Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Marks on brass

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    1,240
    Rep Power
    8740178

    Default Marks on brass

    Something new to me. Bought a used, clean 700 in 22-250. Working up a load for it. Started with new federal gold medal brass. Tried my first batch of reloads. No pressure signs which I expected due to moderate start point. Went back to bench to make some changes. Was checking fired cases and noticed spiral marks on main body of case. Sorta looks like something fired from a h&k with the fluted chamber. This is not just burnt powder marks it's not colored at all. These are faint brass spiral distortions. I can just barely feel them with a finger nail. Extraction was ok on the fired cases, no other concerns other than brass life. I have not tried running these threw the dies yet. Any thoughts or concerns? Only thing I can come up with is a crappy chamber cutting job, but does it really matter? Thanks red dog

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Richboro, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
    Posts
    3,047
    Rep Power
    21474851

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    How "moderate " were your loads? If you don't hit a certain pressure the brass won't fully expand in the chamber and the gasses flowing around it can do funny things. See if the marks go away when you get closer to max.

    How does the chamber look? I would give it a good cleaning till it is shiny. Maybe even a quick polish with Flitz on a tightly fitting mop.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Mohnton, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
    Posts
    7,178
    Rep Power
    21474854

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    Pictures

    You describe it very well but not a good as a picture would.
    The Gun is the Badge of a Free Man

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Leola
    Posts
    178
    Rep Power
    5150183

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    The reamer may have chattered when the chamber was cut.
    Polishing the chamber may help.
    If the barrel is low round count and polishing is not an option, you could have the barrel set back and rechambered.
    Losing a half inch of the barrel, from setting it back, will not affect velocity very much.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Posts
    1,646
    Rep Power
    21474846

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    Now you know why it was for sale 🤔
    Too many times I read about people with problem firearms "selling it and moving on". No idea if this is the case but it iritates me when i read it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    1,240
    Rep Power
    8740178

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    thanks for the responses. here are some pics. gotta say what a pita posting them. I will work on that. if you look closely you can see the spiral marks in the brass body. this isn't blow by. more of a fire forming to a screwed up chamber I believe. fyi load data is federal brass new, Hornady 55 grain vmax 22271 bullet, 210 primers, n150 powder at 33.0 and 33.2 grains. roughly 3400 fps. max in my book is 35.4 grains for 3600 fps. I guess my big concern is brass degradation, hate to get into 3rd or 4th load and get split cases. setting back the barrel a touch and recutting is a option or just getting a better barrel all together is a option as well. will say these loads are already sub moa but im always trying to make a better fly swatter.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    next to my neighbor, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    13,553
    Rep Power
    21474867

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    The chamber looks to be rifled.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    (Cumberland County)
    Posts
    1,240
    Rep Power
    8740178

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    That's exactly what it looks like. Very subtle but all the way around the case and very consistent spacing and dimensions.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
    (Lehigh County)
    Posts
    3,146
    Rep Power
    21474850

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    What do you see when you pull the bolt and look at the chamber?
    Illegitimus non carborundum est

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Richboro, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
    Posts
    3,047
    Rep Power
    21474851

    Default Re: Marks on brass

    That does look suspiciously like the flutes on a lot of reamers. They probably stopped turning it before it was removed. Look in the chamber and see if you can see it.

    If it was a new rifle I would say send it back but the marks don't look too bad and you should be able to polish them out some. Brownells sells chamber polishers that you chuck in a drill but they are relatively pricey (for a cheap bastard like me). I would find a tight fitting bore mop then lube it up with Flitz. Chuck it in a drill and polish the chamber working it in and out. Do not put any pressure on the chambers shoulder area! You do not need to remove much metal so go slow and clean and check the chamber often. When it looks a little better stop and try your loads again.

    I don't think Flitz alone will get every last trace out but it should help. I also don't think these minor surface marks will significantly shorten your brass life or will make you blow up.

Similar Threads

  1. marks
    By Clark Kent in forum Feedback
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: October 4th, 2012, 02:00 AM
  2. Import Marks
    By bortle in forum General
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: October 26th, 2010, 08:26 AM
  3. Holster marks?
    By rallen in forum General
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: May 23rd, 2008, 09:01 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •