Brass is getting all tore up!

[pistolpeta]

Hello all, I bought and shot some Hornady 123gr SST, reloaded the brass with 123gr AMAX over CFE 223, C.O.A.L=2.250", ( 3 rds with 30.0gr, 3 rds with 30.5gr, and 4 rds with 30.9gr) to see what gave me the most consistent loads. None of the primers looked flattened or anything but on four of the 10 rounds I shot( I didnt record which brass were from what loadings/live and learn) the brass looks like the feed ramps tore this brass a new one!



These things are expensive and I havent got alot of them. Any ideas?

My first thought is too violent of an extraction?
I polished the feed ramps, but is there a way to polish the backside of the feed ramps just a bit so it isnt so bad? idk
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Pete

[Allen]

What I suspect is hapening is when the bolt carrier moves rearward after firing the lug on the bolt is gouging into the round setting in the top of the mag. The edge of bolt needs a very small radius put on it so that it doesn't catch the next round. I had this happen to me and it actually punctured the brass. Luckily the round wouldn't chamber and I never shot it.

[EPeterson]

What mags are you using? My brass looked like that as well. Turned out it was the front of the ASC mags that were gouging the brass when being fed. They can be easily polished so they no longer gouge the brass.

[pistolpeta]

An ACS mag and i forget the other brand mag.
So I should polish the front lip of the mags and also the bottom of the bolt lug?
Never would had thought it was the bolt but thats an excellent thought!

Thanks fellas! I will do both and get back when I get back to the range!

[VASCAR2]

I had similar gouges but mine were caused by under powered reload. I have carbine length gas system 16" barrel and with 30.0 grains of CFE223 and 123 grain Nosler CC bullets my rifle was short stroking. I was using an H-2 buffer and I guess the CFE223 powder was slow enough not to generate enough pressure. My reloads with faster burning power cycled. I swithed to the carbine buffer and the 30.0 grain CFE load functioned. The bottom of the bolt put the gouges in my cases but also caused a stoppage. I was always curious if a mid length gas system would have caused the same malfunction with 30.0 grains of CFE223 and 123 grain bullet. A mid length gas system would provide more time to build pressure with slow burning powder. Alexander Arms chose the mid length gas system on 16" barrels after extensive testing. I suspect the midlength gas system is just a better balance for 6.5 Grendel case, pressure and volume with a 16" barrel.

I also was using ASC mags when this malfunction occurred. The ASC brass have pretty sharp edges that scratch the brass but I really think the bolt is contacting the brass. It is possible a magazine catch notch is allowing a magazine to ride to high into the well, allowing the top cartridge to come into contact with bolt. I guess if the feed lip geometry is off on a magazine it might let the round sit high enough to get struck by the cylcling bolt. I'd compare the feed lips between a couple of different mags.

[LRRPF52]

I de-edge, blend, and polish all my barrel extensions to help baby the brass. Keep in mind on military rifles, they don't care about the brass condition after it's fired.

Most of my brass comes out looking relatively new, especially Lapua.

[Rdavis]

What LRRPF52 said! I found this made the most difference for me. I had brass coming out that looked identical to yours and after a few loadings they would split at the scratch mark. After polishing the feed ramps the brass looks much better.

[lawndartmike]

Yep, my feed ramps were killing my brass also. A little work with the dremel to get rid of the sharp edges and the brass comes out clean with only the normal small dents from being ejected.

[Whiskey_Tango]

Ugh. I'm having to sort though all my brass and toss the gouged ones. Luckily it was only my 24" Satern from Brownells that was the culprit. Don't look forward to pulling the barrel to polish the ramps, but I'm almost positive that's the issue.

[pinzgauer]

What LRRPF52 said! I found this made the most difference for me. I had brass coming out that looked identical to yours and after a few loadings they would split at the scratch mark. After polishing the feed ramps the brass looks much better.

Ditto! Feed Ramp gouges due to sharp edges, especially if they are nice and parallel. Easy to tell, compare the distance apart on the brass to the edges on the feed ramp.