Need help with a drilling!

[frog stealer]

All, I finally got chance to head back to the range, armed with many tips and tricks provided in this thread. Allowing the barrel to cool to the touch between each shot (with the help of a rifle kuhl fan, about 10 minutes between shots), I was able to get better accuracy! I tried Hornady 95 gr Vmax and 129 gr Interlock soft points, both printed some respectable groups at 100 yds, around 1.5" or better! Here is a pic of one of the representative groups (using Hornady Vmax bullets, squares are 1"):

And now, the next issue I was hoping to get help with...I am seeing incomplete case head separations in about 50% of my cases (tear in brass just above the case web). This is only the second firing on these cases, should I be trying to neck-size only to headspace on the shoulder, instead of the rim? Any pointers on how to accomplish this with a break-action? I will eventually perform a chamber cast, hopefully the chamber isn't oversized, or something like that!

 

[Excessexpress]

I would do a chamber cast before doing anything else.

Some brass will not work well (I have had poor results with S&B splitting necks in this calibre) no matter what you do, but case head separations are a whole other concern.

 

[frog stealer]

Interesting...S&B is exactly what I am using...I know they don't produce the best brass, but I was hoping for more than 2 reloads. In a perfect world, I would use some RWS brass and call it a day, but apparently you can't get RWS-anything in the states at this time.

 

[Excessexpress]

I suspect it is a bit hard and needs annealing for the neck and shoulder splits. Don't think it would help for case head separation though.

I would go back to a chamber cast and work from there.

 

[thriller]

Mine prefers heavy for caliber bullets 200 grain 30-06 and I let it cool for a while between shots for best results since the barrels are thin.

 

[thriller]

Mine prefers heavy for caliber bullets 200 grain 30-06 and I let it cool for a while between shots for best results since the barrels are thin.

Well I didn’t see your response before I posted this looks like you got it under control without my 2 cents.

 

[IvW]

RWS makes some of the best brass availible....not easy to get though....

 

[Dirtdart]

If you are shooting a 6.5x57R in the US then S&B is about the only factory ammunition or brass you will find outside of blind luck currently.

There was a time when 9.3x62 cases were not easy to come by. I was able to find PPU and S&B back then. I took 5 case of each brand and kept full length resizing and loading until I got a split neck.
I wish I could find my notes for specifics but the S&B cases were the first to develop splits in the neck. Three maybe four loadings if memory serves.

The batch of S&B was more "brittle" than the batch of PPU 9.3x62 cases. Indication of more zinc in the recipe I am told. If I took the time to anneal I would have had better case life but it wasn't worth the trouble.

By all means do a chamber cast. What can be done if it is out of spec? If the case head separated on the first firing I would be worried.

I would look at the case dimensions and see how easy it is to neck down a 7x57R case with a 6.5x57 die. Fireform a good Norma case (lots of those available) to your your chamber. Neck size said case thereafter and see what happens.

 

[frog stealer]

If you are shooting a 6.5x57R in the US then S&B is about the only factory ammunition or brass you will find outside of blind luck currently.

There was a time when 9.3x62 cases were not easy to come by. I was able to find PPU and S&B back then. I took 5 case of each brand and kept full length resizing and loading until I got a split neck.
I wish I could find my notes for specifics but the S&B cases were the first to develop splits in the neck. Three maybe four loadings if memory serves.

The batch of S&B was more "brittle" than the batch of PPU 9.3x62 cases. Indication of more zinc in the recipe I am told. If I took the time to anneal I would have had better case life but it wasn't worth the trouble.

By all means do a chamber cast. What can be done if it is out of spec? If the case head separated on the first firing I would be worried.

I would look at the case dimensions and see how easy it is to neck down a 7x57R case with a 6.5x57 die. Fireform a good Norma case (lots of those available) to your your chamber. Neck size said case thereafter and see what happens.

Some good info, thanks for posting! I was told that 7x57r cases couldn’t be used (slightly different dimensions), so I tried 8x57irs with some neck thickness issues. I purchased an inside neck reamer and reamed these cases, and even after resizing, the necks wouldn’t grip the bullets. Back to the drawing board! I do have a stash of good 7x57r, I might give a few of those a run through the 6.5 sizer to see if they’ll work.

 

[PerH]

R is Rand , Rimmed not Rebated , .

 

[rookhawk]

I suspect heavy bullets are what the gun was made to use.

I also suggest that you bump the neck back the tiniest of amounts so that it headspace’s both on the neck and the rim. To figure this out in a break action gun, I would take the barrels off and load a live round into the empty barrels so that you can visibly see the cartridge doesn’t quite fit, standing proud of the barrel by a thousand or two. Thus, when closing the action the neck is providing a second point of headspace. This will prevent excessive stretching which is causing your incipient head separation due to thinning of the web of the case.

If you full length sized new brass before you started, throw it all away and start over because that ruined it.

 

[PerH]

What do the lump markings say on regulated ammo for it ?

 

[PerH]

Centerfire rifle cartridges | RWS Ammunition

The complete range of our RWS rifle cartridges – neatly arranged and compact. Find your product with just a few clicks!

rws-ammunition.com

 

[frog stealer]

What do the lump markings say on regulated ammo for it ?

I don’t believe there are markings regarding the regulated ammo. What would this marking look like?

 

[PerH]

They are under the barrel set , if you look here for info

Drillings – German Hunting Guns

Ammunition- Rifle – German Hunting Guns

Send them an mail also and ask

 

[steve white]

All, I finally got chance to head back to the range, armed with many tips and tricks provided in this thread. Allowing the barrel to cool to the touch between each shot (with the help of a rifle kuhl fan, about 10 minutes between shots), I was able to get better accuracy! I tried Hornady 95 gr Vmax and 129 gr Interlock soft points, both printed some respectable groups at 100 yds, around 1.5" or better! Here is a pic of one of the representative groups (using Hornady Vmax bullets, squares are 1"):
View attachment 561211And now, the next issue I was hoping to get help with...I am seeing incomplete case head separations in about 50% of my cases (tear in brass just above the case web). This is only the second firing on these cases, should I be trying to neck-size only to headspace on the shoulder, instead of the rim? Any pointers on how to accomplish this with a break-action? I will eventually perform a chamber cast, hopefully the chamber isn't oversized, or something like that!

With that group you don't need much help...just move the windage and elevation and hunt! About the brass only lasting two firings...I doubt RWS or any other brand will help. You will likely need to neck size and be happy.