Ball Micrometer for 17 cal

[searcher]

It is clearly stated in the instructions it comes with. I don't have it in front of me but it says weigh the lot and select 10 cases that represent the mean weight. Then measure the necks and select the mean neck thickness. Its really not clear if they are talking about the mean or median but I take it to be the mean. It also mentions something about 2 grains of variation. The brass I have is sorted to < 2 gr variation so im not concerned about that.

I only been reloading a 2 years. I just started weighing brass. At this point im not going to get into crazy sorting but a little sorting seems easy. For example, I purchased 500 556 starline brass. It was like 3 gr spread. 4 cases were very heavy and I culled them. I will use those for adjusting the dies. Then I split the remainder in half to use for 2 guns. Now i have 250 within 1 gr and 246 within 1.4 gr. . Ill use the group with 1 gr variation in a bolt gun for prairie dogs and the other in agas gun for coyotes. All it cost me was like 6 hours infront the tv and a half bottle of whiskey

I'm prepping a bunch of varmint brass (.20 Practical and .223) for new barrels - so I plan on trying this machine out on them. Hope to learn the nuances before moving on to my expensive brass. I'll be working with Lake City and Nosler brass on these batches.

 

[wildcatter]

For what you are doing a dial calipers is close enough, if + - 2 grains .002 differance in neck thickness ain't .1th grain difference in weight.

I mean my brass is in .3ths of a grain batches. Unless your mixing calibers I think your over thinking proper annealing for nk consistency?

 

[RabbitSlayer]

For what you are doing a dial calipers is close enough, if + - 2 grains .002 differance in neck thickness ain't .1th grain difference in weight.

I mean my brass is in .3ths of a grain batches. Unless your mixing calibers I think your over thinking proper annealing for nk consistency?

Probably true, but I spent 1700 bucks for an annealer. Might as well spend the 100 for a micrometer and do the best I can. Im sure I will find other uses for it later on like selecting bushings or maybe turning necks some day.

 

[wildcatter]

Top end reloading equipment is always a worthwhile investment, cheap reloading equipment,,, well we've all been there, and most regret it.

 

[BobT]

Look on fleabay for a Starrett #220 multi anvil micrometer, with the appropriate pin you can measure the neck thickness of any case.

 

[Jager]

If it were me, and I was annealing non-neck-turned brass, I'd just take several case samples and run them through the AZTEC analysis program. If you find you're getting much variation in what AZTEC comes up with, that would suggest you're seeing lots of neck/shoulder variation. In which case you've got much bigger problems - from an accuracy standpoint - than whether you annealed or not.

That said, being able to accurately measure the cartridge case of a caliber that's important to you... well, much of what we do comes down to that very thing. Owning a tool that allows you to confidently do that is kinda priceless.