Dinged cases?

[titan14]

I asked this question in another thread, but, I think it may be more appropriate here....

I have noticed that my Rock Island Officers model is denting cases. The dents are fairly sharp and are about halfway down the case.

Anyone know what causes this?

Can it be fixed?

[USMCJG]

Put a cartridge in the magazine and slowly chamber it while controlling the slide with your hand. The bullet will be hitting the top of the chamber as the rim is sliding underneath the extractor. The area where the feed ramp ends and the chamber begins is a pivot point and is likely what is causing the denting. This could just be normal and nothing to worry about, it could be that the feed ramp needs some massaging, or it could be that the extractor has too much tension or is too long and is hitting the cartridge ahead of the rim. Do you have any pictures of the dented brass?

Edited November 15, 2010 by USMCJG

[titan14]

I'll try to get a pic...

[titan14]

[titan14]

Sorry for the terrible pics...

[USMCJG]

It's hard to tell anything from the pics. I expected to see a bit more of a crease than a dent. I would just recommend doing what I mentioned earlier and seeing where the binding is happening and checking your extractor tension and making sure that is OK. Otherwise, if your not having any reliability problems, I wouldn't worry about it.

Here is a brief tutorial that shows how to adjust extractor tension- Extractor Tuning Tips . It is also not uncommon for an extractor to be a bit too long and hit the case ahead of the rim, causing the case to not sit flat against the breech face. This could cause the same symptoms as too much extractor tension.

[titan14]

Ive chambered a round slowly, like you said, and I understand what you are saying, but....it would seem that this would cause a "crease" rather than the "dents" im seeing.

The dent looks ALMOST like a firing pin strike...not nearly as extreme, but similar.

[timcalhoun]

This looks like the case is hitting the slide when ejecting. Pretty normal on short guns really. I would ignore it. An officers model has so little opportunity getting that fat case out anyway, and getting the ejector/extractor tuned to eliminate this could prove frustrating (but possible).

[titan14]

This looks like the case is hitting the slide when ejecting. Pretty normal on short guns really. I would ignore it. An officers model has so little opportunity getting that fat case out anyway, and getting the ejector/extractor tuned to eliminate this could prove frustrating (but possible).

makes sense....

[leroy]

Titan:___________

+1 on Tim's observation. I've got a full size old model colt series 70 that does the same thing. If it ejects ok; the dents dont matter. Tou can straighten

them out when you run the brass thru a resizer.

Hope this helps.

Leroy

[titan14]

Titan:___________

+1 on Tim's observation. I've got a full size old model colt series 70 that does the same thing. If it ejects ok; the dents dont matter. Tou can straighten

them out when you run the brass thru a resizer.

Hope this helps.

Leroy

That is exactly what I'm concerned about...reloading dented cases. As stated in another thread...maybe im just being picky, but, I'm very paranoid about damaged cases when I'm reloading.

When I run these cases through the resizer...I can still see the dent...should I worry about it or keeping on loading?

[JeffsSig]

When shooting the gun do you notice what angle the shells come out?

3Oclock 4- 5?

[titan14]

Jeff...it seems they are going everywhere...but...mostly around 11 to 3 o clock...it's a pain in the ass to find my brass with this gun.

[gregintenn]

If they'll cycle through the sizing die, they should cycle through your gun just fine.

[timcalhoun]

Jeff...it seems they are going everywhere...but...mostly around 11 to 3 o clock...it's a pain in the ass to find my brass with this gun.

If that is the case, I would check the extractor for tension and or clocking.

[USMCJG]

If that is the case, I would check the extractor for tension and or clocking.

+1

[Grunt67]

That is exactly what I'm concerned about...reloading dented cases. As stated in another thread...maybe im just being picky, but, I'm very paranoid about damaged cases when I'm reloading.

When I run these cases through the resizer...I can still see the dent...should I worry about it or keeping on loading?

Good thread, glad someone brought this up. I've seen numerous range brass with the

same or similar dent. Have no idea what gun(s) were used.

As for reloading, I just threw these away. Reasoning was, die may remove some or

all of the dent, but does it weaken the case? Just didn't want to take the risk, myself.

Problem or not...can't say for sure.