.32 SWL case crack

has anyone seen a crack like this?
what would cause it?

Yes, I have seen this in Winchester factory match .38 SPL,148 gr. HBWC ammo. They produced a certain lot of ammo with weak brass way back when. Is this Winchester brass?

Ive seen it with very old ammo, mostly surplus stuff but not in anything that small In cal.

I had a bunch of 44 mag that I reloaded about 25 years ago do that when I shot them last year.  Threw the rest away.  I can't think of why they did it, it was a relatively mild load.

I've had it happen in the past with brass that was either work hardened, or had been cleaned with Brasso. Brasso actually hardens the brass a bit because of the ammonia in the formula. Bottom line? The brass is a bit too hard and cracks when it tries to obturate and seal the chamber.

The word of the day is "OBTURATE"   

I would guesstimate that you have an oversize chamber.

BTW-- Ammonia in Brasso "dezincifies" the brass, thus weakens it.

Jerry Lehrer

this is brand new out of the box brass.
Hirtenberger from Larry's Guns,
this is why i can't under stand it why it cracked.
ill have to email Larry just to notify him.