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Don't know if any one else shoots a mas36.
I have noticed that this rifle is really heavy on cases. Case necks split at an alarming rate. At the week end out of twenty six fired cases eight of the necks split. I am fast running out of cases.
I might try some 6.5x55 Lapau cases resized to 7.5x54 and see if they fare any better I am wondering if its the make of brass.

I think I may have a few of those knocking about (MAS cases that is)

Dromia might be able to help too... we got ours from him.

I am trying to understand why I am getting so many cases failing.

I am not looking for some were to buy cases at the moment.

Alpha1 wrote:I am trying to understand why I am getting so many cases failing.

I am not looking for some were to buy cases at the moment.

Probably because it is a military rifle, with a military chamber. Case life in a military rifle is of no importance. As long as the rifle fired the round and ejected the empty case the military were happy. Reloading brass was not even considered. In the military in small arms, cases are a use once and throw away.
I have owned SMLEs and No4s and L1A1s that would split the neck of any round fired through them, making reloading pointless. some rifles are just like that.

I know what you are saying I own at least three .303s. Swedish Mausers. 7.92 Mausers. Nagants. etc. etc. and I have never had a military rifle before that returns on average eight cases out of every twenty six with split necks.

Annealing will obviously help with brittle necks.

Also what is the difference in diameter 'tween a fired neck and a sized neck?

Could be be you have an enlarged chamber and the brass is expanding excessively on each firing.

What sizing die are you using, does it have an expander plug?

The sizing die is Lee full lentgh die with a expander plug.
I will measure some case necks to night when I get in.

Bin the expander plug immediately, they are an abomination and an affront to intelligent people.

Alpha1 wrote:Don't know if any one else shoots a mas36.
I have noticed that this rifle is really heavy on cases. Case necks split at an alarming rate. At the week end out of twenty six fired cases eight of the necks split. I am fast running out of cases.
I might try some 6.5x55 Lapau cases resized to 7.5x54 and see if they fare any better I am wondering if its the make of brass.

First off I would advise that you slug the chamber. My MAS36 is no heavier on brass than any of my other milsurp rifles.
I use PPU brass and neck size using a Lee, .308 Win collet neck sizing die with a 0.107 spacer.
Neck sizing will give you much longer case life and I have never found the need to anneal cases.
ukrifleman.