How much do you value brass brand consistency when reloading?

[skipglo]

Same load with brand X brass produced acceptable pressure for a very accurate load. Same load with brand Y brass caused excessive pressure resulting in blowing primers and eventually deforming the primer spring. So, different brass or mixing brass brands in my opinion is a NO NO.

This^^^^^^^^^^Clean them, and sort them by Brand. Load Three of each Brand using same bullet, same projectiles, same weight of powder,same seating depth....shoot them..
You will get the answer to your question..I don't mix brass in the same box! Just me

 

[VinceMule]

Let me say something here I learned the hard way. When you have a custom gun, with a high-quality barrel, and the gunsmith indicates that the barrel in the throat where the finished chamber reaming results has ..0001-.0003(finished job) run out in the throat, the barrel just shoots tiny groups, not finicky on loads, and does away with a lot of BS. I am not a gunsmith.

 

[QuietTexan]

Dumb question. How does one measure the liquid in a case? I've never gone this far with sorting? I've heard many do it, I'm not sure how it's accomplished though.

Simple answer is you put a case on a scale, zero the scale, fill the case with water until it's full, and write down the weight. Match up cases with similar numbers and they should match better based on internal capacity, removing the variables of brass weight, thickness, etc.

The in-depth answer involves a ton of variables like how many firings on the brass, unsized vs sized, how you plug the primer hole, how full is "full" ie reading the miniscus of the water, brass hardness and anealling, using water vs other liquids, weight to volume conversions, and a bunch of other nuanced stuff that devolves into opinions very quickly. It can be simple, or you can make it one of the voodoo arts of reloading, entirely up to the guy doing the process.

Not something for mixed headstamp brass for sure if you value your sanity

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Simple answer is you put a case on a scale, zero the scale, fill the case with water until it's full, and write down the weight. Match up cases with similar numbers and they should match better based on internal capacity.

Tracking with you there. I was wondering how do you keep the water in the case? Measure with spent primer still pressed in the case?

 

[memtb]

Thanks for all the advise everyone! I appreciate the help!

I'm certainly not the rifleman nor have some of the equipment that many on here have…..but my thoughts are eliminate as many variables as is possible. That done, inconsistent shooting falls upon the "nut behind the trigger"……me! memtb

 

[memtb]

Simple answer is you put a case on a scale, zero the scale, fill the case with water until it's full, and write down the weight. Match up cases with similar numbers and they should match better based on internal capacity, removing the variables of brass weight, thickness, etc.

The in-depth answer involves a ton of variables like how many firings on the brass, unsized vs sized, how you plug the primer hole, how full is "full" ie reading the miniscus of the water, brass hardness and anealling, using water vs other liquids, weight to volume conversions, and a bunch of other nuanced stuff that devolves into opinions very quickly. It can be simple, or you can make it one of the voodoo arts of reloading, entirely up to the guy doing the process.

Not something for mixed headstamp brass for sure if you value your sanity

I'm with you there……except that I do all case prep work first. Inside or outside (preferable for me) neck (minimal) turning, and trimming, and remove the burr remaining from the primer flash hole being punched.

Then I weigh the cases……however without the water aspect. That said….I haven't gone to those extremes on a lightish weight hunting rifle. memtb

 

[memtb]

For instance, making several cartridges from 375H&H brass, I always tried to use old Winchester brass, which I had many of, but lately this was hard to obtain

Which makes me very grateful that I bought a bag of 500 pieces for my H&H & my AI about 25 years ago! memtb

 

[VinceMule]

Forget weighing brass, just buy lapua if you are nit picking, F Class comp is different.

 

[QuietTexan]

Tracking with you there. I was wondering how do you keep the water in the case? Measure with spent primer still pressed in the case?

You could just leave the spent primer in. But there might be weight variances in the primer cup and hammer on all those cases too.

So some guys pop out all the primers, then take one used primer cup (remove the hammer), then use that same primer cup and press it in to each case you measure then pop it out again.

21st Century makes a metal plug with an o-ring on it that you can snug into each case.

Personally I think the weight difference in primer cups is meaningless, but some guys think it matters. Most reloaders don't have a lab balance precise and accurate enough to tell the difference between primer cups anyways.

Some guys say it's not about weight but want to decap before sorting for other reasons so might as well use the same spent primer cup over and over, it's a cheap option.

See what I mean about making it voodoo? There are at least three options just on keeping the water in

I usually use the plug because I pop primers out before cleaning when I clean cases. If I'm water sorting them then there are other prep steps going on also and they get a good bath at that point.

 

[Taylorbok]

If sorting brass makes you feel good go ahead but IME it has no measurable benefit. (assuming high quality brass. Lapua, ADG etc)

 

[Mikecr]

A brand assumption is like any other assumption.
In 6BR I've had lots of brass that were the best, and lots that were the worst I ever seen. Both Lapua.

 

[Taylorbok]

A brand assumption is like any other assumption.
In 6BR I've had lots of brass that were the best, and lots that were the worst I ever seen. Both Lapua.

How are you determining it's the worst? is that based on case life or groups and ES?

 

[FireFlyFishing]

You could just leave the spent primer in. But there might be weight variances in the primer cup and hammer on all those cases too.

So some guys pop out all the primers, then take one used primer cup (remove the hammer), then use that same primer cup and press it in to each case you measure then pop it out again.

21st Century makes a metal plug with an o-ring on it that you can snug into each case.

Personally I think the weight difference in primer cups is meaningless, but some guys think it matters. Most reloaders don't have a lab balance precise and accurate enough to tell the difference between primer cups anyways.

Some guys say it's not about weight but want to decap before sorting for other reasons so might as well use the same spent primer cup over and over, it's a cheap option.

See what I mean about making it voodoo? There are at least three options just on keeping the water in

I usually use the plug because I pop primers out before cleaning when I clean cases. If I'm water sorting them then there are other prep steps going on also and they get a good bath at that point.

Yikes. That sounds like a good project when I'm retired.

 

[blvette75]

So I'm about to start reloading for my .308 and was wondering how much of a emphasis you all put on using the same brand brass across all of your hand loads?

I have 160 rounds of once fired brass consisting of a mix of Hornady, Federal, Winchester, Nosler, Sig and Barnes. I'm wondering if I would be better served to just pick up some new brass and start fresh or use the ones I already have. I'd prefer to use the ones I already have but I'm not sure how much change you all generally see in consistency of loads when using different manufacturers brass.

Let me know what you all think and thanks in advance for the help!

Well I have always sorted by brand/Headstamp. I have found in some brands like Federal the Premium boxes seem to have better brass than the blue box stuff that I started shooting when I purchased another rifle. As a result, I always put my fired cartridges in the box I was shooting. When I prep these cases I will prep cases and load per original box ammunition type. I agree with other's here if you want really consistent handloads segregate and prep your brass exactly the same.

But if you can lay your hands on some good brass like Lapua, Nosler was good years ago when I started reloading back in the 90s, you will be better off as far as consistency. It appears component availability is better but for my 375 ruger still just using fired Hornady cases to reload, can't find anything else, bought some Buffalo bore, will reload these when I have enough brass.

For years I just had one rifle 300 win mag, due to the pandemic I now have a lot of 300 win mag brass from Winchester, just have to take my time and prep each piece. If I do a really consistent job on my prep the ammo groups typically groups well in 1/2 range.

A while back I did make the mistake of not segregating my loads between my BAR and my Savage both in 300 win mag, re-barreled my Savage and the loads made for my Savage that would not chamber in the BAR. Finally broke down and bought another bolt action a CA, most of the Savage round were able to fire in that rifle. But was not full-sizing the Savage reloads. The loads made for the BAR chambered in both, probably a tighter chamber. Live and learn.