Do you weigh your surplus ammo?

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  • cantstop

    Pentultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 10, 2012
    8,161
    MD
    Back when I use to reload, I would crank out 100 or so cartridges at a time. I would set them aside and the next day I would weigh the completed cartridges. Anything out of whack would be set aside for later disassembly and analysis.

    My reloading gear is long gone and I've been thinking about picking up a cheap scale on amazon. What do you folks use?

    I'm considering the Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Digital Reloading Scale under $30.
    https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-DS-750-Digital-Reloading/dp/B002BDOHNA/ref=sr_1_4
     

    SKIP

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 5, 2009
    3,248
    Glenwood/Glenelg
    For serious match shooting I would use a scale but for casual shooting I use the Lee powder dippers. I have been shooting dipper loads for many decades without incident. These loads are moderate in power and extends case life.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Is the point to find squibs or try to match surplus cartridges to try to obtain consistency? If it's the first, and they are rifle cartridges (and assuming they are not compressed loads) why not just shake them and listen? If it's the latter (and you're not disassembling them) how would you know that two cartridges that weigh the same, do so for the same reason? In other words, you could have one that had a bit thicker case weigh the same as one with a slightly heavier bullet.
     
    Last edited:

    cantstop

    Pentultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 10, 2012
    8,161
    MD
    Rifle loads. M2 ball surplus to be specific. I don't worry about my Mosin surplus, but I do worry about a double load on a M1 Garand. I like the shake idea. I hadn't thought of that.
     

    Red1917

    Active Member
    Apr 13, 2017
    665
    Anne Arundel County
    I shoot a lot of greek surplus M2 and have never had a problem with it, shake method works well. I haven't heard of anyone having problems with double charges in surplus M2 but maybe missed it?
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Rifle loads. M2 ball surplus to be specific. I don't worry about my Mosin surplus, but I do worry about a double load on a M1 Garand. I like the shake idea. I hadn't thought of that.

    Is this something you read that you have to worry about? I have not heard of this as an issue.

    I have never pulled my greek surplus. I would suspect it would be 45-55grains of whatever. I would also expect it to fill like 80% of the case already. Not enough room for double charge. Maybe overcharge. I also expect that factory ammo for military would have variations but a very low probability of an overcharge.

    Maybe someone with some more knowledge could post.
     

    cantstop

    Pentultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 10, 2012
    8,161
    MD
    Is this something you read that you have to worry about? I have not heard of this as an issue...

    No. I have read that modern ammo is too high pressure and can damage the operating rod. I'm just being a little over protective I suppose. I was concerned of a double load in surplus ammo.

    Not all modern ammo, of course. There is modern ammo specifically made for the M1 Garand.
     
    Last edited:

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    I certainly would not be confident in weighting handgun ammunition, if the reason for doing so is to try to detect squib or double charges of typically fast burning powders. The powder charge weights are too small as a percentage of overall cartridge weight. Importantly, making an incorrect determination of the charge weight can have catastrophic results, be it with either squib or double charge errors.

    As an example, take a time honored load for 38 Special of 2.8 grains of Bullseye under a 148 grain hollow base wadcutter.

    Your bullet will approximate to 148 grains. It almost certainly won't be exact. Your 38 Special case will approximate to 70 grains, and almost certainly won't be exact either, and especially if brands are mixed. Figure 4 grains approximately on your primer weight. That's 224.8 grains in total.

    In percentage terms in looking for 2.8 grain variations, you're working in terms of might and maybe. You absolutely can't afford might and maybe here. What is needed here is pull apart and visual inspection, and weighed charges of suspect rounds.
     

    TargetGrade

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 13, 2017
    2,970
    Pensultucky
    Rifle loads. M2 ball surplus to be specific. I don't worry about my Mosin surplus, but I do worry about a double load on a M1 Garand. I like the shake idea. I hadn't thought of that.

    Double load?? Doubtful the case has that much capacity. 38/357 sure easily, I've done it but a 06???
     

    Abulg1972

    Ultimate Member
    Back when I use to reload, I would crank out 100 or so cartridges at a time. I would set them aside and the next day I would weigh the completed cartridges. Anything out of whack would be set aside for later disassembly and analysis.

    My reloading gear is long gone and I've been thinking about picking up a cheap scale on amazon. What do you folks use?

    I'm considering the Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Digital Reloading Scale under $30.
    https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-DS-750-Digital-Reloading/dp/B002BDOHNA/ref=sr_1_4


    I use this scale and have had no issues whatsoever. It seems to be very accurate and it’s cheap.
     

    cantstop

    Pentultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 10, 2012
    8,161
    MD
    Thanks to all for the feedback.

    It sounds like the scale I was looking at would be good. It also sounds like I really don't need to be weighing surplus 30-06 ammo.
     

    Abulg1972

    Ultimate Member

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