Rifle brass soot

[Olliesims]

I've recently started reloading for my .243, hence this post I've worked up a few loads and noticed I have alot of soot on the neck and starting to go onto the shoulders,

 

 

I'm currently trying to find a load that works well in my rifle, I'm using 70g blitzking, norma brass, federal primers, and imr 4350, my guide says min load 41.6 maximum 44.6, so far I've tried 42.6 42.8 43.6 and had this sooting on all, I'm not sure if this is a neck tension problem a seating depth problem or a powder load problem, hopefully some one here can put me back on track,

Thanks!

[Harnser]

You will always get a bit of soot on the case necks . Excessive soot is normally down to a low pressure load . If you dont crimp ,then try it with your same load .

 

Harnser .

[Olliesims]

You will always get a bit of soot on the case necks . Excessive soot is normally down to a low pressure load . If you dont crimp ,then try it with your same load .

 

Harnser .

 

If I was to try a bigger load etc a 44g its still under my maximum load, this could fix this? Also Is this anything to worry about? Damage to rifle etc

[njc110381]

I get this on my .223 firing book maximum loads. As long as it's not finding it's way too far down the case, which would suggest not enough pressure to expand it in the chamber properly, then crack on.

[rem708]

Look at the primer. If that is showing signs of flattening then you are reaching upper pressures. If there is no deformation then you can increase the powder weight. If you don't have a cannelure in the bullet then crimping just deformes the mouth of the case and shortens its life. Is a unfired bullet very loose in the neck of a fired case?

[Olliesims]

I'm not sure ill check on that one

Edited July 26, 2013 by Olliesims

[matone]

If you`re getting good accuracy,don`t worry about it.

[al4x]

If you`re getting good accuracy,don`t worry about it.

 

thats my thoughts and that isn't a lot of soot on the neck. keep an eye on the primer for pressure signs but otherwise I would carry on, how deep are you seating the bullet as that can vary pressure created.

[Underdog]

It is quite normal friend.

If it was near the full length of the case then there is insufficient pressure but just the necks are fine.

 

U.

[Olliesims]

The accuracy is just normal factory style at the moment 1 inch groups, as I'm still working up loads, my oal is 2.670, no problems with pressure at all, will try 44g next

[Olliesims]

Look at the primer. If that is showing signs of flattening then you are reaching upper pressures. If there is no deformation then you can increase the powder weight. If you don't have a cannelure in the bullet then crimping just deformes the mouth of the case and shortens its life. Is a unfired bullet very loose in the neck of a fired case?

The bullet is not loose it still has a slight grip on the case neck

[Vince Green]

Its nothing to worry about, some powders (usually the slower burning powders) can do this a lot. Its just one of those things.

[rem708]

The bullet is not loose it still has a slight grip on the case neck

That is just perfect. The case will expand slightly more whilst firing to fully release the bullet and then spring back to the condition you describe.

As many on here have said some carbon deposits around the neck are fine and not too much to worry about.

 

One thing that might be worth trying is to close and open the bolt several times without a cartridge in the chamber so you become accustomed to the natural feel of the mechanics. Then repeat this with a recently fired empty case and hopefully there will be very little difference. This is to check to see if the case has stretched and oversize. If the closing is significantly harder then the case has stretched.

Assuming no evidence of oversize cases one can try this:

Normally when full length sizing one sets the sizing die to touch the shell plate when the ram is at its most uppermost part of the stroke. What you can do is back the die off a flat (of the locking nut or approx 60 degrees if using a plain ring). This stops the shoulder of the case being resized as much hence a better fit to the chamber. Of course if you are using just neck sizing this does not apply. You might be able to get away with about 1/2 a turn total on the die but I would not suggest much more as you may not be resizing the neck fully.

The idea here is to reduce the room into which these escaping gases can travel. It also makes the brass last a lot longer and reduces the need to check the case length and perform case trimming.

 

I personally tend to fire-form all my brass and then only neck size from then on till the cases starts to bind when opening. This is most ideal as the case is a snug fit in the chamber but I have still seen evidence of sooting on necks even then!

 

Increasing the powder charge might also help but if you are happy with the bullet performance one has to question the need to increase the powder costs.

Edited July 27, 2013 by rem708

[Olliesims]

All my brass is neck sized only with a lee collet, I'm going to try a 44g charge, I measured a fired case it was 2.035 and second was 2.037 so the cases are not too long, as long as its not a problem then I will continue to not worry, thanks for your help

[Bewsher500]

one point not mentioned but probably not relevant given you have just started reloading

 

case hardness

overworked brass or brass with numerous firings becomes hard and will show this first a the neck with poor obturation (neck seal)

 

is this brass your once fired brass or is it forum classifieds "once fired"?!

I had this exact problem with some Laua "once fired" I bought on a forum. I reckon 10 times fired would be more accurate!! £10 for some annealing and they were back to normal even on medium loads.

 

Have you set your collet die up correctly?

measure the mandrel just to be sure it is in spec

you can spin it in some 600 grit paper to knock a couple of thou of the outer diameter to get a bit more neck tension if it is not giving you enough

 

some facts :

You should not have to hit near max loads to seal necks.

Crimping does not overwork brass anything like FL sizing does, if it does then you are doing it wrong (it may also solve your problem!)

Bullet seating length can alter your pressures dramatically without any other changes, play around with what you are running accurately

[Olliesims]

All my brass was saved from my factory loads