Need help with a case identification…

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PanhandleGlocker

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Clickbait.

Found these while picking up brass at the range today. I guess he or she got all the life out of the brass or got ahold of some of Bubbas Pissin’ Hot Handloads.

3F920E44-6221-476B-B65B-2860BB195482.jpeg
 

DRC458

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Yeah, I'm gonna' say those cases have been reloaded multiple times, and I don't mean two or three! The only total case head separations I have ever had (knock on wood) came from .303 British ... notorious for head space issues. I have had some incipient case head separations in common calibers like .243, but that was on cases that had been loaded so many times I lost track!
 

Ahall

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Yep

Reloaded a lot and probably full length sized

Front part of the case sticks to the chamber wall
Tail end near the head is too stiff to stick and slides back
A small area in the side stretches, thins, and work hardens.

Do it to many times and the case head separates

Saw it once in a 303 British
They are notorious for it because the chamber has more clearance than average.

Case head separation not that big a deal in modern actions, but if you’re playing with and old bolt action, pay attention. Some early military actions had trouble with this (pre 98 Mausers and others)

This should be taken into account when reloading, especially for actions that don't handle case head separations well. Considerations include neck sizing only to minimize side wall growth, monitoring case wall thickness using an internal feeler, and looking for a discolored band on the case wall, and discarding brass after a limited number of uses.
 
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