Where did I go wrong

Looking for some forum wisdom, I have some now twice fired norma brass that I've just had to bin due to split necks. 24 in total of 100. Still have 10 to fire I think.

Shooting 35.5g H414 under 75g eldm in 22-250. First firing I only neck sized to tidy up the case mouths as some were a bit dinged up, second firing they still chambered fine with a stripped bolt so I only neck sized(wound out FL die) which is against my current policy of only FLS but did it none the less. No obvious pressure signs.

Will be annealing soon hopefully, just waiting on a hookup from a fellow member. Wont be loading until then. I've fired hotter loads in federal brass 4-5 times before having split necks. So where have I gone wrong?

Attachment 190797

@grandpamac

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What are those other marks around the neck?

I have generally found Norma brass to be softer than other brands. My 243 brass is 5 firings old and all looking good so far (just had it's first FLS after 4 times of Lee collet die necksizing)

You mean those 3 little marks? Those are splits also

They look weirdly evenly spaced, are they all the way around the neck or just the three of them? Are the same splits on the other cases?

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Originally Posted by kukuwai

@grandpamac

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Greetings All,
After years of not annealing cases I have lately gone to annealing every second load. Brass hardens as it is worked ie necked down and expanded and then expanded some more when it is fired. Most brass will last for at least 3 sizing and firing cycles and some a great deal more. Pressure does not seem to be a major factor in neck cracks. @charliehorse you seem to have got a hard batch of brass and most of the survivors are likely to let go next firing if they are not annealed. Some neck sizing dies (it is best to use cartridge specific sets) really work the brass. Lee collet dies are good but sensitive to brass hardness leaving the neck larger ID with harder brass. It is best not to neck size (and definitely do not FL size) new brass. If the necks are dinged just run the expander button in and out of the case neck. There are a lot of opinions on annealing but I note that a lot of the target shooters anneal every firing. I may go that way myself.
Regards Grandpamac.

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Originally Posted by Cigar

They look weirdly evenly spaced, are they all the way around the neck or just the three of them? Are the same splits on the other cases?

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Seem to be a fair few of the cases in that same spot, there's 2 with multiple in that spot scattered around the neck

Are you using a collet die (Lee) for neck sizing - is that the source of the marks?

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Originally Posted by Ross Nolan

Are you using a collet die (Lee) for neck sizing - is that the source of the marks?

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Nah not for that brass, backed the FL die out

strangely enough I lost two 22-250 cases on first fireing too...similar split..but the 3 wee splits look suss
Ive never annealed a case in my life....I dont hotrod loads and 4-5 loads is nothing unusual...

Unlucky with the batch of brass in my opinion from what you described CH, but .22/250 is a bitch of a case for stretching on firing. Trimming needed after every couple of shots.


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Hope you're right. Yea always trim every firing to make sure its all the same.

This little splits have me beat, it's almost like that part of the chamber is too big for the brass to expand into without splitting, but hard brass could have the same effect so as a first step I would go with grandpamac's suggestion of getting the remaining cases annealed.

Can you feel a difference when resizing between the Norma and Federal cases? When full length resizing my 30-30 cases, the Norma are way easier than Winchester, I can tell what make the case is without looking.

Probably haven't paid too much attention to that, haven't loaded any federal for a while. No more loading the norma until I can get an annealer via one of our fellow members