Split 243 WSSM cases.

Charlie

Charlie

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I dug out the ammo for a M70 243 WSSM the other day and found that 20 of the cases had split necks and some spit shoulders. Three of the cases were new. They had been loaded in 2008 but never fired. I had loaded them with IMR 4007 SSC. I pulled the bullets so I could get rid of the powder that had been recalled. I have had split cases before but rarely so many in such new cases. All the cases are Winchester. I suppose I will have to keep a sharp eye on the rest of the cases the next time I shoot the rifle. PXL_20201004_194017017.jpg
 
Charlie said:
I dug out the ammo for a M70 243 WSSM the other day and found that 20 of the cases had split necks and some spit shoulders. Three of the cases were new. They had been loaded in 2008 but never fired. I had loaded them with IMR 4007 SSC. I pulled the bullets so I could get rid of the powder that had been recalled. I have had split cases before but rarely so many in such new cases. All the cases are Winchester. I suppose I will have to keep a sharp eye on the rest of the cases the next time I shoot the ridle.
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Recalled powder? Sometimes when powder goes bad, I believe it can form nitric acid. I’m no chemist, but it may be possible the bad powder caused this. Did the powder have a acrid smell to it?
 
Toprudder said:
Recalled powder? Sometimes when powder goes bad, I believe it can form nitric acid. I’m no chemist, but it may be possible the bad powder caused this. Did the powder have a acrid smell to it?
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I did not try to get a good whiff of it. You maybe right about the degradation being caused by the bad powder. The IMR 4007 SSC was recalled and is no longer offered. They said it was because it may become unstable due to rapid deterioration. I have smelled bad powder before. I may try to anneal them to see if I can get one loading out of them. That brass is not easy to find.

edit: Those were Winchester cases. I just ordered some Hornady cases to see if they were any better. It seems the cases are easier to find than I remembered.
 
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243 is necked down from 300. its possible its overworked brass? or do these have a 243 headstamp as original cases?
 
From my experiences, Winchester brass is poop.

That, added with something else is probably it. I know someone with a 223 wssm and using Winchester brass, on the first firing, most of the brass split like yours in the picture
 
Pink_Vapor said:
Uh-oh... I didn’t know my old IMR 4007 SSC was recalled.
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I had heard it was and went to the IMR web site to find out for sure. They will send you a new bottle of a different powder if you send them some information off the label. I might do that.
 
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