Ring on brass (not case head separation)

UndFrm · 2025-09-06T14:51:22-0400

I recently got a bunch of used Peterson 284win brass. I am not sure how many times they have been fired.

Naturally, I inspected them and out of 90ish, I found 3 with a crack in the neck. Discarded those.

Out of the remaining, in about 8 cases I see this ring a little below the shoulder. From my understanding, this is too high to be an indicator of a case head separation. Is it safe to shoot? I felt the inside with a paper clip and I don't feel a ridge forming on the inside.

I am fairly new to reloading, so please feel free to tell me if there's something else that I should be looking for.

Thank you

Maurygold · 2025-09-06T14:58:18-0400

I’d start with new brass based on the cracked necks. You’ll be chasing your tail since the brass is likely all worn out if some are cracked

OREGUN · 2025-09-06T14:58:42-0400

I wouldn’t worry about it, personally.

Did you or the seller resize them before you took this pic? Do you know any history on them? Were they annealed? Full length or neck sized only? I can’t readily explain that line but I don’t think it’s indicative of any safety concern.

straightshooter1 · 2025-09-06T15:15:00-0400

UndFrm said:
I recently got a bunch of used Peterson 284win brass. I am not sure how many times they have been fired.

Naturally, I inspected them and out of 90ish, I found 3 with a crack in the neck. Discarded those.

Out of the remaining, in about 8 cases I see this ring a little below the shoulder. From my understanding, this is too high to be an indicator of a case head separation. Is it safe to shoot? I felt the inside with a paper clip and I don't feel a ridge forming on the inside.

I am fairly new to reloading, so please feel free to tell me if there's something else that I should be looking for.

Thank you

You're at a bit of a handicap, not knowing how many times they've been fired or whether they've been annealed or not (probably not if necks have been cracking). I wouldn't use them unless I annealed them properly first, else you're probably going to see a lot more cracked necks.

As for those rings you're concerned about, I don't think they're anything to be concerned about. Like it could be just a burnishing mark from the sizing die. Being previously fired an unknown amount of times, you'll want to keep a close eye on their condition as you use them.

hafejd30 · 2025-09-06T17:05:07-0400

Agree with above on annealing first. That could easily be an fclass gun if you bought used running several cycles of max load

As per the lines than can be anything and appears only cosmetic. Possible someone spun the round on a concentricity gauge even. I do that with my match rounds to check run out

But based on the split necks if you don’t anneal you probably won’t see much life from those casing.

If there’s that much life out of them the primer pockets may be loosening up as well anyways. In which case retire them

memilanuk · 2025-09-06T17:46:15-0400

Does the mark on the case line up with where the case sits in an ammo box?

Around here, .308 Win cases get what we refer to as the "Rattlesnake Ring" when you put them in a green MTM 100rd box. The fine talc dust from the range ((www.tcsa.info) tends to coat *everything*, but in particular it tends to leave a shiny ring right where the case sits in the ammo box. If the cases are mouth down, the resulting line just *happens* to be right where a case separation line would appear - which has freaked a lot of shooters right the f$ck out, the first time they get home and open their ammo box after a weekend match

straightshooter1 · 2025-09-06T17:53:52-0400

As an after thought, I get a little burnishing ring in that location when I trim my cases with a Giraud 3 way trimmer. A slight vibration from the trimmer cause some contact with the case at the mouth of the trimmer.

Edsel · 2025-09-06T18:15:47-0400

They look like artifacts from full length sizing.

UndFrm · 2025-09-06T21:32:48-0400

They were being annealed but likely not after being fired last.
Regarding the potentially loose primer pockets, I will feel it when priming the case with a Lee hand primer, correct? I don't suppose there is any other way to really gauge if they're loose or not?

Thank you

Baron23 · 2025-09-06T21:36:41-0400

UndFrm said:
They were being annealed but likely not after being fired last.
Regarding the potentially loose primer pockets, I will feel it when priming the case with a Lee hand primer, correct? I don't suppose there is any other way to really gauge if they're loose or not?

Thank you

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Holliday · 2025-09-06T22:03:58-0400

I have had the same marks. I suspect they happen during annealing from the diamond grit wheels on my Ugly annealer…….

supercorndogs · 2025-09-07T03:41:35-0400

CHS can happen anyplace on the case body.

JerkyFreak · 2025-09-07T05:17:26-0400

You will probably find that the cases were kept in an ammo box. As it shakes around while transporting it makes a shiny ring around the case where the case contacts the divisions

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Ring on brass (not case head separation)

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