T. H. O' Sullivan Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Today I shot a 50 round box of Goex Black Dawg .45 Colt (235 gr) black powder cartridges in a 3rd Generation SAA. All shot fine but one shell wouldn't eject. Used a Swiss Army knife and carefully removed the shell. Noticed right away one side of the shell had split in the middle, but did not extend to either end. How common is this for black powder cartridges? For me this has never happened before T.H. O'Sullivan Black Mesa Ranch New Mexico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Scatterbrain Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Today I shot a 50 round box of Goex Black Dawg .45 Colt (235 gr) black powder cartridges in a 3rd Generation SAA. All shot fine but one shell wouldn't eject. Used a Swiss Army knife and carefully removed the shell. Noticed right away one side of the shell had split in the middle, but did not extend to either end. How common is this for black powder cartridges? For me this has never happened before T.H. O'Sullivan Black Mesa Ranch New Mexico Random piece of bad brass. Proceed. EDIT I've had this happen before, though with smokeless. First mild reloading of a factory cowboy round. Nothing unusual during firing, but the one case had to be literally pounded out. split from the mouth all the way to where the web starts to thicken. I was fairly concerened at the time, but was reassured that it was likely just a piece of brass with a bad brittle spot, as opposed to being over-loaded or over-used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Jack, SASS #77862 Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I shoot full cases of BP in 45S&W (pistol) and 45 LC in my rifle, the cases have been reloaded many times. In the pistol loads I get one or two split cases per month and rifle cases less so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Don't reload that one Sully. After they split the accuracy goes all to hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I shoot full cases of BP in 45S&W (pistol) and 45 LC in my rifle, the cases have been reloaded many times. In the pistol loads I get one or two split cases per month and rifle cases less so. BALLISTOL! Snakebite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Howdy It happens, but not very often. Frankly, I have probably had more split cases with Smokeless 38 Special loads than I have with Black Powder 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, 44-40 or 44 Russian loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 A split case happens to me a time or two each year. GG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Jack, SASS #77862 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 BALLISTOL! Snakebite Haha! So if I use more I'll have fewer split cases? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 BALLISTOL! Snakebite Howdy Doody gave me a can Friday because he didn't want to put it on his pancakes anymore. I really don't know what he was trying to lubricate. Jailhouse Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangler Jones, SASS # 64178 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 When I get a .38 Special case failure, it splits just as you describe, a longitudinal split in the case wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 When the factory makes new cases, the brass metal is work hardened that is the major cause for split cases. Why only one out of 50? Who knows, it could been either a Monday AM or a Friday PM one ... PS: 1 out of 50 is 0.02% ... NBD and a non issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 When the factory makes new cases, the brass metal is work hardened that is the major cause for split cases. Why only one out of 50? Who knows, it could been either a Monday AM or a Friday PM one ... PS: 1 out of 50 is 0.02% ... NBD and a non issue Sorry John Boy.... back to your math baiscs.... 1 out of 50 is 2%! Snakebite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Sorry John Boy.... back to your math baiscs.... 1 out of 50 is 2%! Snakebite Well I'll be! Thanks Snakebite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 It is not at all hard for an annealing step (which normally follows each of the several drawing steps when forming a case) to be skipped on a few cases, or for there to be an internal crack or impurity in the brass that can act as a stress riser. Lack of annealing would leave the case work hardened and brittle, so that it would rupture. A case failing on the first shot is a faulty case. And, it happens. If it happens more than one or two a thousand, I'd declare it a bad lot and let the manufacturer know you would like the lot replaced. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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