I have a 223 and I'm getting powder burns down to the shoulder on the neck, and they appear to be rounded in at the top of the neck. This is a new barrel 26" and 7twist, right now I'm shooting 75bthp hornadays 25gr of varget seated just off the rifling. Just wondering what might be wrong, or if this is ok.
Powder burns all the way down the case neck
- Thread starter michplinker
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Re: Powder burns all the way down the case neck
It indicates some issue regarding getting the case mouth to expand and seal tightly. This not a big deal unless they start to progress significantly up the shoulder.
Two main factors are involved.
One is the degree of hardness the neck brass is evolving. As it progresses through multiple firing and resizing cycles, it becomes progressively work hardened, and loses it ability to readily expand and seal the neck within the chamber.
The other is pressure. In the initial reloading cycles, neck sooting usually indicates lower pressures than may be optimal for neck sealing (and other factors, like accuracy, terminal energy, etc.) As cycles multiply, this indication becomes less reliable as a means of reading pressures, because the work hardening process complicates the neck expansion process.
I do not comprehend your 'rounded in' reference.
The load you mention has crossed my memory before, so I'm not inclined to be worrisome about it, all other factors being nominal. Peppy, perhaps, in the max range for that bullet's weight class, but not raising my hackles unduly. In such an instance, I'd be more inclined to think the brass necks are getting a tad hard. Annealing can help, but I just replace the brass when that happens, as neck splits are becoming more likely. I acquired several 5 gallon pails of fired .223 brass a bit over a decade back and I'm still only about halfway through that midden.
Hope this helps.
Greg
It indicates some issue regarding getting the case mouth to expand and seal tightly. This not a big deal unless they start to progress significantly up the shoulder.
Two main factors are involved.
One is the degree of hardness the neck brass is evolving. As it progresses through multiple firing and resizing cycles, it becomes progressively work hardened, and loses it ability to readily expand and seal the neck within the chamber.
The other is pressure. In the initial reloading cycles, neck sooting usually indicates lower pressures than may be optimal for neck sealing (and other factors, like accuracy, terminal energy, etc.) As cycles multiply, this indication becomes less reliable as a means of reading pressures, because the work hardening process complicates the neck expansion process.
I do not comprehend your 'rounded in' reference.
The load you mention has crossed my memory before, so I'm not inclined to be worrisome about it, all other factors being nominal. Peppy, perhaps, in the max range for that bullet's weight class, but not raising my hackles unduly. In such an instance, I'd be more inclined to think the brass necks are getting a tad hard. Annealing can help, but I just replace the brass when that happens, as neck splits are becoming more likely. I acquired several 5 gallon pails of fired .223 brass a bit over a decade back and I'm still only about halfway through that midden.
Hope this helps.
Greg
Re: Powder burns all the way down the case neck
the neck is narrowest at the top instead of being strait to the top of the neck. I haven't measured it but you can see it by looking.It was new win brass. None of my other rifles have ever had that happen and my 22-250 only has burns halfway down the neck after reloading a bunch.
the neck is narrowest at the top instead of being strait to the top of the neck. I haven't measured it but you can see it by looking.It was new win brass. None of my other rifles have ever had that happen and my 22-250 only has burns halfway down the neck after reloading a bunch.
Re: Powder burns all the way down the case neck
Narrowed necks are troublesome. I'm not sure how to advise you on this.
I'd seriously consider taking the rifle, brass, and question to a qualified gunsmith. Maybe there's a problem, maybe there isn't; and I don't feel comfortable giving advice about this one over the Internet.
Greg
Narrowed necks are troublesome. I'm not sure how to advise you on this.
I'd seriously consider taking the rifle, brass, and question to a qualified gunsmith. Maybe there's a problem, maybe there isn't; and I don't feel comfortable giving advice about this one over the Internet.
Greg
Re: Powder burns all the way down the case neck
I called shilen they said to shoot some factory ammo an see if the necks are the same, then send it back with the brass. It shoots fair around 3" groups at 400 yards, and I just finished breaking it in(haven't played with different loads). If it needs rechambered would it be worth going to an ackley improved since the barrel was made to shoot 75gr plus leads. The reason I got a 223 was because of it's small appetite for powder for the speed, it was a more economical plinker than the 22-250.
I called shilen they said to shoot some factory ammo an see if the necks are the same, then send it back with the brass. It shoots fair around 3" groups at 400 yards, and I just finished breaking it in(haven't played with different loads). If it needs rechambered would it be worth going to an ackley improved since the barrel was made to shoot 75gr plus leads. The reason I got a 223 was because of it's small appetite for powder for the speed, it was a more economical plinker than the 22-250.
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