Question on loading

[Clem Bronkoski]

Ok now that I have determined my load and my seating depth with brass fired from my rifle a couple times my question is what do I do with new brass (same lot)? Do I just load the virgin brass as previously determined to be the best or do I waste some components and fire form it all?

 

[Rick Richard]

I find virgin brass shoots just as well for me in SOME rifles.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I hunt with new brass in new rifles. This gives once fired to play with for testing.
I test seating depth, primer and powder choice before I ever see any load development.
Seating depth is done first, primer testing second and lastly powder choice, so I have plenty of fired cases to start with and, all of those cases are only neck sized initially to get a complete chamber sized case to work off for their first FL sizing.

Cheers.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

I hunt with new brass in new rifles. This gives once fired to play with for testing.
I test seating depth, primer and powder choice before I ever see any load development.
Seating depth is done first, primer testing second and lastly powder choice, so I have plenty of fired cases to start with and, all of those cases are only neck sized initially to get a complete chamber sized case to work off for their first FL sizing.

Cheers.

I was following Erik Cortina's load development method and it goes as follows: 1. load for combustion (low ES), 2. next shoot for optimum barrel harmonics and 3. verify with external ballistics.
So - if your loads have a low ES but big groups, adjust seating depth or use a barrel tuner.
If you are shooting small groups but big ES - adjust your charge, powder, primer etc (improper combustion)
If your groups don't maintain consistency at longer ranges it is caused by projectile variance.
He makes it sound so easy and really it is. I just got done doing this process with my inexpensive stock 6 ARC Savage Axis 2 Pro and I'm shooting consistent sub 1/2 MOA groups @ 100 yds where I shoot locally. I will soon be heading out to the range that has a 300 yd range to test at distance.

 

[Koda_]

Ok now that I have determined my load and my seating depth with brass fired from my rifle a couple times my question is what do I do with new brass (same lot)? Do I just load the virgin brass as previously determined to be the best or do I waste some components and fire form it all?

load 5 rounds with virgin brass and fire it for best groups. If it hold the same zero, group and velocity then load em all up. I think you will find that fireforming wont impact your handload enought to notice.

 

[Critter Picker]

Load to the same CB to Ogive and your accuracy should be close. Check before you hunt with it. I would check velocity as well. The new brass will have less capacity.

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

I have loaded new brass many times.
Like most they shoot very well.
As Magnum mentioned, I have got lucky right off and only needed miner adjustments, but they shot good enough for what I needed.

Look at the 99% hunters that buy factory ammo. They are shooting Virgin brass, Sometimes you just get lucky, so leave it Alone.

 

[YZ-80]

I think it just depends upon how far you are shooting and your application. I totally get it for long range situations and would fire form virgin brass. But for me, inside of 300 yards (95% of my shooting) I just cycle the new brass into the rotation when I split a neck, primer pockets get loose or I notice the tell tale signs of an incipient case failure. When you think about it, by loading to your "previously determined" parameters you are already probably significantly better than factory fodder, as you've tuned every other variable but the virgin case to the rifle. Maybe just allocate the virgin cases to shots under a certain yardage threshold on game? In the process of figuring this out, you get fire formed brass! Just thinking out loud.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I was following Erik Cortina's load development method and it goes as follows: 1. load for combustion (low ES), 2. next shoot for optimum barrel harmonics and 3. verify with external ballistics.
So - if your loads have a low ES but big groups, adjust seating depth or use a barrel tuner.
If you are shooting small groups but big ES - adjust your charge, powder, primer etc (improper combustion)
If your groups don't maintain consistency at longer ranges it is caused by projectile variance.
He makes it sound so easy and really it is. I just got done doing this process with my inexpensive stock 6 ARC Savage Axis 2 Pro and I'm shooting consistent sub 1/2 MOA groups @ 100 yds where I shoot locally. I will soon be heading out to the range that has a 300 yd range to test at distance.

Eric Cortina is NOT a handloader. He uses new unfired brass ONCE for his F-class shooting. He has said this time and again. He is sponsored by Lapua, so he has abundant brass to use, let alone all the other stuff he is sponsored with.
If you are developing loads with unfired brass, you are wasting your time if you are going to then use that brass as you fire form it. It will change powder charge requirements pretty quick and you will end up wondering why your loads are not consistent.

Cheers.

 

[Tiny Tim]

As others have pointed out, you may be able to load virgin brass the same as your developed load and find it perfectly satisfactory. If it is a little slower, you may be able to increase the powder charge to meet the velocity of your developed load. This would give two loads that perform very similarly.

As YZ-80 stated, inside 300 yds, the difference likely won't matter.

 

[Greyfox]

I will generally test for results/differences from fired-formed vs virgin brass for capacity, velocity, and precision accuracy, etc.. It's hit or miss with my hunters, but I'm fortunate that I can get the same results between fired and virgin Lapua brass in my pet 6.5x284N hunting rifle.
When I was competing with my PRS(6.5x47L) competition rifles I would match up my chamber head-spacing to virgin brass(Lapua) along with my sizing dye….
Results were sufficient for competition use between virgin and re-sized brass, saving time and barrel life.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

Load to the same CB to Ogive and your accuracy should be close. Check before you hunt with it. I would check velocity as well. The new brass will have less capacity.

OK I know a lot of acronyms but what is CB? (besides my initials!)

Eric Cortina is NOT a handloader. He uses new unfired brass ONCE for his F-class shooting. He has said this time and again. He is sponsored by Lapua, so he has abundant brass to use, let alone all the other stuff he is sponsored with.
If you are developing loads with unfired brass, you are wasting your time if you are going to then use that brass as you fire form it. It will change powder charge requirements pretty quick and you will end up wondering why your loads are not consistent.

Cheers.

Really? then how does he obtain fire formed brass for his rifles so he can bump shoulders etc? And why does he have a room full of reloading equipment?

 

[Tiny Tim]

OK I know a lot of acronyms but what is CB? (besides my initials!)

Cartridge Base. Usually referred to as CBTO, Cartridge Base To Ogive.

 

[Clem Bronkoski]

Cartridge Base. Usually referred to as CBTO, Cartridge Base To Ogive.

Oh yes. Once I find my correct COAL I will set my die and lick it in.