Weighing new brass

[Steve Sheasly]

What scale were you using?

RCBS electronic on a chargemaster I also have a Precision scale and they correlate both Electronics in both your calibrated every time I use it

 

[J E Custom]

I dont trust new brass. It doesnt shoot as well as properly re sized brass and tends to throw fliers.
You need to look at the variation in a %. What do those 338 cases weigh?

I stopped loading new brass as it came long ago and found that If I did all the case prep including turning/uniforming the necks, that when fired the first time they were near perfect and also shot very well for a first firing.

Even when I am wildcatting a cartridge, I turn the necks on the parent case before resizing so the chamber can true them inside and out. If there is a difference in neck thickness, Turning the neck before it is fired prevents the chamber from off centering the inside of the neck/bullet.

I use to think that the little nicks in the necks wouldn't hurt anything until i realized like Alex that I had an occasional flier and the way to eliminate this was to do a complete brass prep before loading the first time.

When weight sorting brass, I sort to 1/2 grain and end up with 3 or 4 batches with most brands of brass. The lapua normally ends up with 2 or 3 batches and any case that is outside the different batches is rejected or used for COAL gauges for different bullets that I keep in my die set. I will even use super glue to fix the bullet in the case permanently.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[Pdvdh]

I stopped loading new brass as it came long ago and found that If I did all the case prep including turning/uniforming the necks, that when fired the first time they were near perfect and also shot very well for a first firing.

Even when I am wildcatting a cartridge, I turn the necks on the parent case before resizing so the chamber can true them inside and out. If there is a difference in neck thickness, Turning the neck before it is fired prevents the chamber from off centering the inside of the neck/bullet.

J E CUSTOM

Same here. Wildcatting is about all I prep and shoot now. Guess I feel the need to shoot something different than Factory.

 

[Steve Sheasly]

I stopped loading new brass as it came long ago and found that If I did all the case prep including turning/uniforming the necks, that when fired the first time they were near perfect and also shot very well for a first firing.

Even when I am wildcatting a cartridge, I turn the necks on the parent case before resizing so the chamber can true them inside and out. If there is a difference in neck thickness, Turning the neck before it is fired prevents the chamber from off centering the inside of the neck/bullet.

I use to think that the little nicks in the necks wouldn't hurt anything until i realized like Alex that I had an occasional flier and the way to eliminate this was to do a complete brass prep before loading the first time.

When weight sorting brass, I sort to 1/2 grain and end up with 3 or 4 batches with most brands of brass. The lapua normally ends up with 2 or 3 batches and any case that is outside the different batches is rejected or used for COAL gauges for different bullets that I keep in my die set. I will even use super glue to fix the bullet in the case permanently.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

I like the idea of neck turning the new brass. I have a few that are dented from Lapua. I expected better quality. So far in my book Nosler has them beat as far as overall quality. 1 grain total spread is hard to beat. The price is the same. The brass from Nosler is not annealed but that is no big deal really. I can anneal the brass after a few firings.

Off the subject for a moment but I like your opinion:
I was talking to Noslers tech support about bullet Jump and accuracy. They told me that I should start at a min of .050 for all long range accubonds ( mine 300 grain.338) off the lands as a minimum or I will be fighting flyers. Ballistic tips at a min of .030 and standard accubonds at .030 -.040 and work out from there. Stark contrast to Berger.

 

[J E Custom]

I like the idea of neck turning the new brass. I have a few that are dented from Lapua. I expected better quality. So far in my book Nosler has them beat as far as overall quality. 1 grain total spread is hard to beat. The price is the same. The brass from Nosler is not annealed but that is no big deal really. I can anneal the brass after a few firings.

Off the subject for a moment but I like your opinion:
I was talking to Noslers tech support about bullet Jump and accuracy. They told me that I should start at a min of .050 for all long range accubonds ( mine 300 grain.338) off the lands as a minimum or I will be fighting flyers. Ballistic tips at a min of .030 and standard accubonds at .030 -.040 and work out from there. Stark contrast to Berger.

For what it is worth, I like the Sinclair neck turning tool because it uses a Sizing mandrel first and a turning Mandrel that fits the sizing mandrel makes for a good fit.

I have the 4000 kit with both sizing and turning mandrels for each caliber.

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/index.htm

I am sure there are others that will do a good job but i chose this one because when I first started, I had to make most of my turning mandrels to get a good fit.

J E CUSTOM

 

[WildRose]

I have always worried about de capping live primers and make it a habit to slowly push the primers out to minimize the impact.

As stated earlier, When volume testing I used live primers and the test media (Water or alcohol) contaminated them and I was not worried.
I once found some new brass that was already primed and didn't know how long they had been there so I tossed them in a can and added water to leave them safe for de-capping.

I had also heard that It was not wise to tumble or vibrate primed cases. (I guess someone had problems with explosions or contaminated them enough to alter there performance).

If anyone has heard of this please post. This has been a very informative post that should help all. It could also keep us older guys from winging it

J E CUSTOM

That might be an issue with dry media but it can't be with wet. A little Dawn, some Simple Green or 409 and they'll come out looking pretty well brand new inside and out. Just rinse well when you're done.

No worries about primers popping at all.

 

[AimSmallHitSmall]

In my personal experiance. Weighing brass has been an excersize in stupididty for the most part.

paying strict attention to Neck tension, precise powder weighing and seating depth have been the most practical use of time.

You've got that 100% right!

 

[Pdvdh]

You've got that 100% right!

What..., stupidity?

 

[AimSmallHitSmall]

No - paying strict attention to neck tension, precise charge and seating depth.

 

[J E Custom]

First I would like to say that anything that helps the quality and consistency of your ammo is not a waste of time or is stupid. Things that may help one re loader may not help another based on the way each loads ammo.

Like many things, some agree and others disagree, But that does not make one way wrong and the other right, just different.

Throughout this discussion, there have many that believe in weight sorting, some believe in volume testing and others that don't believe in ether method.

As stated in previous post I have tested all of the processes to see if they were worthwhile and proved to my self that some form of volume testing was beneficial to accuracy. I decided on weight sorting as a very good method and even went farther to find out what amount of difference between weights effected accuracy.

Knowing MY limitations, I went with 5 shot groups using one of my most accurate rifles and the same brand of brass for the test. I sorted cases in five case batches From zero differences to 3 grain differences. These cases had all been prepped as described earlier and the charges were all trickled.

Each 5 shot group was fired in a clean barrel with one fouling shot before starting so the barrel conditions were the same.

Group sizes improved as the differences in weights were lessened. When I reached the 1/2 grain different batch, accuracy was at its best and only the cases that weighed the same exact weight showed any slight improvement.(It became a shooter difference at that point) but It did show that if the cases weighed the same they would/should shoot the best.

This test proved to me that weight sorting "WAS" worth the effort and to this day when I am testing a new rifle for its potential I weight sort enough brass to get 5 cases that weigh the same for the final group.

So It works for me, and that's all that I can do to make sure that my brass is consistent, and until someone convinces me of a better way I will continue weight sorting.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[Steve Sheasly]

First I would like to say that anything that helps the quality and consistency of your ammo is not a waist of time or is stupid. Things that may help one re loader may not help another based on the way each loads ammo.

Like many things, some agree and others disagree, But that does not make one way wrong and the other right, just different.

Throughout this discussion, there have many that believe in weight sorting, some believe in volume testing and others that don't believe in ether method.

As stated in previous post I have tested all of the processes to see if they were worthwhile and proved to my self that some form of volume testing was beneficial to accuracy. I decided on weight sorting as a very good method and even went farther to find out what amount of difference between weights effected accuracy.

Knowing MY limitations, I went with 5 shot groups using one of my most accurate rifles and the same brand of brass for the test. I sorted cases in five case batches From zero differences to 3 grain differences. These cases had all been prepped as described earlier and the charges were all trickled.

Each 5 shot group was fired in a clean barrel with one fouling shot before starting so the barrel conditions were the same.

Group sizes improved as the differences in weights were lessened. When I reached the 1/2 grain different batch, accuracy was at its best and only the cases that weighed the same exact weight showed any slight improvement.(It became a shooter difference at that point) but It did show that if the cases weighed the same they would/should shoot the best.

This test proved to me that weight sorting "WAS" worth the effort and to this day when I am testing a new rifle for its potential I weight sort enough brass to get 5 cases that weigh the same for the final group.

So It works for me, and that's all that I can do to make sure that my brass is consistent, and until someone convinces my of a better way I will continue weight sorting.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

You are correct

 

[Pdvdh]

First I would like to say that anything that helps the quality and consistency of your ammo is not a waste of time or is stupid.

Group sizes improved as the differences in casing weights were lessened. When I reached the 1/2 grain different batch, accuracy was at its best and only the cases that weighed the same exact weight showed any slight improvement (it became a shooter difference at that point). But it did show that if the cases weighed the same they would/should shoot the best.

This test proved to me that weight sorting "WAS" worth the effort and to this day when I am testing a new rifle for its potential I weight sort enough brass to get 5 cases that weigh the same for the final group.

So It works for me, and that's all that I can do to make sure that my brass is consistent, and until someone convinces my of a better way I will continue weight sorting.

J E CUSTOM

Thanks for sharing your test results.

You can lead a horse to water...

Weight sorting brass is a choice. Nothing more, nothing less. Some will benefit and be content. Some will never try or understand, and be content.

 

[WildRose]

First I would like to say that anything that helps the quality and consistency of your ammo is not a waste of time or is stupid. Things that may help one re loader may not help another based on the way each loads ammo.

Like many things, some agree and others disagree, But that does not make one way wrong and the other right, just different.

Throughout this discussion, there have many that believe in weight sorting, some believe in volume testing and others that don't believe in ether method.

As stated in previous post I have tested all of the processes to see if they were worthwhile and proved to my self that some form of volume testing was beneficial to accuracy. I decided on weight sorting as a very good method and even went farther to find out what amount of difference between weights effected accuracy.

Knowing MY limitations, I went with 5 shot groups using one of my most accurate rifles and the same brand of brass for the test. I sorted cases in five case batches From zero differences to 3 grain differences. These cases had all been prepped as described earlier and the charges were all trickled.

Each 5 shot group was fired in a clean barrel with one fouling shot before starting so the barrel conditions were the same.

Group sizes improved as the differences in weights were lessened. When I reached the 1/2 grain different batch, accuracy was at its best and only the cases that weighed the same exact weight showed any slight improvement.(It became a shooter difference at that point) but It did show that if the cases weighed the same they would/should shoot the best.

This test proved to me that weight sorting "WAS" worth the effort and to this day when I am testing a new rifle for its potential I weight sort enough brass to get 5 cases that weigh the same for the final group.

So It works for me, and that's all that I can do to make sure that my brass is consistent, and until someone convinces me of a better way I will continue weight sorting.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

The quality of our handloaded ammo is directly proportional to all of the steps, time, and attention to detail we put into loading it. Precision is not an accident.

 

[Steve Sheasly]

The quality of our handloaded ammo is directly proportional to all of the steps, time, and attention to detail we put into loading it. Precision is not an accident.

Amen to that!