Question about a scratch

[Oregon13]

i have just begun reloading 9mm, and have had quite a bit of fun with it. Still working up to a preferred load, but that's part of the fun. But, I would like to move on to load 7mm rem mag as well. However, every shell that I have comes with this small scratch on the shoulder. All of them are identical, same spot, same scratch. It's kind of hard to see, but the scratch is just to the right of the glare. I can feel it just barely when I run my fingernail over it.

7mm shoulder scratch

• Oregon13
• Apr 4, 2016

My question is, does this scratch look dangerous to you? To me it looks superficial, but being a new reloader, it is enough to make me question the case. Also, does anybody have an idea where the scratch might come from? I think it occurs on extraction of the shell, but I'm not sure what is causing it.

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[AMProducts]

It's a fairly minor scratch, but over-time it will burn your brass out quicker. If you bought RCBS dies, call their customer support, they will polish out the die for you. (big reason I always recommend RCBS) you might try cleaning the die out before you send it in, but that looks significant enough it's probably caused by a burr or other problem.

 

[Oregon13]

It's a fairly minor scratch, but over-time it will burn your brass out quicker. If you bought RCBS dies, call their customer support, they will polish out the die for you. (big reason I always recommend RCBS) you might try cleaning the die out before you send it in, but that looks significant enough it's probably caused by a burr or other problem.

Thank you for the answer. I haven't put it through any of the dies yet. It comes out of the rifle that way. I did tumble it, so that the scratch was easier to see, but that's it. Although, I do have rcbs dies, and I use a rockchucker press.
Maybe I should take the case and the rifle to a gunsmith and have them take a look. Any gunsmith recommendations near Portland?

 

[Greenbug]

Looks to me like normal wear on your brass from feeding/ejecting from your rifle. Nothing to be concerned about at all. Load em up and have some fun!

 

[Member 5605]

Originally I was under the impression that was from the dies. If it was then the die needs to be fixed.

Otherwise if that's from extraction then looks normal. Possibly from being the next round and having the bolt ride over top of the brass while its in the magazine.

 

[Oregon13]

Thanks for the advice guys, I feel better about moving forward with the reload. I'll update this if the scratch becomes worse or does something weird during the reloading process. But I think it will be okay.

 

[Crohnos01]

I agree with the above; no worries and I wouldn'tlose sleep over the scratch.
I have been cooking 7mm loads for 40 or so years, so if you want to trade recipes sometime, PM me.

 

[Oregon13]

I agree with the above; no worries and I wouldn'tlose sleep over the scratch.
I have been cooking 7mm loads for 40 or so years, so if you want to trade recipes sometime, PM me.

Hi Crohnos, thanks for the advice. I would love to compare recipes with you. I don't have much to share at the moment, but I do have plenty of questions. I tried to send you a PM but it doesn't seem to let me start a new conversation with you.

 

[Crohnos01]

Dunno why that might be.. I just sent you a message to see if you can just reply back.

 

[PaulB47]

Maybe it's from ejection? Feel around the port to see if something is sharp there. Could stone it out... similarly, look at the feed lips of the magazine.

 

[Oregon13]

I suppose that the make of the rifle might make this question easier to answer. I thought I included it at the beginning.
I am shooting these out of a Winchester model 70 XTR sporter magnum.

Maybe it's from ejection? Feel around the port to see if something is sharp there. Could stone it out... similarly, look at the feed lips of the magazine.

Ejection was my first thought, and you a probably right. But if I move the bolt back real slow, and slide the shell out, it still has the scratch. Which is why I'm Hesitant to pinpoint ejection. But maybe it's just one of those things that happens.

 

[drstrangelove]

Take a white crayon and color over your brass. Then load it in the mag and cycle. Whatever is scratching your brass is going to have a white mark on it.

 

[Crohnos01]

Just be careful of working your action too much.... you wouldn't want to have a premature ejection

 

[AMProducts]

Thank you for the answer. I haven't put it through any of the dies yet. It comes out of the rifle that way. I did tumble it, so that the scratch was easier to see, but that's it. Although, I do have rcbs dies, and I use a rockchucker press.
Maybe I should take the case and the rifle to a gunsmith and have them take a look. Any gunsmith recommendations near Portland?

Ah, ok, I thought it was in the reloading die...

This is a problem you can debug yourself, however it may be an issue when it comes to fixing.

Take a casing, (or loaded cartridge) and color it with some permanent marker (let it dry first) cycle it from the magazine into the chamber (don't push it into battery or close the bolt) check for scratch, then go to the next step figure out where it's scratching.

If it's in the chamber, you're going to need a gun smith, if it's in the feeding, you may be able to fix this with some very fine grained sand paper called Krocus (crocus seen both spellings) cloth and slowly polish out the bumps. The big thing is, if you stick with sharpening stones, and fine grained sand paper you're not likely to take off so much material you get into trouble.

 

[ageingstudent]

Just be careful of working your action too much.... you wouldn't want to have a premature ejection

Oh good Lord. I tried not too but laughed anyway

 

[Ura-Ki]

A lot of bolt guns need a bit of file and stone work in the mag area around the shell follower and the bolt races. Many have very sharp edges and machine tool marks from not properly blending/de burring as part of the Q/C process. This is the result of mass producing something and cutting corners. I would guess this is what is causing the issue you are having and would address that area of the rifle first before I were to look at any thing else. Good choice in caliber! Should serve you well for a very long time!

 

[PaulB47]

I just noticed a similar thing with my AR-15, leaving a big deep gouge near the base of my brass. Turned out the relief cut in the case deflector that is there for the dust cover to swing out, had a sharp edge to it. Got my little dremel tool out and rounded that off, now it is fine. A smaller ding where the top of the brass hits the top of the deflector is also there, but I can live with it because it doesn't really gouge the case like the other did.

But if I move the bolt back real slow, and slide the shell out, it still has the scratch.

Is your gun the "classic" (Mauser-style) action? Or the push feed? If the latter, the spring-loaded ejector in the bolt face will push the case toward the port as the case is being pulled out. You might try pushing against that spring pressure to see if the scratch is eliminated that way.

 

[Oregon13]

I just noticed a similar thing with my AR-15, leaving a big deep gouge near the base of my brass. Turned out the relief cut in the case deflector that is there for the dust cover to swing out, had a sharp edge to it. Got my little dremel tool out and rounded that off, now it is fine. A smaller ding where the top of the brass hits the top of the deflector is also there, but I can live with it because it doesn't really gouge the case like the other did.



Is your gun the "classic" (Mauser-style) action? Or the push feed? If the latter, the spring-loaded ejector in the bolt face will push the case toward the port as the case is being pulled out. You might try pushing against that spring pressure to see if the scratch is eliminated that way.

It has a classic action. Internal top load magazine, 4 rounds. I think the shells are functional for reloading, but I still would like to send it in and have the action smoothed out. Just for some peace of mind.
I haven't had anytime to work on it though, finals are coming up unfortunately.
Thank you for the advice!

 

[noylj]

> It comes out of the rifle that way
So, does it come out of the rifle like that or out of the sizing die like that?
One is a rifle issue and one is a die issue.