Reloading - Split Case - 32 H&R Magnum

[Ozark Okie]

The little brass gem pictured below (left) cost me approximately 60 seconds at our local match yesterday -  between removing next round already on the carrier, trying to remove this case and the 7 rounds left in the magazine. It came out easily enough with a rod on the unloading bench but not on the line...didn't really have a good tool to hook  the case rim.   

- 32 H&R magnum - Starline brass, Federal small pistol primer, 2.4 grains Trail Boss, 100 gr RNFP bullet - in 1894CB Cowboy carbine

- best estimate is this was the 7th reload for the hull, based on the matches I have shot and the batch of 300 hulls I'm working with. 

Is there something I could have/should have done to prevent this? I visually inspect the hulls before cleaning, and visually check and size check with my pistol cylinder after reloading.  

Additional information - I have had one other case split from the batch of hulls - that one in my pistol - at approximately the 5th reload of that hull....specs same as described above. It's shown in the second picture - pistol on right, rifle left....specs same as described above.  

Opinions, comments, suggestions will be appreciated. I don't mind admitting my ignorance, just hope to learn from it.  Thanks.

OO

 

.   

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Nope, I have had them do that on the first loading.  For some reason it seems to happen a lot with .32 Mag.  It is interesting that they split i the middle of the case but the case mouth does not split.  I got one batch from Starlline where one out of four split on the first firing.  They replaced the intital loss but that batch of brass continued to be a problem with subsequent loadings.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Well, to clear this on the line usually means you need a tool on your belt.  A screw knife or a Palo Verde jam clearing "knife".   Stick the thin part of one of those into the extractor slot so you get under the rim and pry the case out.

 

You should check that your extractor/spring is still strong and has not gotten weak.  Check that the extractor has a good shape to bite on the rim of the case.

 

Annealing the brass (top half of the case) may be very helpful to give you longer life.   Starline has made a few batches of brass that did not get properly annealed during manufacturing, and those lots split faster.   You should be getting 10 or more loads at the low pressures your load generates out of new brass.

 

Your splits occur with the same fracture as .45 Colt cases split for me.    I started using the Redding dual ring sizer die to reduce the amount of expansion of the case as it fires then reduction during resizing.   I now have very few splits in my old .45 Colt cases (most at least 5 years old).  But, Redding does not make this dual carbide ring die (yet) for the .32 H&R Magnum.

 

But to do mostly the same thing, perhaps you could try backing your sizing die off so only the part of the case which holds your slug is resized, leaving the bottom 2/3 of the case with no sizing.  If you only run these loads through one rifle, you should not have to resize the bottom of the case and still get good chambering.  Might be worth a try.  Certainly will reduce the amount of case expansion that usually happens in Marlin rifles (large chambers).

 

good luck, GJ

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

PLUS ONE for Larsen E. Pettifogger

 

Cases split.  It's a fact of reloading life.  There is no way to determine in advance when a particular case will split.  Having a case split mid run during a match is also a fact of CAS shooting life.  Fecal Matter Propagates.

 

Annealing may well help however, since your cases are fracturing in the middle, you have a lot of case to anneal.  Best of Luck

[Texas Red]

Splits Happen.....Although it happens more with my Starline 32 H&R mag Brass.   Only shoot in pistols, so have No extraction issues....

TR

[Cholla]

I had a batch of factory .223 split when shooting them in a Ruger Mini-14. I am guessing it was a production run issue.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Be sure there's no ammonia in you case cleaning media.

Starline is very 'hard' brass.

OLG

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Have you called Starline about this?

OLG 

[Eyesa Horg]

I've had the same split with new Starline the first time shot . 45c and c45s. Only about 4 or 5 out of 500 so not bad, but odd I thought until reading this thread.  Since I installed an RPP extractor, they have all come out and ejected, just noticeable resistance.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

7 hours ago, Ozark Okie said:

 

Opinions, comments, suggestions will be appreciated. I don't mind admitting my ignorance, just hope to learn from it.  Thanks.

OO  

 

That split brass looks like many old .32 H&R mag cases extracted from my wife's revolvers.  Shoot virgin brass in your rifle at major matches to reduce the likelihood of split cases.

[Kid Rich]

May have to do with chamber size. You will get more splits with an oversized chamber.

kR

[Widder, SASS #59054]

A few years back, I worked on a Marlin for a fellow Cowboy shooter.

 

After shooting it for 2 weeks, he called me up to Thank me and really loved his modified Marlin.

 

THEN, after a couple more weeks, he calls me up to complain about a split case stuck in the chamber that cost him

a high finish in a state match.   He told me that if he had known that was going to happen, he would have never let

me work on his Marlin.

 

That was about the time I stopped actively working on Marlin's.    I was getting blamed for split cases, no-fires because of 

high primers, etc.

One shooter even took his Marlin apart and when putting it back together, he forgot to put the hammer spring back on

the hammer strut and then ask me WHY his Marlin wouldn't fire.    Go figure!

 

Hey OKIE, how ya doin?

I also get those split cases in my .32 Marlin sometimes.   So far, I haven't had any stick in my chamber.

 

..........Widder

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

A few years back, I worked on a Marlin for a fellow Cowboy shooter.

 

After shooting it for 2 weeks, he called me up to Thank me and really loved his modified Marlin.

 

THEN, after a couple more weeks, he calls me up to complain about a split case stuck in the chamber that cost him

a high finish in a state match.   He told me that if he had known that was going to happen, he would have never let

me work on his Marlin.

 

That was about the time I stopped actively working on Marlin's.    I was getting blamed for split cases, no-fires because of 

high primers, etc.

One shooter even took his Marlin apart and when putting it back together, he forgot to put the hammer spring back on

the hammer strut and then ask me WHY his Marlin wouldn't fire.    Go figure!

 

Hey OKIE, how ya doin?

I also get those split cases in my .32 Marlin sometimes.   So far, I haven't had any stick in my chamber.

 

..........Widder

 

OMG, what a JERK!

You did nut'n wrong!

OLG

[Bullet Hole Kid SASS#81025]

I have had that same split in factory new ammo (Federal). Various revolvers. Never stuck.

["Big Boston"]

22 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

Well, to clear this on the line usually means you need a tool on your belt.  A screw knife or a Palo Verde jam clearing "knife".   Stick the thin part of one of those into the extractor slot so you get under the rim and pry the case out.

 

You should check that your extractor/spring is still strong and has not gotten weak.  Check that the extractor has a good shape to bite on the rim of the case.

 

Annealing the brass (top half of the case) may be very helpful to give you longer life.   Starline has made a few batches of brass that did not get properly annealed during manufacturing, and those lots split faster.   You should be getting 10 or more loads at the low pressures your load generates out of new brass.

 

Your splits occur with the same fracture as .45 Colt cases split for me.    I started using the Redding dual ring sizer die to reduce the amount of expansion of the case as it fires then reduction during resizing.   I now have very few splits in my old .45 Colt cases (most at least 5 years old).  But, Redding does not make this dual carbide ring die (yet) for the .32 H&R Magnum.

 

But to do mostly the same thing, perhaps you could try backing your sizing die off so only the part of the case which holds your slug is resized, leaving the bottom 2/3 of the case with no sizing.  If you only run these loads through one rifle, you should not have to resize the bottom of the case and still get good chambering.  Might be worth a try.  Certainly will reduce the amount of case expansion that usually happens in Marlin rifles (large chambers).

 

good luck, GJ

 

"Your splits occur with the same fracture as .45 Colt cases split for me.    I started using the Redding dual ring sizer die to reduce the amount of expansion of the case as it fires then reduction during resizing.   I now have very few splits in my old .45 Colt cases (most at least 5 years old).  But, Redding does not make this dual carbide ring die (yet) for the .32 H&R Magnum."

 

IMO, this is probably the area to focus on. I don't own a 32, but I do shoot a few '73s in different calibers. Most of them have generous chambers, I assume in an attempt to have reliable extraction. This does tend to overwork the brass, depending on the reloading dies. I don't own a Redding Dual profile die, but I have neck sized in combination with using a LEE Factory Crimp die. The case mouth of pistol brass is annealed, to soften it and have it live with repeated crimping. The walls below the mouth are a bit harder to give it a bit more strength. 

 

Perhaps the anneal that Starline uses may be a bit hard but 32 is a fairly high pressure round, perhaps it is as it should be. 

 

In addition to selecting dies that don't overwork the brass I think that you may want to try Universal or Unique, (2400 ??), to get a bit gentler pressure curve. No experience here, just "bench racing" on my part. 

 

BB

[Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L]

My wife shoots them in her Ruger Single Sixes and there were probably 50 out of the 1000 New Starline brass that split on the first firing, but after that, it settled down.  She still gets maybe one or two at a two day match that split.  Got another batch from Starline still in the box, and eventually I will crack the seal and run some tests by marking the new batch to see if there is still a problem or if Starline fixed the issue.

 

It is an annoyance, but not the end of the world, at least in the pistols.  I suspect that it has a lot to do with the aspect ratio of the cartridge and the manufacturing process.  The length to diameter ratio is pretty high in the 32 H&R Mag and I suspect that puts a lot of stress into the brass during the process of drawing out the case.  A good anneal should resolve that, but I haven't taken the time to experiment with that.

[Ozark Okie]

Thanks all for sharing your experiences and comments. 

 

Widder, thanks for chiming in, thought you would probably have some experience to share.  And I'm doing well, thanks for asking.

I share OLG's sentiments about the shooters blaming you for their issues....don't blame you for stopping active work on them.  

 

I'm now accepting that these case splits will happen, so I'm thinking of the best way to deal with it on the line when it happens in the rifle.  A screw knife can work but its generally a little wider than I would like...need a hand held wire claw with a hook like the extractor. And maybe a look at the extractor point and spring is in order, but I'm reluctant to start messing around in there.  Also, kind of interesting to think about a different powder/pressure curve as Big Boston mentions. 

 

And of course, it makes sense to use newer hulls in more important matches...that and crossing my fingers, I guess.   

 

Thanks again for all the feedback - I continue to learn more and more about the intricacies of this sport and our equipment. 

 

OO

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

25 minutes ago, Ozark Okie said:

need a hand held wire claw with a hook like the extractor.

 

That is a real reason to look at the Palo Verde jam tool!   It has a hook on one side of the blade that helps get into the extractor cut.

 

https://pvgunworks.com/palo-verde-73-unjammer-tool/

 

good luck, GJ

[German Jim]

For what it's worth to you, I get the EXACT same kind of split in the EXACT same location on my .45 Colt brass.  It's all different head stamps.  Some are new and some have been reloaded many times.  I check my spent brass as I de-prime them and after I clean them.  If I see any that look like they have cellulite around them, I throw them in the recycle bin.  I don't know if that's a sign that they are going to fail, but I dump them anyway.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

7 hours ago, German Jim said:

For what it's worth to you, I get the EXACT same kind of split in the EXACT same location on my .45 Colt brass.  It's all different head stamps.  Some are new and some have been reloaded many times.  I check my spent brass as I de-prime them and after I clean them.  If I see any that look like they have cellulite around them, I throw them in the recycle bin.  I don't know if that's a sign that they are going to fail, but I dump them anyway.

Measure the chambers, might have been cut oversized. 

OLG 

[German Jim]

9 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Measure the chambers, might have been cut oversized. 

OLG 

Thanks.  I think it's just fatigued brass.  When I said "new brass" I meant brass that looked to me as new brass.  They split in my revolvers as well as my Marlin. One, two or three will split in a match.  Sometimes I get lucky and none will split. Thanks for the suggestion.  Merry Christmas.