Do you sort your brass by headstamp?

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  • R81

    Active Member
    Jun 30, 2006
    336
    Is there an advantage to sorting your brass by headstamp?
    Is there an accuracy advantage to reloading rifle cartridges with one headstamp as opposed to using mixed brass? Thanks.
     

    BigDaddy

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 7, 2014
    2,235
    When I got started in prairie dog shooting a bought 1000 processed brass. There were maybe 40 different headstamps. What I found after I sorted by headstamp, was that the case weight was radically different between brands. In a 223, it seems to me I had cases weighing between 83 - 95 grains. (it was 25 years ago so I may be off 2-3 grms on one side or the other)

    That's about a 10% difference. If you run all those cases through the same full length sizing die, that weight has to be on the inside, so the volume is less. For the accuracy I wanted, I then sorted by weight and have avoided purchasing different brands of brass in most of my other rifles. In handguns, I am the rate limiting step on accuracy and I don't worry about it too much.

    Some of that brass was military. A LC 73 might be different than an LC 69 but they were closer than something different, say Federal.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I do with 5.56 cases. I load FC for SHTF (gonna put it away and not shoot it). I use WCC and LC for shooting/reloading. The FC brass typically does not last as long.
     

    Shoobedoo

    US Army Veteran
    Jun 1, 2013
    10,956
    Keyser WV
    Is there an advantage to sorting your brass by headstamp?
    Is there an accuracy advantage to reloading rifle cartridges with one headstamp as opposed to using mixed brass? Thanks.

    That depends largely on what your intended purpose is. For informal target practice, plinking etc., it's not worth the effort IMO. Now, if you're after top accuracy in a bolt gun firing high quality bullets, then yes. For the average semi auto shooter, unless you're some kind of match service rifle competitor, it's probably not worth the effort.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    That depends largely on what your intended purpose is. For informal target practice, plinking etc., it's not worth the effort IMO. Now, if you're after top accuracy in a bolt gun firing high quality bullets, then yes. For the average semi auto shooter, unless you're some kind of match service rifle competitor, it's probably not worth the effort.

    ^^^This
     

    sgt23preston

    USMC LLA. NRA Life Member
    May 19, 2011
    3,994
    Perry Hall
    That depends largely on what your intended purpose is. For informal target practice, plinking etc., it's not worth the effort IMO. Now, if you're after top accuracy in a bolt gun firing high quality bullets, then yes. For the average semi auto shooter, unless you're some kind of match service rifle competitor, it's probably not worth the effort.

    In my experience it is much more important to carefully inspect every piece of brass BEFORE reloading it...

    Look for cracks & splits, loose or missing primers, over-pressure marking, bulges, blocked primer hole, junk in the case etc...

    When in doubt, throw it out...

    Remember that you are building bombs which could explode 15" from your face...
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    With .308 brass, it is good idea to sort, as different brands and mil versus commercial can have significant case volume differences.

    For pistol brass, I sort, but if I only have a few of some headstamp, it goes in the mixed brass bin. No reason to sort at all, but it gives me something to do. :D
     

    Shoobedoo

    US Army Veteran
    Jun 1, 2013
    10,956
    Keyser WV
    In my experience it is much more important to carefully inspect every piece of brass BEFORE reloading it...

    Look for cracks & splits, loose or missing primers, over-pressure marking, bulges, blocked primer hole, junk in the case etc...

    When in doubt, throw it out...

    Remember that you are building bombs which could explode 15" from your face...

    Yes, I mean that's self evident to anyone who reloads, and it's one of the reasons I buy and load only once fired processed LC 5.56 brass for my loading, I inspect each piece before it goes in the press, it gets fired ONE time, and then it gets tossed in the range brass bucket and I leave it there for the brass scroungers.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    Yes, I mean that's self evident to anyone who reloads, and it's one of the reasons I buy and load only once fired processed LC 5.56 brass for my loading, I inspect each piece before it goes in the press, it gets fired ONE time, and then it gets tossed in the range brass bucket and I leave it there for the brass scroungers.

    Wow. I wanna go to your range.....

    I can get 3-4 loadings out of LC, then when it is no longer good for that, I can cut it down to 300 BLK.
     

    Shoobedoo

    US Army Veteran
    Jun 1, 2013
    10,956
    Keyser WV
    Wow. I wanna go to your range.....

    I can get 3-4 loadings out of LC, then when it is no longer good for that, I can cut it down to 300 BLK.

    :lol:

    I know, and once upon a time I used to do that too. Nowadays I just buy large lots (1 to 2k at a time) of once fired military contract brass, mostly LC but sometimes there will be small amounts of FC and/or WCC in there, it's fully processed (resized, trimmed, primer pockets swaged, and polished) and ready to load. I usually hand prime it with a Lee bench mounted priming tool because even with the primer pockets swaged military brass can sometimes be a problem to prime on my turret press, and it also affords me the opportunity to visually inspect each piece of brass for any with defects, there almost never are any except for the occasional ding in the case which I don't worry about. It's not the cheapest way to reload that's for sure, but one thing I can tell you for certain, my handloads are considerably more accurate than pretty much any factory ammo, with the possible exception of some pricey match type stuff.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    :lol:

    I know, and once upon a time I used to do that too. Nowadays I just buy large lots (1 to 2k at a time) of once fired military contract brass, mostly LC but sometimes there will be small amounts of FC and/or WCC in there, it's fully processed (resized, trimmed, primer pockets swaged, and polished) and ready to load. I usually hand prime it with a Lee bench mounted priming tool because even with the primer pockets swaged military brass can sometimes be a problem to prime on my turret press, and it also affords me the opportunity to visually inspect each piece of brass for any with defects, there almost never are any except for the occasional ding in the case which I don't worry about. It's not the cheapest way to reload that's for sure, but one thing I can tell you for certain, my handloads are considerably more accurate than pretty much any factory ammo, with the possible exception of some pricey match type stuff.

    I buy unprocessed brass because I'm a cheap bastard. I have a Dillon Super Swager. At first I would swage the brass, then reload at a later time. The primer pockets have some elasticity, because I find that if I swage, then prime immediately, I have no problems. If I swage them prime at a later date, the pockets tighten up. So I swage as I'm reloading.
     

    Rockzilla

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2010
    4,516
    55.751244 / 37.618423
    I buy unprocessed brass because I'm a cheap bastard. I have a Dillon Super Swager. At first I would swage the brass, then reload at a later time. The primer pockets have some elasticity, because I find that if I swage, then prime immediately, I have no problems. If I swage them prime at a later date, the pockets tighten up. So I swage as I'm reloading.

    I like it...

    I buy in large lots, separate the TAA and LC headstamps no matter what caliber, but mainly try and buy all LC lots, FC brass is used for just shoot it don't worry where the cases go, have a lot of WCC, WRA, TW brass. Plinking, practice mixed headstamps, target Lapua, IMI new brass

    Mil brass and commercial get separated due to case capacities, YMMV...

    -Rock
     

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    I do sort by head stamp for rifle cases. All the LC gets split between two containers. One container is for reloading it as 223/556, while the other container is for converting to 300BLK.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    I do sort by headstamp when working up accuracy loads. Different brass brands may be equally accurate but shoot to slightly different points of impact. A 22 Mag (I know, not reloadable) is a good example of this. Building loads for shooting steel or 3 gun matches I will use mixed brass since the need for absolute accuracy isn't there.

    In some calibers I use the headstamp and bullet to identify the load. 44 Mag for example, I can tell you what a load is by looking at the case headstamp and the bullet. If the primer is marked red that means something, too, from my ragged safe edge loading days.
     

    Trekker

    Active Member
    Oct 20, 2011
    687
    Harford County
    Same as prior posters, I sort brass for accuracy or specialty loads, and use misc. brass for generic loading. If I am working up a load with a new powder/bullet/etc., I will use the same headstamp brass to minimize variables.

    When I get around to doing some reloading for .30-06 I will sort headstamps, as that by definition is shooting for accuracy to me.
     

    Praeger

    Member
    Apr 7, 2014
    86
    Howard County
    Weight Sorting Cases

    That's about a 10% difference. If you run all those cases through the same full length sizing die, that weight has to be on the inside, so the volume is less.

    The critical measurement is the case volume as measured by H20. Lapua put out a statement recently that they do not weight sort their cases because small machining variances in the exterior of the case head cause weight variances that have no affect on internal volume.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    The critical measurement is the case volume as measured by H20. Lapua put out a statement recently that they do not weight sort their cases because small machining variances in the exterior of the case head cause weight variances that have no affect on internal volume.

    I believe volume measuring is the industry standard. :thumbsup:
     

    Nanook

    F-notso-NG-anymore
    Just for "shiggles", one day several years ago, I took a bunch of 5.56 and .223 and loaded them up in groups on a Lee Loadmaster. Every different headstamp I could lay my hands on, at least a dozen both commercial and military. All prepped the same way, each batch of 20 loaded with slightly increasing amounts of powder (all well inside the safe envelope), made a spreadsheet for each of four or five 20 round magazine. All other components stayed the same: Wolf primer, Varget powder, and 77gr Sierra Matchking bullets.

    At the range I set my control by firing half a box of MK262 Mod 1 (http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammo/special-forces-to-civilians-black-hills-mk-262-mod-1-review/ ) issued match ammo through my rifle, Wylde chamber, and logging what the chronograph read out. I fired as fast as I could after logging each shot to minimize any possible heat gain and resulting pressure increase that might skew any results. I didn't bother to shoot different targets for 5 shot groups, I wanted to keep all the bullets squarely between the legs of my chrony. Then I did the same for every magazine. Then repeated with other half of the issued box of ammo to make sure things hadn't gotten 'wonky'.

    The velocity of the random brass had less than half the standard deviation of the high-dollar match ammo that will end up in the 6" X ring at 600yds whenever I do my part. The next time I find my old load book, I'll update this post.

    While YMMV, don't over think it. Unless you are trying to put the bullet through the same hole at 100yds doing bench rest, or center mass a target at the farthest Palma distances, I see too many folks wasting materials and significant chunks of their lives sweating it out. If somebody 'needs' to load once fired processed brass, I could facilitate the empties for a reasonable (just under prevailing market rates) compensation.
     

    Hippy

    Active Member
    Mar 11, 2008
    367
    Frostburg Md
    It has been my experience that different calibers need different procedures when reloading. The 22 Hornet brass will vary as much as 10 Percent -dealing with a cartridge that holds approximately 13 grs of powder that is a BUNCH. I have not loaded pistol for years as I remember there were some issues with 45 ACP also. 223 brass varies especially when using military issue.


    Jim
     

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