Uniform Case Length?

[TG-5150]

There is no need to drop your annealed brass in water. It does nothing for the metal structure of the brass.

It's the way I was shown, I'm no scientific dude. Drying is an extra step I'd fancy removing from process.

 

[Barrelnut]

FWIW. I don't drop my brass in water. I drop it on a cotton towel to cool. Turns out just the same as it did when I dropped it in water.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

the annealer i used is like cohunts, if you are kicking one out every 5-8 seconds, if let to pile on top of each other like in a bucket or whatever without giving enough time to cool down will accumulate alot of heat !!! ... more than im comfortable with .. i've used a bath towel or paper towel to catch them , then quickly pick them up by the bottom and immediately set them on the bench sitting neck up to let them cool individually

i aim the point of the flame right between the neck corner & the body corner and keep the point of the blue about 3/4 to 1 inch away -- there is less material in the the neck than the body so the heat transfers to the mouth faster than down the body .. once you see the color start to transfer to the body stop ,it will travel a little more after you're out of the flame

if you polish by tumbling or spinning them in steel wool or fine sand paper first so you can see the color better

 

[TG-5150]

After what I read up on today, I think I am going to eliminate the water from my steps.

 

[hunterbob]

I've tried to search the history and can't find an answer so forgive me if this has been asked a thousand times. How important is uniform case length? I see most people answer the question of how often to trim with every "x" number of firings. I just sized my brass .002 bump on the shoulder, everything is within .001 shoulder to base, but my cases vary 2.002-2.009. 2nd firing. .308 so well below book max case length 2.015. So is .007 difference going to effect group size?
I've been playing with reloading for a year now, but had rifle problems so never felt really successful yet. Finally got all the kinks worked out with the rifle shooting sub MOA so now I want to focus on getting accurate hand loads. Is this something to worry about or just load em up and get on with life?

I been reloading 308 since 1974 and some brass stretches more than others especially with loads near hot, and I use a light bullet 110 gr and 125 gr lately...It seems all brass are 2.005 fired and have easier time going through the dies now, with them.. Heavier bullets and charges bulge brass more and you need to make sure you lube the brass well, before pushing them into the die, or when you pull them back out of it the casing can get deformed at the shoulder, which is really hard to check, without a gauge...make sure if you crimp, to use the Lee Factory crimp die...not the roll crimp die..

 

[hunterbob]

I was in the same position with an assortment of federal and Remington brass for my 308. I bought a 100 pieces of lapua brass, I did get tighter groups especially at long range, but after annealling the mixture of brass, levelling primer pockets and uniforming the flash holes, I cannot see the difference.

I shot this at 880yds with two federal brass and one Remington so decide what you want to do. With work it's plenty serviceable but new brass is always an option.View attachment 117516

I tried annealing before, but don't do it anymore..The key factor in accuracy is C.O.A.L and a factory crimp. (Lee Factory Crimp Die) especially for a 308 Semi... I have a DPMS and a Savage 1-10 twist 22 in barrel and a 16 inch barrel and my rounds shoot exact in both rifles...Same hole at 100.

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

The key factor in accuracy is C.O.A.L and a factory crimp.

Not to get too far off track but, so long as the bullet fits the magazine, I would argue COAL is about the least important measurement we can go by in reloading. It's much more important to have an accurate CBTO (base to ogive) measurement. Agree with you on the factory crimp.

 

[birdiemc]

I read an article the other day and cant find it now, dont remember what rabbit hole I went down to find it, might have been a link from a post on this site, but a guy had used some fancy software to do some statistical analysis on different factors effecting long range accuracy. My memory isnt that great but the 2 factors that really stand out in my mind were improving group size and improving ability to make accurate wind calls. His results showed from a statics standpoint that going from say 1 moa to .5 moa had far less impact on long range accuracy than being able to make an accurate wind call +-2mph vs. +- 3mph, if I remember correctly. Basically point was practice more!
Then I read an article on the secrets of the Houston warehouse and one of the things they mentioned was accuracy didnt vary with a difference in 1 or 2 grains of powder. Case prep seems to be a bigger deal. But then again these guys seemed to be the best of the best and on their worst day couldnt shoot as bad a group as me on my best day. Kind of interesting.