# Case head separation



## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

In order to not over run another's thread, I'm moving this down here. I posted this separated case from my son's 22-250 asking what happened and fastwater posted a great video on case head separation. This case was on it's 3rd reload. My brother in law does our reloading and wanted all the spent brass and the gun to check it out. He said too many cases are showing excess thinning (even one's once fired) and he's blaming the gun. His theory is since it's a Remington 788, the bolt locking lugs are at the rear of the bolt, leaving too much space between the case and the lugs leaving the bolt a little looser and able to flex upon ignition causing excess case stretch. Says the gun just might be a case eater. There's a lot of knowledgeable guys here. Does this make sense to you guys? Any ideas? By the way. Since my boy was out his hog hammer, he stole my 204 last night and did it again.


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## Ol' Whiskers (Aug 11, 2004)

If the spent primer is not set back flat, I would be more inclined to think too much headspace, as you say once fired brass is thinned. If he's neck sizing only the once fired it won't really show visibly. A way to check is to sacrifice a new factory case to a bullet puller, and a new once fired case from the same lot. Section both and compare wall thickness. Get a headspace gage or have a gunsmith check with a gage. If all are ok then check the reloading tables to see if you're a bit hot.


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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

I have exploded brass from a Kel tec pmr30 and a cmr 30. Both guns blew apart and split Factory Hornady ammo. I’m think bad batch of ammo since it did it in both guns but I was having feed issues on both guns as well. Both shoot 22 magnum spoke to Kel Tec and they are headed back to the factory for service. Have to pay shipping there but worth it to find out if something else or not


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

Not enough info for judgement call. How long have you had the 788? If you had it awhile and this head separation is now occurring I believe I would be suspicious of the brass. Quality Control is thing of the past. Easy to check get some old brass ?xx and load it. Friend of mine has a 788 in 22/250 that I bought new in 60s. Hundreds of rounds through it no problem. Farmers around here used 788. 22/250 as their main Groundhogger. Have not encountered case separation except by some kids who loaded same box of brass many times before coming apart. I know because I had to get case out of chamber.


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## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

He's had this gun a couple years now. We don't shoot for sport so it only hunts. Not tons of rounds fired. This was his original box of Hornady loads which he burned through, reloaded, burned through and reloaded again. He got a box of federals to burn up for the brass as it's hard to find 250 brass these days. The federals have been shot once and the brother in law says that they also are showing signs of thinning. He isn't a fan of Hornady brass but we've reloaded my 204 Hornady brass many times with no issue but it's also a single shot.


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## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

He snuck my 204 out again this evening.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

He’s piling them up!


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

Moo Juice said:


> He snuck my 204 out again this evening.
> where do you live at? I had 9 varmit guns and shot groundhogs almost everyday. Now seeing a ground hog is rare. Coyotes ate up all the small animals except squirrels & *****.
> View attachment 487066


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## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

Stark county. We have hit the coyotes pretty hard over the years to the point we're starting to see fox again. Plus, I like to leave fence rows and cover. We don't have to farm every square inch. He has shot every one of these hogs on a 60 acre farm we rent. I figure I lost 3 to 4 acres of soybeans on this particular farm to hogs last year. Got one worse than this around the corner but it's owned by tree huggers who won't let us hunt so I will no longer be planting beans on that ground. Probably saw 5 or 6 hogs on our home farm yesterday but unlike others around here I can't just stop what I'm doing and chase hogs around. I even had one of my hornets with me.


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## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

He got it done again tonight with my 204. Hope he leaves some for me.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

I had that happen once due to reloading many times and full resize every time. A go/no go gauge will answer your headspace question. New brass and go...


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