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Posted: 5/31/2012 9:03:53 AM EDT
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Brass hardens up with age.
Took a friend out to shoot his first new AR this wekend, so grabbed some ammo I loaded back in '96. This brass had been cleaned in walnut and corncob media, no chemicals at all, and was once fired, LC brass and kept in new ammo cans. Out of the 200 rds we shot (4 AR's), 60% split in the neck area, didn't matter which gun it went through. Then, I started looking and the loaded ammo and about 10% had already split. If you have any any put up, you might check it every once in a while, and fire a couple of rounds to check, or better yet, rotate your stock every few years. 'Borg |
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Brass hardens up with age. Took a friend out to shoot his first new AR this wekend, so grabbed some ammo I loaded back in '96. This brass had been cleaned in walnut and corncob media, no chemicals at all, and was once fired, LC brass and kept in new ammo cans. Out of the 200 rds we shot (4 AR's), 60% split in the neck area, didn't matter which gun it went through. Then, I started looking and the loaded ammo and about 10% had already split. If you have any any put up, you might check it every once in a while, and fire a couple of rounds to check, or better yet, rotate your stock every few years. 'Borg Brass shouldn't just get harder with age unless it is acted upon. Was it exposed to ammonia? Say in Brasso or other cleaners or stored near an ammonia source? (e.g. Cat litter box, fertilizer) |
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I've got 70 year old 8mm and .303 British, and 50 year old .45 ACP and .30-06. Haven't found a split yet. This has been my expirience as well. The only time I've had a problem was with some .30-30 ammo manufactured by the Canadian Dominion company I'm guessing in the '40's for the comercial market. I inherited it from an estate so I have no idea about storage conditions. I tried 3 or 4 before I gave up when every cartridge developed a split in the neck or body. |
| Probably 10% of my 09 and 10 LC 5.56 brass had small neck splits after the first firing, I'd say about 20% of the remaining cracked after the second firing, I haven't had these problems with Hornady, Remington, or Winchester, I'm guessing its something they do. |
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Probably 10% of my 09 and 10 LC 5.56 brass had small neck splits after the first firing, I'd say about 20% of the remaining cracked after the second firing, I haven't had these problems with Hornady, Remington, or Winchester, I'm guessing its something they do. I wonder... Obongo's first minute as dictator resulted in once fired military brass being shredded for a couple of weeks instead of being sold to the civi market. Could they have found a way to screw us and not enrage us at the same time??? Too much tinfoil in my diet! 
I have a bunch of MAL and WCC brass from the 80's and they are gtg. Did you buy the brass, or was it loaded ammo? |
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Probably 10% of my 09 and 10 LC 5.56 brass had small neck splits after the first firing, I'd say about 20% of the remaining cracked after the second firing, I haven't had these problems with Hornady, Remington, or Winchester, I'm guessing its something they do. I wonder... Obongo's first minute as dictator resulted in once fired military brass being shredded for a couple of weeks instead of being sold to the civi market. Could they have found a way to screw us and not enrage us at the same time??? Too much tinfoil in my diet!
I have a bunch of MAL and WCC brass from the 80's and they are gtg. Did you buy the brass, or was it loaded ammo? Federal (LC headstamp) 5.56 factory loaded 55 and maybe some 62 grain. |
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I have a 50 round box of Hornady 223 Rem that were fired out of my Rem 700. This was NEW ammo, out of the 50 15 have split necks. Got this ammo about three years ago. Strange. Will not load the other 35. RJ  Were the cases annealed? Is it just the Hornady ammo that does that? Borg, checking your stash is always a good idea. No argument there. |
Not all brass is the correct blend of 70% copper & 30% zinc. Seen a test with different brands, having less copper. This may make the brass harder, i would guess? If the brass has been damaged by ammonia or vinegar contact, annealing will not fix it. I no longer store 223/5.56 reloads for 20 years like before, or use vinegar to clean brass. Some new PMC ammo i fired & reloaded only went 3 loadings till most had split necks.It was not stored at all. The factory annealing may not have been correct? The best way to avoid split necks , use bushing dies, that do not over work the brass . Photo album with some 223 necks that cracked after vinegar & storage.  " />
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Those cracks could not have formed without either exposure to a chemical such as ammonia that would effectively weaken the material, AND/OR a crack initiation site to propagate from. Properly worked/reloaded brass that is stored in the absence of ammonia and similar compounds will outlast the humans that make it.
Not saying that it's a bad idea to check your stash once in a blue moon, just that if you follow good practices (using approved methods for cleaning and maintaining your brass, for example), this should not be a problem. Brass, on its own, doesn't 'age'. |
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I have a 50 round box of Hornady 223 Rem that were fired out of my Rem 700. This was NEW ammo, out of the 50 15 have split necks. Got this ammo about three years ago. Strange. Will not load the other 35. RJ Were the cases annealed? Is it just the Hornady ammo that does that? Borg, checking your stash is always a good idea. No argument there. Band new factory rounds. It has not been a problem with PMC, R-P, and Prvi. Have a new supply of 50 Hornady HP's that I get three weeks ago. Will fire on Sunday will check the neck on that lot. Just think this was a bad lot of brass. RJ |
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