I guess you really should weigh your brass

The easiest test is make three groups of 5 with your 154 grn. cases ( 15 rounds ) and with the exact same load make three groups of 5 (15 Rounds ) with your 157 grn. cases,. If you have have an accurate riffle, say 1 MOA , you will see two different groups begin to form on the paper at 100 yards . They may as much as an inch and a quarter apart at 100 yards , so double that at 200 yards. Both groups may be precise, depending on you and your rifle , and one is not "Better " than the other, they just shoot to different place. When I go the range , I always have a Sighter Target marked, to shoot the first three or four rounds, do the slight re adjustment with the scope , then settle in and shoot the record targets . This test will tell you all you need to know about case weight. To some shooters just looking for a 3 inch group at 100 yards, it wont matter , but to the shooter really looking for the One ragged hole group, it will. This is a three shot group (.137 ) fired from my 308 , then adjust scope up and right and 4 shot into the moth ball. IMG_2001 308 Groupe   3 plus one may 2021.GIFI cant do that without carefully made rounds.
 
First time loading for 308. Got a pile of once fired Hornady Tap brass for pretty good price. Long story short. Spent over 300 rounds fighting 5 shot groups that had 3 and 2 together or 4 and a flier, cussing my chronograph, and scratching my head at random pressure signs showing up. Turns out Hornady changed their match brass at some point. I have some that weigh right at 160 gr. Some right at 172 gr. And a handful of regular head stamp Hornady at 190. All mixed together when tumbled and pulled back out in random batches. Go me.
FWIW I resize, punch out primer, trim to size Then weigh and segregate. I use the old jimmy dean breakfast bowls for the different weights.
 
The only used brass I buy is for my ARs .For them I have a source of 1X Military or Police.My other rifles I buy new usually about 250 from the same lot.It seems to save a lot of wasted time over really not knowing if the brass you buy is 1X or not.Also saves a lot of components trying to get an accurate load on a new rifle.
 
From the power to be say: 20+fps Excessive muzzle velocity variation Not suitable for long range shooting, but of for short range use. 15fps Good factory ammunition or poor hand-loads. Usable for long range shooting but not ideal. 10fps Exceptional factory ammunition or averaged hand-loads. Acceptable for many long-range shooting applications. 10fps SD will give you approximately 1 MOA of vertical dispersion at 1000yds
 

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