Sorting Brass

[Triggerhead Ed]

I have purchased new norma brass for my 300 rum
I sized and weighed 20 rounds
11 weighed 289.5 grains +_ .25 grain
8 weighed 288.0 +_.25 grain
1 weighed 291grains (will use for fouling shots )
This is my first time to sort brass.
How close to the same weight
should each round be?
Thank you for your help

 

[Barrelnut]

I try to do +/- 1 or 2 GR. And/or sort them by a bell curve and use the outside ones as foulers. Those you have are really close. I would just use them as one group.

 

[elf]

I shoot mostly Lapua brass. Have weighed them, and few exceed half a gr. difference. I do not sort/weigh brass for hunting, only for competition

 

[243winxb]

I buy 100 win or rem brass in 243 win. Heavy to light is about 3 grs. difference.

I do benchrest prep of the brass. Then sort into lots of 3/10 gr.

Did a test, took 5 heavy and 5 light. Shot a group with each.

Then reloaded same load. Fired 3 heavy/2 light for group. Then 3 light and 2 heavy for a group.

The Rem 40x with 36 power scope showed a noticeable difference in group sizes . Smallest groups were with 3/10 gr lots of brass.

Fl sizing bushing die used in test, sizing 1/2 of the neck. Necks turned, flash hole uniformed, trimmed, before sorting.

 

[J E Custom]

I buy 100 win or rem brass in 243 win. Heavy to light is about 3 grs. difference.

I do benchrest prep of the brass. Then sort into lots of 3/10 gr.

Did a test, took 5 heavy and 5 light. Shot a group with each.

Then reloaded same load. Fired 3 heavy/2 light for group. Then 3 light and 2 heavy for a group.

The Rem 40x with 36 power scope showed a noticeable difference in group sizes . Smallest groups were with 3/10 gr lots of brass.

Fl sizing bushing die used in test, sizing 1/2 of the neck. Necks turned, flash hole uniformed, trimmed, before sorting.

I don't shoot bench rest, But was trained by one and he did the same.
He totally prepped all of his new brass by full length sizing, trimming to length, turning the necks and de burring them and prepping the flash holes. This was to get as much dimensional consistency as possible.

He then sorted in 1/2 grain batches and once he got the batches sorted, he then went back and looked for cases with the same exact weight within the batch. if he had enough of the zero difference cases Those are the ones he used for matches. If not, he would select enough for a match within the 3/10 batches like you do. He believed (And so do I) that zero difference was the best and accuracy only got worse the more the case weight differed.

I sort by 1 grain differences and look for 1/2 grain or less for accuracy test.

J E CUSTOM

 

[waveslayer]

Sorting brass by weight is a waste of time. It is more of the case capacity, and neck thickness. Weighing brass isn't necessary. Too many variables to where the brass may weigh more. I know several F-Class shooters that don't weigh brass anymore with no effects on accuracy.

save your time and focus on the other areas of reloading that will yield better accuracy for your time. Weighing brass is on the very bottom of accuracy when reloading

 

[g0rd0]

I have purchased new norma brass for my 300 rum
I sized and weighed 20 rounds
11 weighed 289.5 grains +_ .25 grain
8 weighed 288.0 +_.25 grain
1 weighed 291grains (will use for fouling shots )
This is my first time to sort brass.
How close to the same weight
should each round be?
Thank you for your help

when you subtract 288 from 291 that is only 3 grn or 1.1% difference. Did you measure the OAL of the brass after sizeing? If some are longer then trim them down to the length of the shortest and chamfer/debur then re weight. You might be right on the money.

 

[Triggerhead Ed]

Thank you all very much
Looks like I'm on the right track
I will go to work on the other 80 rounds of brass sorting them
I just love the smell of new brass

 

[g0rd0]

Thank you all very much
Looks like I'm on the right track
I will go to work on the other 80 rounds of brass sorting them
I just love the smell of new brass

better than Napalm