Ridge in base of once fired brass?? PICS!

[gunman_7]

So I have been picking up range brass for a few years getting a stock pile of brass together so I had plenty for my new deer rifle. The Rifle is a Winchester M70 extreme weather in 30-06 caliber. Mind you I am no novice to reloading, as I reload about 5-7K rounds of 223 a year and about half that in pistol ammo, been doing it for many years, but my knowledge with larger calibers are limited.

I settled on using Remington brass as that was by far what I had the most of, and since it would be used for hunting purposes I most likely wouldn't be picking up the brass once I started using the rifle anyhow.

So as I was running the brass through prep, I noticed this ridge, it was on approximately 60% of all my brass. I took a couple pics as you can see below. I'm sure this is once fired ammo, as I picked it up myself over a couple years worth of time at my local range just before deer season. My question is that I can't get it out when sizing the body, and on some of the cartridges it so pronounced that I feel tension on the bolt on a re-sized cartridge because of this ridge...

I've seen this on brass before, but usually its on brass that has been shot many repeated times. I even think someone asked this question a while back but I couldn't find the thread, and I didn't pay enough attention to the thread to remember the outcome. So being I can't work this ridge out with a body die I'm afraid I'll have to scrap every piece I find, but I was just wondering your thoughts on this,

Thanks

Chris

 

[slowr1der]

Re: Ridge in base of once fired brass?? PICS!

It could possibly be a sloppy chamber. The full length resizing die doesn't resize all the way to the base of the case. The ridge you are seeing is where it stops. I have this same issue with a rifle I've got, and while it slightly annoys me, the rifle shoots amazingly and I've noticed no ill side effects of it.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Ridge in base of once fired brass?? PICS!

The ridge is the junction between the solid base of the case and the wall of the case. As slow says, the die doesn't size that far down. If the sized case fits your chamber it is of no consequence.

 

[M14 Shooter]

Re: Ridge in base of once fired brass?? PICS!

Your range Brass was most likely fired in a semi -auto .If you have issues with brass a small base die may help .
You will probably get less firings out of brass due to the brass stretching more being fired in a gas gun.
Regards,Mike

 

[BK7saum]

Re: Ridge in base of once fired brass?? PICS!

Most chambers are slightly oversized (sloppy) and allow the body of the case to expand. The case head can't expand (solid) so the case ends up with a bulge just in front of the case head. As long as it will resize enought to chamber, there are no issues at all.

I wouldn't scrap any brass until you determined that it would not chamber in your rifle. Because firing in your rifle will cause the same result. As long as it will size down, you are GTG.

Have you determined that it is the bulge that is causing some cases not to chamber? Because if you have your dies set up to just barely bump the once-fired brass in your rifle, that could be part of the issue. Trying to bump the shoulder minimally (.001") of brass from a rifle with more headspace (longer chamber) than yours might not allow the brass to be sized enough. The die settings may not be apppropriately set for sizing the long/oversize brass.

Verify the correct amount of shoulder bump with a comparator/headspace gauge. If the shoulders are bumped enough to chamber, but the bulge causes a resistance to chambering, then you might cull the ones that won't chamber. I would check a few by smoking the case/coloring with sharpie and see where the contact/restriction is occurring.

It is merely cosmetic (and annoys the hell out of me). I have a 6x47 lapua chambered for lapua brass. The lapua brass fits the chamber and there is no bulge. I resized and fireformed some 22-250 brass for hunting/plinking loads because I hate to lose $1+ brass. The 250 brass has bulges much larger than the ones in your pics. Looks like crap but doesn't affect the function at all.

 

[gunman_7]

Re: Ridge in base of once fired brass?? PICS!

Good to know guys, as long as it chambers without tension, I'll run it.

Thanks again.

 

[flashhole]

Re: Ridge in base of once fired brass?? PICS!

You might also check the inside of the brass to ensure there is no "dip" in that area. Straighten a paper clip and bend the tip of it slightly so it will drag along the interior wall of the case. I use a small skewer and bent the tip. The skewer has a loop on the end that makes it easier to hold. If you feel anomolies in the wall you may be headed toward case head separation. I chuck that brass in the scrap bucket.