Moving to the next level in my reloading

[Guest]

Ok, sorting bullets. Just got me a 500 box of sierra 142's and was thinking...Hey I can sort these. Problem being I never did that in my reloading experience.

So, fear of sounding like a Long Range reloading ding bat. What process do you use to sort your bullets. I can check Ogive with my stoney point...IF thats OK? Weight not an issue I can check it with my new RCBS scales.

What else?

Thanks in advance

Joe

 

[chris matthews]

Base to ogive
Diameter
And then don't forget to uniform the melpats
And if that don't work just throw out the ugly ones!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Guest]

LMAO

Thanks Chris

Joe

 

[7Rumloader]

Chris laid it out pretty good lab.

By the way I saw a new member by the name of lablover jr any relation?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Guest]

Lablover JR

Yup, he's my son currently in the USMC. He just got back from his seconed tour in Iraq. He's in Sunny Ca. right now but will be home in a week for a 3 week visit. Him as well as my youngest will be in PA for the weekend of the 18th for the shoot and hopefully some live hoggin.

Joe

 

[Guest]

Oh..Ok got it. Do you not weigh them at all and sort by weight? If not...Cool

Joe

 

[7Rumloader]

I do a sample test on them of ten paercent in your case would be 50 and if they vary more than say .2 grains then I weigh them all and most of the time I end up weighing them all!
Glad top see him here!
We thank him for his services!

 

[Guest]

Ok

So far I have done weight..None are more than .2 off each other. Base to ogive a diffrent story. Out of the 50, I had 7 that were .20 off from the rest. The rest were no more than .2-.3 off each other

So, I assume that those that are off more than ??? I set aside for short range stuff. The others that are right on I save for long range stuff correct?

Now Dia. what kind of tol. am I looking for? Sounds like I might end up with 3 different batches of bullets right?

Thanks

Joe

 

[7Rumloader]

The ones that are .20 off don't have to be short range just keep them apart from the ones that are the same +/- .02 or whatever you decide on. The ones that are .20 diff will provide a different b.c and change poi at extended ranges but if you keep them together then when you load them you can find out just how much and call it your own experiment with bullet sorting. I have never done the diameter but it may be a good idea for 1k plus shooting! Once I get the bullets into weight groups then go back through them and sort base to ogive setting each of a certain length together until I get the desired amount I intend upon loading be it 10 or 100 in a certain group. I then put the other groups in a container and label their base to ogive measurements and weight so as not to have to do it all again next time.
You can do them all at once so the next loading session all you have to do is dump powder and apply bullets!

 

[brian b]

This is a topic I really dont want to stir the pot on because Chris Matthews allmost all the time has a post that I can agree whole heartedly with. he suggested measuring base to ogive, to me this tells you very little ,measuring bearing surface length or from rear bearing surface to ogive tell the real story. if you are going to trim meplats it is a waste of time if you measure from base to meplat ,you have to measure from rear bearing surface to meplat for desired uniformity IMHO
B

 

[Guest]

Gentlemen

I thank you. Now I have yet another thing to pull my hair out over /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

7Rum. Thanks for the words about Jr. I will pass them on. It truly is a good feeling knowing people give a darn!

Joe

 

[7Rumloader]

brian b what kind of tool do you use for rear bearing surface measurements?? Sounds interesting and makes sense. Enlighten us a little please

 

[Quarterbore]

Lab you'll have more fun if you just shoot them instead of sorting them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif but what ever wets your whistle.

 

[jb1000br]

Joe -- this will take care of your problem:

got the idea a couple years ago or BR central, and have been using it since.

BTW -- my latest lot of 142's were AMAZINGLY consistant!!

sort by BS, then i check the weight before i stick them in the case -- just checking for one that is way off.

YMMV,
JB