Brass Prep for 1X brass fired in different rifle

[just_jon]

I recently picked up some once loaded brass from a reputable LGS and noticed that some had very little or resistance in my sizing die. Brass is the same brand I have my die set up with. I can only surmise that some of the brass may have been sized or the cases were fired in more than one rifle. One option would be to resize to the length of the shortest, but that would have required bumping the shoulder 8-10 thousandths on half of the cases. I don't like working my brass that much. I'm now thinking about doing a quick COW fire forming session off the deck to even things up a bit based my chamber dimensions.

Before I go through with that option, I'm interested to hear what others would handle this situation. Maybe I just need to give my brain a rest, neck size them and shoot as normal since all case fit my chamber. Maybe it's not much different from shooting undersized new brass.

 

[Carlos88]

I'd reserve the worst for barrel fouling. Load up the others.

 

[can1010]

i see that with 223 range brass a couple times. by best guess is the difference a tight chamber bolt gun and an AR. I just neck size and shoot never caused a problem

 

[Deans]

Since it is once fired brass from unknown rifles I would anneal, clean if necessary and then size. Then take the empty cases and see if they will chamber in your rifle. Those that don't chamber well then bump the shoulders back.

 

[xsn10s]

I recently picked up some once loaded brass from a reputable LGS and noticed that some had very little or resistance in my sizing die. Brass is the same brand I have my die set up with. I can only surmise that some of the brass may have been sized or the cases were fired in more than one rifle. One option would be to resize to the length of the shortest, but that would have required bumping the shoulder 8-10 thousandths on half of the cases. I don't like working my brass that much. I'm now thinking about doing a quick COW fire forming session off the deck to even things up a bit based my chamber dimensions.

Before I go through with that option, I'm interested to hear what others would handle this situation. Maybe I just need to give my brain a rest, neck size them and shoot as normal since all case fit my chamber. Maybe it's not much different from shooting undersized new brass.

What is the brass and what firearm do you intend to fire from?

 

[just_jon]

It's Remington 243 brass. Rifle is T/C Encore. I've done all my normal case prep to include annealing, but stopped resizing (no expander ball) when I started running into shorter (base to shoulder). Sizing feel was about equal to bullet seating force.

 

[xsn10s]

I'd size with the expander ball in. It'll probably stretch the case back so it won't be so undersized. I usually take the firing pin assembly out of my bolts to feel how the tension on closing the bolt. Not sure on how to do that with your TC.

 

[baldhunter]

I buy and shoot a lot of once fired brass in my rifles.If the first load that was fired wasn't loaded too hot,it will resize with very little resistance.If the first load was loaded at really high pressure, it will usually have a little more resistance.

 

[just_jon]

I buy and shoot a lot of once fired brass in my rifles.If the first load that was fired wasn't loaded too hot,it will resize with very little resistance.If the first load was loaded at really high pressure, it will usually have a little more resistance.

I had not considered that possibility. I just finished spreading COW across my back yard. It was quicker than running 30 minutes to my local range. Besides, I get the strangest looks when COW fire forming at the range.

I'd size with the expander ball in. It'll probably stretch the case back so it won't be so undersized. I usually take the firing pin assembly out of my bolts to feel how the tension on closing the bolt. Not sure on how to do that with your TC.

That is a good idea, but I have no clue where what I did with the expander ball. I did add a .0015" shim the firing pin bushing to make my total headspace (bushing to case head in TC speak) .0005" to reduce the amount of stretching, Only time will tell if it made a difference.

 

[xsn10s]

That is a good idea, but I have no clue where what I did with the expander ball.

You should be able to reorder them. I'd call the manufacturer. You never know what they will say.

 

[Mike Matteson]

If you have case fire from your rifle. 1. Just purchased case, first check the cases for overall case length to see if the case is out of spec, trimmer to length if needed. Use a comparator to check the dimension from the base to shoulder to see what the difference is. If shorter than your case that has been used in your firearm they should work with neck sizing, or wanted or use your FL die to size the cases where it's set at. (being short to should your die won't touch the shoulder. If you anneal case I would do that from the start after de-primer and cleaning. You don't fully knowing how many time those cases have really been fired. A mandrel setup would do the trick too for setting ID would very useful setting tension.

 

[QuietTexan]

It's Remington 243 brass.

Probably too late since you COW'd them. But this is my logic on factory once-fired bolt brass:

It is all the same head stamp? Primers in or out? I'd sort by head stamp first, then primer color if they're there, that generally keeps the cases in somewhat in separate lots. Meaning if someone hands me 40 cases in a bag and half the primers are silver and half are brass that tells me they're probably from two 20-round boxes. Not that there's any meaning in the color other than if they break down perfectly it's probably not serendipity. I ask people to keep the fired cases in the boxes before they bring them to me. Doesn't apply if it's pickup brass obviously.

Then I might weight sort them. Not that I'm in any way saying weighing cases actually ties to case capacity, but if you identify several consistent weight peaks in the batch there's a decent chance those weights go together.

After that do what you did/ what Mike and the others said. Blow them out, size them back, see what they do. If you really want to get peak performance out of them water capacity sort them after they're blown out fully.

IMO they'll never be as good as a truly matched set of new brass, but that doesn't mean you can get perfectly useful loads from them. I've been known to shoot brass in multiple rifles myself from time to time.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I use lots of once fire brass for my 308 N. Mag in the pass. 300 WM brass worked just fine. I don't do that anymore, but I still collect used brass, if free and I store it for a rainy day. We have come close to that again as of late.

 

[just_jon]

All same head stamp and they came deprimed. I checked H2O capacity in sample of 10 and it only varied by .5 grain. Empty case weight on 2 cases varied by 5 grains, so a thorough weight sorting is definitely in order. Price was right if I only get if I can get 100 good cases out of the 200 I bought.