First Indication of a PPU Case Head Separation

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   I like to start out with unfired brass. I use a very mild load, just enough to swell the case to the chamber. I also commit an unspeakable act with those loads, I grease them. The entire case slides back up against the bolt face with no stretching. After I clean off the grease. The cases are then used as a wildcat cartridge setting the resizer so as not to set the shoulder back. I also use a LEE collet die much of the time.

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Smokey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: May 11 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 806	Post Options Post Reply Quote Smokey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 20 2023 at 3:30pm
	I like to start out with unfired brass. I use a very mild load, just enough to swell the case to the chamber. I also commit an unspeakable act with those loads, I grease them. The entire case slides back up against the bolt face with no stretching. After I clean off the grease. The cases are then used as a wildcat cartridge setting the resizer so as not to set the shoulder back. I also use a LEE collet die much of the time.
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britrifles Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Online Points: 5298	Post Options Post Reply Quote britrifles Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 20 2023 at 5:31pm
	Smokey, According to Reynolds, every No. 4 action was proof tested with a “lightly oiled” proof round. So, I think a greased case with a very mild load would not do any damage. You would have to use an appropriate powder for reduced charges, otherwise an overpressure could occur. The problem is you really don’t know how much load is being put on the bolt, and what the cumulative affects may be. If your load produced only 50% of the maximum rated cartridge chamber pressure, say 22,500 CUP, likely no problem. But we don’t have any definitive data of how much additional load is applied to the bolt from an oiled case. How many “full power” reloads do you typically get with your method of fire forming the case? I say “full power”, meaning something between min and max published load data for jacketed bullets and not reduced loads or cast bullet loads.

Stanforth Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: January 08 2017 Location: Oxford England Status: Offline Points: 760	Post Options Post Reply Quote Stanforth Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 21 2023 at 8:20am
	I have used PPU cases for years and owing to a shoulder injury I use a light, usually the manufactures Staring load. I have NEVER had a PPU case separated but i get case separated after about 2 reloads with Winchester. If I get (given) Winchester cases I dump them or give them to someone I don't like.
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britrifles Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Online Points: 5298	Post Options Post Reply Quote britrifles Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 21 2023 at 12:00pm
	My regular match load is 40.0 grains of Varget with 174 gr SMK. That's a mid-range load for .303 per Hodgdon on-line data, I get about 2400 fps 20 feet from the muzzle. I've started tracking the number of reloads of PPU cases in two of my No. 4 rifles, but this first batch shot from my Mk 1/3 Long Branch, I don't know how many reloads on them, perhaps 40ish; with the first indication of cracking in the web. Stanforth, do you have an idea of how many reloads on your PPU cases?