M1 Case Separation

[Pattern14]

Took my Garand to the range last week with 60 rounds of reloaded ammunition and all went well until the last enbloc. The first round fired ok with no indication of any problem and the second round was stripped from the clip and only went halfway into battery. I manually ejected the second round and found it had entered the broken section of the first round which had remained in the chamber after it had completely separated from the head. Never did find the cartridge head.

Some basic lessons in reloading resurfaced in my mind after this incident.
1. Be careful when reloading brass multiple times. Brass is less expensive than hospital bills.
2. If you're going to reload the same brass after multiple firings check each case carefully for signs of imminent case separation.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

I wouldn't get so wrapped up about this, this isn't a case of your rifle could have blown up. What happened is the most that could have happened. Sure, brass gets stretched with time and use. It's more embarrassing than anything having to sort things out in front of over-pompous range mates. As I'm sure will be brought out by the posts that follow. Of course, they've never had anything like that happen and how dare you be so careless! Your rifle wasn't damaged? You weren't hurt? Good day then. We had those separations happen in the army 30 years ago occasionally and they still happen on the range with 303 reloaders. Sometimes you just can't tell what the day will bring!

[JBS]

Did you notice if you had the tattletale bright ring at the web on the firing before it was reloaded for the last time ( failure loading ). Glad the stub gave a good enough seal to keep gas and particles out of your face.

[Pattern14]

I've had many case separations with Enfields and Mausers over a long period of shooting experience without being worried but this is the first with a M1 Garand.

I always assumed that it was possible that if an obstruction (the front section of the first round) in the barrel prevented the 2nd round from being chambered fully that the bolt slamming into the primer could produce enough force to detonate the round out-of-battery.........or am I way off base here?

BTW, there was no ring showing the case was weakened and the second round failed to fire.

[browningautorifle]

Unless there is a high primer or something massive sitting on the primer, I doubt it will go off that way. ANYTHING COULD happen... but I doubt it would. The vast majority of separated cases I've seen were in self loaders. I have seen a couple of real gooders in sub-guns however. One in a 50 cal MG that went off like a bomb from heat but that's not this.

[joem]

I've had a few case seperations, mostly on .303's. I just get my broken shell extractor out, clear the chamber, run a patch thru and go back to shooting.

[Kirk]

I adjust my sizer die so that bolt will jus close on a sized case; I do not screw the die in till it touches the shell holder (as many die makers instruct). This significantly reduces case stretch on firing. I have goten 8-10 reloads in a Garand this way. I laso use moderate loads, never more than the max listed, when assembling loads. I also inspect each case for the tale tell bright ring just ahead of the case head. It indicates the case has stretched thin & is ready to let go.

[Pattern14]

You're right on the money Kirk. When that Garand case separated it was on its 7th firing and the load was 44.0 grains of IMR 4895. That load seems to produce the best results in my Garand. I also don't stick with the recommendations of the die makers in adjusting the die for the Garand. Thanks

Pattern14

[plt1059]

Had a case separation happen to me as well during the "rattle battle" this year at Perry. It happened on a once reloaded Hornady case. Thought is was my "attention to detail" during the resizing process, but after a visit to the Navy Van, found that the headspace was excessive with the bolt closing on a field gage. Replaced the bolt, and the rifle functions fine now. Just something else to check !!

[Pelago]

MAKE YOUR OWN TOOL TO CHECK INSIDE CASE

TAKE A LARGE PAPER CLIP, STRAIGHTEN OUT, SHARPEN ONE END TO A VERY VERY SHARP POINT.. TAKE A PAIR OF NEEDLENOSE PLIERS AND BEND THAT END ABOUT 3/16 BACK BEND IT 90 DEGREES

TAKE THE OTHER END AND MAKE A 1" COIL BY WRAPPING AROUND SCREW DRIVER, REMOVE THE LITTLE COIL

THE COIL MAKES A HANDY WAY TO HOLD IT, INSERT THE BUSINESS END (BENT POINT) INTO WHATEVER CASE YOU HAVE AND RUN IT UP AND DOWN FROM PRIMER END TO 1/2 WAY UP.

IF YOU FEEL A CRACK DISCARD CASE\
IF YOU FEEL A ROUGH AREA DISCARD CASE

CASE SHOULD BE SMOOTH AS A BABYS BUTT, WHEN YOU FEEL THAT YOU WILL KNOW IT IS A GOOD CASE

TAKES A LITTLE TIME, BUT ONCE YOU FEEL THE ROUGH CASES AND THE SMOOTH CASES AND THE 'CRACKED' ONES YOU WILL KNOW

THE POINTED END REALLY HIGHLIGHTS PROBLEM CASES
BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS AND HAVE NOT HAD A CASE SEPARATE SINCE STARTED. FIRE HUNDREDS OF 308 AND 223 A week