Why is my Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor brass cracking/scratching on the shoulder

[giannid]

I started working on load development on a Daniel Defense 6.5 creedmoor I'll be using for pig and varmint hunting. Decided to use Hornady Brass due to availability and cost. Purchased some brass new and some once fired brass. I know Hornady isn't the best brass but figured it was fine as it's going through a semi auto. I've got about 300 on my bench and starting to see a scratch or crack develop on the shoulder which I haven't experienced this before. My process to reloading is deprime, anneal with my Annie Annealer for one second, clean in stainless steel pins/water, full length size with Reading die with ball removed lubed with Hornady one shot and size inside case with graphite lube/maderel.

I'm seeing this defect after the full length sizing. I'm not sure if the cases are getting overheated from the Annealer which is weakening them. Not a big fan of the Reading FL die but was all that was available when I purchased it. This brass has a max of 3 firings on it. Any ideal why this is happening? Seems to be happening on over 10% of my brass. I'm not really sure if it's actually a split or a scratch. So far I haven't reused any of the damaged cases and not sure if it's just a surface defect or the cases are actually scrap.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Hold it up to the light. If it's a crack, it will be obvious.

 

[wade2big]

Could that be a dent from overlubing before sizing? Your photos suck.

 

[sgtsmmiii]

Could that be a dent from overlubing before sizing?

That was my thought, too. Looks more like a dent ( I may have been a victim of the same thing once or twice ).

 

[918v]

That’s not a crack. It’s a fold. They formed the neck/shoulder too fast and the brass folded instead of extruding.

 

[Carlos Danger]

That’s not a crack. It’s a fold. They formed the neck/shoulder too fast and the brass folded instead of extruding.

I'm seeing that too

 

[bna5017]

My hornady brass is the same. I believe that it is due to the transition from the body of the case to the case head. The case head is thicker and wouldn't expand as much as the body when fired. I bet you can measure on each side of the line and see the difference.

 

[giannid]

So shined a light inside and doesn't seem to be a crack. I actually peeled a couple of cases open with a screwdriver and it doesn't seem to tear on the line. Doubt I'm over lubing as just using one shot. And this develops after I full length size. So you guys think the brass is ok? Will it affect anything?

Sorry for the bad pictures. Phone definitely doesn't do the best.

 

[918v]

They are safe to use but may not release the bullets the same. I would not use them for load development, maybe as foulers.