I started load development today with my new 1872 8x58RD. I was using Bertram brass, 185gr rem. Core-loks and AA5744 powder. Starting off very low at 20 grains, a full 6 grains lower than the AA listed as a starting load, I had a mild pop not much louder then a 22LR.
At 22 grains the pop was a bit louder but still very mild considering I was pushing a 185gr Rem. Core-lok out the barrel. At 24grains the rifle started to sound more like a rifle and the brass was still looking fine so I continued up to 26 grains, the starting load recommended by AA. At 26 grains the rifle had a bit more zip on the first shot. The second shot cracked the case about an inch, half way between the shoulder and the case head webbing. This was a bit disturbing and I was glad I had my safety glass on but the recoil was still mild, less then a 6.5x55 Swede so I did not feel it was a heavy loading for the rifle. I decided it was time to get out the chronograph and chech velocity while backing back down to 24 grains. I loaded up two more cases with 24 grians and fired the first one and it measured approx 1500fps, on the second round the case split just like the loading at 26 grains. Now I am thinking this brass sucks so I loaded up two more cases with 26 grains and fired them through the chronograph. The first round clocked in at 1702 fps and on the second shot the Chrony failed to measure the velocity, battery dying or cloudy day, who knows.
Any way, the reason for this post is to ask if other people have had problems with the Bertram brass being to brittle? I have heard that you need to anneal the neck and shoulder before you size the brass after firing but this was new brass straight out of the box. Normally I would run the brass through the sizing die but these were going to be chamber fire forming/ test loads so I did not bother running them through the die set. I did standardize the flash holes with my flash hole tool but that was the extent of the case prep.
Smokepole50
At 22 grains the pop was a bit louder but still very mild considering I was pushing a 185gr Rem. Core-lok out the barrel. At 24grains the rifle started to sound more like a rifle and the brass was still looking fine so I continued up to 26 grains, the starting load recommended by AA. At 26 grains the rifle had a bit more zip on the first shot. The second shot cracked the case about an inch, half way between the shoulder and the case head webbing. This was a bit disturbing and I was glad I had my safety glass on but the recoil was still mild, less then a 6.5x55 Swede so I did not feel it was a heavy loading for the rifle. I decided it was time to get out the chronograph and chech velocity while backing back down to 24 grains. I loaded up two more cases with 24 grians and fired the first one and it measured approx 1500fps, on the second round the case split just like the loading at 26 grains. Now I am thinking this brass sucks so I loaded up two more cases with 26 grains and fired them through the chronograph. The first round clocked in at 1702 fps and on the second shot the Chrony failed to measure the velocity, battery dying or cloudy day, who knows.
Any way, the reason for this post is to ask if other people have had problems with the Bertram brass being to brittle? I have heard that you need to anneal the neck and shoulder before you size the brass after firing but this was new brass straight out of the box. Normally I would run the brass through the sizing die but these were going to be chamber fire forming/ test loads so I did not bother running them through the die set. I did standardize the flash holes with my flash hole tool but that was the extent of the case prep.
Smokepole50