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Odd line in brass

3K views 33 replies 16 participants last post by  accident 
#1 ·
I have shot about 60 factory loads out of my 270. Since then I decided to get into reloading but I saved my brass. I was in the process of checking out the brass when I noticed one every case there was a line/groove in the brass below the shoulder. This line was in the exact same spot on each case. I am not sure what it is from but you can actually feel it with your finger. Any suggestions what could have caused this? Unfortunately I do not have a photo at this time.
FYI its a Savage model 111 and I bought it used but it was in great shape and I could not see any kind of issues when I checked it out.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I can think of two things that would cause that: Excessive head space and the line is the start of case separation and marks in the chamber that got impressed on the case during firing. The first one is BAD and should be checked by a gunsmith and corrected (more later). The second is no problem and an inspection of the chamber may reveal marks made by a chamber reamer.

Is this a Savage with the barrel jam nut to adjust the head space? If so it is an easy adjustment with a a head space gauge. If not then the barrel will have to be set back and the chamber reamed to SAMMI specs.

A GOOD gunsmith can do any of this work if you can not. Pictures here might reveal if the case is separating or it is just a mark on the case from the chamber.

LDBennett
 
#5 ·
Case separation can be a gun problem, not necessarily a case problem. The chamber is too long for the case and the case has to stretch to fit under the 50,000psi internal pressures. The bottom half of the case expands and sticks to the chamber wall and the front part stretches to reach the front end of the chamber that is out of spec. At some point the case wall thins and the line is the first indication of a case separation. It normally occurs just ahead of the base of the case but I have seen it occur where you say the line is on your cases.

I suspect case separation because the head space is adjustable in most modern Savage bolt guns. Since you bought it used who knows what the previous owner did to that adjustment???? Maybe it was just a mark in the chamber caused by a bad chamber reamer. Savage is known to use reamers that are beyond their useful life. Getting an excellent barrel from them is possible but the opposite has proven to be true, as well.

LDBennett
 
#6 ·
Here goes. The line you may be speaking of is an incipient case head line.

Chambers are machined to specs. Your chamber can be from a SAAMI min +0.010. That means a chamber can be anywhere from zero (tight chamber) to 0.010 over zero. If you have an overly generous chamber and you are let's say 0.007 over then the case will stretch more than if the chamber were smaller. As an example I have two AR-15's. One with a tight chamber and one with a generous chamber. The one with the larger chamber will show the incipient case line a bit more.

In order to tell if it is an issue. take a paper clip and run it down the inside of the case and see if you can feel a void. The incipient line will begin causing the inside of the case to have a bit of a crack on the inside and the paper clip will help you to feel it. Odds are your chamber is just fine because the factory checked it with go-nogo gauges.

This line that you have in not uncommon. The problem will soon appear if you size back under a SAAMI min so make sure you resize back to a minimum.

Highboy
 
#16 ·
Here are a couple photos
Your initial post says this is factory brass fired from your 270. Afterwards you looked at the brass and the line is present. When you shot the 270 factory rounds, did they feel really hot like the factory screwed up? Do you have any left from "that" box? Do they measure shorter by more than .007" than the other boxes of the exact same ammo?
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These are NOT cases that have been preped for reloading correct?
 
#13 ·
This may sound like a stupid question. Did this line appear by chance after you resized and trimmed it?

The reason I ask is that I use one of the Lee chamfer / de-burr tools on most of my rifle brass. That line looks exactly like the line that I find on my brass if I don't hold it perfectly straight in the tool as I am de-burring..
 
#17 ·
I've been told by my father most of my life I'm gifted with the ability to state the obvious.

That looks baaaaaaad. Do follow Jim's advice and have that rifle checked out by a qualified gunsmith. I'd sure be interested in seeing a chamber casting.

Good luck.
 
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#23 ·
All the same grain but not sure of lot number. I think I still have the box but not certain. I actually called savage and they are really nice (so far) I sent them some photos and they are going to get back with me and said something about possibly sending it in for them to check out. Hopefully they cover the cost but we will see. Never hurts to ask.
 
#25 ·
Just wanted to update everyone on this. I had sent my gun to Savage and they got it on the 5th after the postal service about lost it. learned a valuable lesson never use the postal service for anything!! They fixed the gun (well they said they did but never told me what they did) and my daughter just signed for the gun from UPS. I am hoping to get to the range and check to see if they in fact fixed it. The gun was purchased used but they still covered it under warranty at no cost to me! Their customer service has been top of the line this entire time. My next question is should I purchase a box of factory ammo and fire that to ensure that the problem is fixed? I would hate for something to happen with the first reloads that I have done because of this issue.
 
#28 ·
purchase a box of factory ammo and fire that to ensure that the problem is fixed
I would also make sure it's the same factory rounds that had the problem as different manufactures may not give you the same look. If it is clean there, then it probably is clean elsewhere.

Where you been? After your trip it seems like you've been gone. Or may be I am imagining it. At any rate, it's good to hear from you.
 
#30 ·
Definitely buy factory loads to start with. Once you have eliminated that then go to reloads.
 
#31 ·
Well I went to the range on Friday and bought a box a factory ammo and shot four times. Put all 4 in less than a one inch square (more like 3/4 inch) but looked at the brass and the exact same as it was before I sent the gun back. I called Savage while sitting at the range. They said I will need to send it in again and they will most likely be replacing the barrel. I am not happy to have to send it in again but thankful that they are taking care of me when this was purchased used. I brought it back to the shop I purchased it at and they are taking care of the shipping for me so it doesn't get lost by the post office again. They also placed a note in with it and will be reaching out to their Savage contact to make sure that this is taken care of correctly this time. Thankfully it should only take about 3 week and out gun season doesn't start until mid November. Only problem is I will not be able to get the Custom Dials for my scope prior to the season.
 
#32 ·
I would assume that Savage headspaced the gun correctly and it is not case separation but an imprinted mark left by the chamber. I have a Mauser that had a headspace problem that needed correction by setting back the barrel one thread pitch. Of course that means the chamber was then too short and a chamber reamer needed to be used to lengthen the chamber to get the headspace in spec. The reamer the Savage gunsmith used was probably made to SAMMI modern specs and apparently would make a tighter chamber than the chamber made by Mauser some 70 years ago that emphasized ease of loading and not a tight chamber for accuracy.

The result was the chamber had the breech end of a different (larger) diameter than the forward end of the chamber. Fired brass reflected that with a line similar to the photos in this post. While not ideal, the gun shoots fine and the brass has been re-loaded many times since the barrel set back. I suspect in this poster's Savage that the reamer used to make the chamber has a problem and it marked the chamber wall. It is best if Savage replaces the barrel but if they are reluctant it probably will make little difference in the life of the gun or the brass, over time.

LDBennett
 
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