1;05 if you will..... so its not the same burr/dent/ridge on something doing the damage or all would be the same orientation.... please take photo of a few others together so can compare them....is it optical illusion or are edges of crack peened inwards??? like neck has come out onto a bit of crap in chamber...something like a tiny bit of wire or burr of case..which actuall WOULD explain the same shape of cracks,and maybe its flipped over in chamber neck at some point thus the mirrored dent???

All of this brass has been fired in the same rifle but only some of it has cracked. Chamber is spotless, im pretty careful with my cleaning. Will put a picture up of some other cases. - Just tried to take some but its hard to get a good picture with my phone. Cracks dont all look the same "shape" theyre all vertical and in various stages from just beginning to blown all the way through. No crack is the same as another & each case has 4-5 different cracks total around the whole circumference of the neck, some worse than others.

next question...at WHAT POINT of its life cycle is it cracking??? eg during resizing or during the firing itself???
the answer is staring us in face..just need to figgure it out then solve it so no more expensive brass goes in bin.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

next question...at WHAT POINT of its life cycle is it cracking??? eg during resizing or during the firing itself???
the answer is staring us in face..just need to figgure it out then solve it so no more expensive brass goes in bin.

Firing is when its cracking. They didnt look like this when i sized them & loaded last batch. Didnt notice any accuracy issues or anything weird, took all the brass ultrasonic cleaned & tumbled it preparing to reload it for the 3rd time and upon inspection found the damaged ones. Didnt pick up on it at the time of firing, only once cleaned & prepping to reload them.

I had similar once upon a time

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....64/index2.html

I’d be inclined to sacrifice another case by running it through the AMP and confirming the correct Aztec code and that the cases are being annealed adequately.

It would take excessive headspace and brass flow into the neck to have thickened it enough that your original Aztec setting is no longer valid, but it’s not impossible.

Regardless of the annealing a Lapua case generally wouldnt split on such little firings iv only just started annealing and am seeing the merits but i had some pretty darn old brass prior following this thread with interest and eager to see the bottom of it @dale is this what your norma saum brass was doing? Wasnt that confirmed as a bad batch?