Interesting case failure... 357sig

[The Courier]

So this was a new kind of strange for me, went out to shoot this morning and about 200 rounds in I had a failure to extract (had to use a rod to clear the chamber). When I looked at the case I was astonished at what I was looking at the base or rim buckled. At first I thought out of battery discharge but the shoulder and case mouth are in good condition which means it had to be fully chambered or there would have been mouth or shoulder damage. The case Winchester has only been loaded maybe 3 times and the load was a mid range of hs6 under a 124gr berrys thick plated fn. What are your guys thoughts on this? Should I be greatful that I still got my fingers?

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[The Courier]

 

[Quartermaster]

It got tired and just sat down.

 

[KKG]

I'd pack it up with a letter to explain and send it back to Winchester.

 

[Goosebrown]

Never seen anything like it. Just grasping here, but it looks like the web was thin and suffered a severe failure. Could that round of been a little more than three times? What if it had been expanding and then resized over and over so that the thickness of the web was just really thin?

 

[Certaindeaf]

You obviously entered a parallel universe when you weren't looking. so there's that

 

[DizzyJ]

When did you trim the brass last?

 

[The Courier]

I have never seen a case squish like that, I also inspect 357 sig and 10mm for web problems due to the high pressure. Win and Hornady cases rarely get loaded by me because I consider it like finding gold so at most loaded 4 times.

 

[The Courier]

When did you trim the brass last?

I keep all my 357 sig brass at .860 (max is .865) I am OCD when it pertains to case length.

 

[The Courier]

I'm thinking 800x might be a better powder for this caliber, compressed load means no set back and 800x has a lower PSI with equal or greater than velocity .

 

[Certaindeaf]

You are obviously the anti-limp wrister. Remind me to never shake your hand.

 

[DizzyJ]

I keep all my 357 sig brass at .860 (max is .865) I am OCD when it pertains to case length.

Fair enough. I know if the case gets too long it'll pinch the end of the case and pressures can exponentially increase!

 

[The Courier]

Fair enough. I know if the case gets too long it'll pinch the end of the case and pressures can exponentially increase!

Absolutely, nobody seems to have a yes or no answer as to how a 357 sig headspaces. My experience Sigs=headspaces on shoulder Glocks=headspaces on case mouth, no primer indication of over pressure.

 

[No_Regerts]

You are obviously the anti-limp wrister. Remind me to never shake your hand.

Like a compressed disc after an impact. His hand just doesn't give.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Absolutely, nobody seems to have a yes or no answer as to how a 357 sig headspaces. My experience Sigs=headspaces on shoulder Glocks=headspaces on case mouth, no primer indication of over pressure.

Yea, it seems like it sucked instead a blew. pretty dang odd

 

[The Courier]

Yea, it seems like it sucked instead a blew. pretty dang odd

And it still was on target even with the crappy case, If it hadn't stuck in the chamber I wouldn't have noticed recoil and report were normal.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

weak web

also, you mentioned 800x... from my experience with this powder and 40s&w i was spittin unburnt powder out the barrel... YMMV for 357sig

 

[Kruel J]

The caliber god's were safely telling you to walk away from .357 SIG...........

Glad you're ok.

 

[Crohnos01]

Wow... glad you're ok too.... I understand its difficult to pick your nose without fingers, so you should probably consider yourself lucky in that regard

All kidding aside, I would contact Winchester. They will probably want you to send the case back and will send you a coupon for some free brass. I have noticed a decline in Winchester brass QC process over the years. You may be a victim of that.

 

[DizzyJ]

Absolutely, nobody seems to have a yes or no answer as to how a 357 sig headspaces. My experience Sigs=headspaces on shoulder Glocks=headspaces on case mouth, no primer indication of over pressure.

That's a damned little shoulder to headspace off of. I'd think case length would be a better way for that cartridge.

I avoided messing with shouldered cartridges for almost 20 years. Eventually got sucked in though when I wanted to load my own rifle ammo close to a decade ago.