Lots of brass

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I had (3) 20 round lots of Norma 300 win mag brass on back order from one supplier then ordered 100 piece lot of the same thing from another supplier when I saw they had them in stock. I went to cancel the 20 piece lots but they were in stock. I figured after waiting months for them, I might as well take them too. I like working with 100 round lots, 2 lots of 50. That way they split a box of bullets so lot numbers are the same the whole way through. And I have one lot being **** while the other one is being prepped and loaded. So my question is what can I do with these 60 pieces? Can I order 40 more and then prep them all and use them all as one lot? If they are all trimmed the same and all start as virgin (was hoping not to turn necks) is there any reason this wouldn't work? Anyone have any experience with weight and neck thickness between lots of Norma brass? What's the best way to go about this?

Thanks

 

[MudRunner2005]

My STW brass is only 20 per lot and they've all been mixed and matched, etc...To the point of no return. Mine all shoot great, If you're shooting comps, then I can understand where lot-matching COULD be important....However, as far as real-world shooters and everyday joe's (like me) as long as mine are shooting 1 ragged hole and consecutively tight groups, I could care less if my brass is from the same lot or not.

But that's just my personal opinion.

 

[Greyfox]

I have been using Norma brass in my 300WM. The two lots I have are the same in terms of weight and thickness. More importantly, I get identical results in terms of accuracy, velocity, and ES. It's pricey, but excellent brass. iMO.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I have been using Norma brass in my 300WM. The two lots I have are the same in terms of weight and thickness. More importantly, I get identical results in terms of accuracy, velocity, and ES. It's pricey, but excellent brass. iMO.

I am getting the same results out of my Lapua .308 brass. However, they are kept in each lot of 100, just b/c I have Frankford 100rd boxes, and they come in packs of 100 from Lapua.

 

[mt_archer]

In my experience, it does not matter. If you want to compare, weigh a sample from each to see if they are close. If you have any doubt due to weight variations, prime a case, weigh it, then fill with water and weigh it. That gives you an even better comparison of volume. In my nosler brass, that has proven to me that volume is consistent despite lot to lot case weight variation. They shoot the same, too. I tested Remington 338 ultra brass by weight once, and it was terrible, about 15 grain variation within 100 cases. I loaded five of the lightest and five of the heaviest, and there was no correlation to velocity. They averaged same, and were all within my normal ES.

Norma brass is great usually, so you should be fine.

Main reason I keep brass in lots is to track number of times loaded.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

If it were me...

I'd fully prep and prime all of them. Exact as possible.

Then weight sort them, all 160, by .1 increments.

Select the 'middle' 100 for the "best" lot.

Make 'replacement lot low' from 5 of the cases there were just below the cut off for the middle 100.

Make 'replacement lot high' from the 5 that were just above the cut off point.

Use the remaining 50 for 'practice lot low' and 'practice lot high'.

Make sure to fire form all the lots.

Use the 'practice lots' for load development.

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With my 300WSM, "practice lot low" gets .2 more powder than 'practice lot high' for the same POI at 700 yards because the difference in case capacity.

I will be doing this with my next round "new" of brass. Most of it is prepped. Just not weight sorted into the 'lots'.

.223, Hornady brand, "best" is middle 100 of 200 rounds from factory loads.
.243, R-P brand, "best" is middle 50 of 100 rounds from pick up brass
.260, Lapua brand, "best" is middle 50 of 100 case made from one box of NEW .243
.260, Nosler brand, "best" is middle 50 of 100 cases from 2 boxes of NEW at 50 per.
300WSM, Nosler brand, "best" will middle 50 of 3 boxes of NEW at 25 per.
300WSM, R-P brand, "best" is middle 50 of 80 factory rounds.
300WSM, Win brand, "best" will be middle 100 of 3 bags of NEW at 50 per.
270 Weaterhby Mag, "best" is middle 3 of 50 each from 300 of factory. The "best" go hunting, the rest are for practice.