Weighing brass questions

[Rilow]

When you guys weigh brass how much of a difference do you allow? And what weight do you use? I got brass from 178grns to 198grns. Also do you throw out the brass not within specs of your chosen weight? Thanks for your help

 

[lancetkenyon]

No more than 3 grains difference for me. 1.5 grains is preferable. Most of the better brass companies will easily be within 1.5gr. 20gr is huge.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I weight sort and anything outside of 3gr total spread gets used as fouler's, plinker's, or scope sighting in/barrel breaking in rounds. Better the brass (Lapua - Peterson) the less outside the limits you will get. You don't have to sort that close but I'm anal and really into accuracy so its my self imposed numbers. I do trim to uniform length and deburr flash holes first before weighing.

 

[J E Custom]

For pure accuracy, I sort a batch to the same weight. For hunting, I sort them to one grain. (Example 275.0 to 275.9) so they are all in that range, Anything that is 275. all batches are within 1 grain this way.

There will always be a few that exceed this weight range and if they are not over 2 grains different, I use them for fouler's or site'rs. anything over 2 grains are used for different bullet seating gauges, and keep them in my die set for that cartridges. Normally I don't end up with over 2 or 3 of these.
Good quality brass will normally end up with most being less than one grain difference if well prepped.

For most shooting One grain spread will give you good performance. If you have a really good load and want to see what it will do, sort to zero difference and zero runout and that should give you the best group. Good groups are not just luck, they also require consistent loads.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Mike Matteson]

I weight sort and anything outside of 3gr total spread gets used as fouler's, plinker's, or scope sighting in/barrel breaking in rounds. Better the brass (Lapua - Peterson) the less outside the limits you will get. You don't have to sort that close but I'm anal and really into accuracy so its my self imposed numbers. I do trim to uniform length and deburr flash holes first before weighing.

Lapua don't make brass for all rifle case. No belted mag case for one. They working to get them out.

SSS
Mike

 

[Mikecr]

Weight can indicate quality of brass lot, and occasional problem cases, but it won't indicate anything directly about shooting results.
My advice: prep your cases consistently(including fire-forming), work up a good load, and THEN consider further measure and actions, while able to see results. You might decide at that point to go ahead and measure H20 capacities, or just rake any case throwing a shot into a trash can.

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

I will get all the brass uniform to the same starting point. Then I'll weight sort and keep any within a 4 grain spread. The others are set to the side and used for foulers or plinking. Then I take the good brass within the 4 grain spread and verify true case capacity with H20 and alcohol (thins the water). Freely admit that's overkill, if not a little obsessive...

 

[bigedp51]

Let someone else check the cases.

Peterson Select Brass Rifle Casings
Weight and length sorted 50-count boxes.
https://www.petersoncartridge.com/match-grade-brass/peterson-select-casings/
50-count boxes guaranteed within 1 grain and .001 inch from the factory.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

50-count boxes guaranteed within 1 grain and .001 inch from the factory.

I've tried the last three times I wanted 260 and 7mm-08 brass and every time "out of stock" Thats why I buy lapua and do my own selecting

 

[antelopedundee]

When you guys weigh brass how much of a difference do you allow? And what weight do you use? I got brass from 178grns to 198grns. Also do you throw out the brass not within specs of your chosen weight? Thanks for your help

I'd take a couple of cases from each end of the weight range and seat a spent primer in them. Put on a scale and tare it to zero. Fill it with water and record the weigh of the water in each. Does the weight range correspond to similar difference in capacity? Also if you have the means and are willing to sacrifice some cases cut them in half lengthwise. After all, if one case is noticeably/measureably heavier than another all that extra weight has to go/be somewhere so you would expect one to have thicker walls than the other. Load em all and shoot em and if you can't tell the difference then all is well.

 

[bigedp51]

I've tried the last three times I wanted 260 and 7mm-08 brass and every time "out of stock" Thats why I buy lapua and do my own selecting

Grafs sell Peterson brass, check the link below for your caliber.
https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/607

 

[Rilow]

Thanks everyone

 

[L.Sherm]

When you guys weigh brass how much of a difference do you allow? And what weight do you use? I got brass from 178grns to 198grns. Also do you throw out the brass not within specs of your chosen weight? Thanks for your help

Is it the same manufacter?

 

[Rilow]

Is it the same manufacter?

Yes Hornady fromfactor fired ammo