Pressure sign?

[toxo]

Fairly new to this reloading lark so I apologise if this is a stupid question.
In an effort to find a quiet/accurate load for my 17HH I fired these four loaded with 2.4gr of Trail Boss. Since starting I haven't found any pressure sugns except flattened primers. My buddy bought some ?times used cases and I'm guessing this is what I used. Is this the start of head/case seperation? Can someone school me on case pressure with low loads please?

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[reed1911]

Those look like they are starting to sep. at the head. If you FL size the brass each time and you have a slight difference in H.S. this will begin to occur.
It is odd to see in a rimmed chamber (assuming it is cut to spec) and pressure too will cause this to occur, however you generally see other signs, most notably hard extraction (in this case). Of course you need to keep in mind that none of the signs we use are really indicative of anything 100%. They are general things to watch for, can be caused by other things, and pressure may in fact be well above (25%+) max before said signs show themselves.

Just muddied the water huh?

I would not use those cases in any event. Crush them and toss into the scrap brass pile.

[fat cat]

My 22 and 17 Hornet look the se way. Never had any problems

[sgtg]

Black a case with a candle ( after lubing lightly ) size fired case, I bet that line is where your die stops sizing, I think it's fine. Take your calipers and measure just above the rim then measure just above that line I bet it will be smaller just above the rim. sgtg

PS: No such thing as a stupid question, every thing we learn in life we learned from somebody, so never stop questioning or you will never be good at anything.

Questions always welcome. !! sgtg

[kenbro]

I agree with Mr. Reed on this.
Look (To me) more like start of cracks than marks left by dies.
Primers look fine.
Ken.

[ken158]

I have taken a straightened paper clip or a small piece of wire to feel the inside of cases behind marks to determine if failure is imminent. If I can see it on the outside and feel it on the inside it goes in the brass bucket.

[fat cat]

I bet 100 bucks there's nothing wrong with the brass! Like I said, my Hornet brass looks like that an I can't tell you how many times it been fired. But I shoot a Hornet. Not 220Swift/ Hornet like some of the Internut gun experts shoot!

[dungheap]

Ken158 just stole my thunder. Years ago I took a piece of gas welding rod about 1/16" diameter and ground it to a point, put a right angle bend in it about a quarter inch long, and fashioned a loop to hang it on the other end. The point will let you feel any developing crack inside a case, and when you do feel a crack, pitch the case. This will save us a discussion about how to remove a separated case. From a pressure standpoint, those primers look OK to me.

[Bill K]

I go with the too much headspace thoughts and the beginning of head separation. Size those fired cases in your chamber, by just touching the shoulder or even back off a little, with your FL sizing die. Bet it will stop showing signs of separation.
You can also take a paper clip and make a little tool to feel the inside of the case, for the tell tale ring forming at the point of separation. Cheap and so simple to do. Bill K

[coyotespotter]

I have had one case head separation and a couple crack on old 17 rem brass that I had full-length sized a bunch. Mine were higher up the case body almost double the height of the web. Which to me makes sense, cracking at the web junction not so much.