Importance of using brass with the same amount of fired rounds?

[CA_Shooter]

I have been working up a load and getting used to a new barrel with about 150 rounds through it.

All Hornady brass:

I've used about 50 pieces of brass so each has been fired about 3x each.

From the previous barrel I have about 200 brass with random firings each. Anywhere between 2 to 5 firings per brass. With my last barrel I didn't track brass firings.

I don't annealing, although I can take it out and do it but its a bit of a pain.

I have a match coming up, and want to know using the brass fired 2 to 5 times each will cause any issues in consistency? In normal times I would pull out some new brass and fire them before the match but I don't want to waste the primers.

Or would I be better off using new brass for the match?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If you have them segregated now then fire them that way. If you cant get a difference in seating pressure youre probably not to the point of concern

 

[Martin52]

From a LR FTR perspective, I would prefer to FLS and reload the 150 brass that has been fired 3 x in your new barrel for a match, if that gives you enough quantity for the match.

If not, I'd anneal a few cases from the 200 from the old barrel, FLS them and see whether they're a good fit in the new barrel, if so, anneal and FLS the rest.

 

[MagnumManiac]

For my F-class Open brass, I anneal after every firing, so the number of firings once stable, by stable I mean formed to chamber and springs back .001”, isn’t important.
For hunting rifles that get Partial FL sized, I anneal after every second firing if re-using the brass. Normally, in 90% of my hunting rifles, I hunt with NEW brass to get once fired, but in my Varmint rifles I treat them like a comp rifle, so once fired brass is gotten by testing primers and seating depth normally.

Cheers.

 

[Texas10]

Keeping neck tension consistent is going to be key to your match success, however you choose to do that. Loading 3x fired will work, loading 3-5x fired brass will be less reliable. How you size your brass will also contribute to accuracy, or inaccuracy depending upon your practice. Annealing helps smooth out the wrinkles in your process, and it doesn't cost much to get started in annealing. An electric drill, a deep socket and propane torch will do the job if you can do it consistently. I tried the torch and eventually went the salt bath method and spent under $100 for the whole setup.

In my experience, you can't learn much by shooting unreliable hand loads. You'll never know if it's the load, the gun, the shooter, rest, bench, bags, all of which must be reliable if you want to shoot consistently.

Match shooting is all about doing everything the same, everytime.

 

[JimSC]

I have experimented with new cases, annealed 10X fired, and never annealed 10X plus fired cases, size them measured neck diameter, seated bullets than pulled the bullets and remeasured found no differences in the 6 mm and below cases and a .001 difference in .264 to .30 cases as far as brass springback with the annealed vs unannealed. now I either anneal every time or don't anneal on the larger caliber cases for consistency. I don't bother annealing with .243 and .223 or with cases that are sized with .004 neck tension since I have seen no difference on target or on the chronograph sizing with either .003 or .004 neck tension

 

[D-4297]

A few weeks ago , I shot a 200 - 13x with cases that had between 18 - 20 reloads on them . As someone stated already , your consistency during the process is more important than number of firings . A friend who happens to be a World Record sling shooter uses brand new cases for important matches . When I asked his process , his reply was , "Deburr the necks , run a expander , prime , load and shoot . I shoot TR and like everybody else , I'm still learning , but I anneal after every firing , bump .001 , and expand to .3075 ....I've managed to make the "Master" rating , so I guess I'm going in the right direction .
Most of the TR shooters I know will put at least two firings on cases , before using them for Match competition . To get them to "fit" their chamber consistently . There's that "word" again .

 

[searcher]

I'd rather shoot 2x or 3x fired cases in a match rather than new, especially if you are using a custom die which minimizes the full-length sizing or one which only neck sizes, due to your brass probably more closely fitting your chamber than new unfired brass. Having cases mixed together where some have been fired once to four times should not result in much, if any, noticeable differences. I'd definitely get in the habit of keeping a particular lot of ammo together. You hate to suspect an entire batch of brass getting too thin if you have a case separation forming on one of the "more fired" cases. Same way with loose primer pockets, cracking necks, etc .

 

[jelenko]

I have been working up a load and getting used to a new barrel with about 150 rounds through it.

All Hornady brass:

I've used about 50 pieces of brass so each has been fired about 3x each.

From the previous barrel I have about 200 brass with random firings each. Anywhere between 2 to 5 firings per brass. With my last barrel I didn't track brass firings.

I don't annealing, although I can take it out and do it but its a bit of a pain.

I have a match coming up, and want to know using the brass fired 2 to 5 times each will cause any issues in consistency? In normal times I would pull out some new brass and fire them before the match but I don't want to waste the primers.

Or would I be better off using new brass for the match?

What type of match? E.g., benchrest, F class?

 

[CA_Shooter]

What type of match? E.g., benchrest, F class?

F-Class

I'm just trying to preserve primers. I can practice with 5.56 and .22. But with primers limited, don't want to shoot them just to get the brass ready

 

[CA_Shooter]

A few weeks ago , I shot a 200 - 13x with cases that had between 18 - 20 reloads on them . As someone stated already , your consistency during the process is more important than number of firings . A friend who happens to be a World Record sling shooter uses brand new cases for important matches . When I asked his process , his reply was , "Deburr the necks , run a expander , prime , load and shoot . I shoot TR and like everybody else , I'm still learning , but I anneal after every firing , bump .001 , and expand to .3075 ....I've managed to make the "Master" rating , so I guess I'm going in the right direction .
Most of the TR shooters I know will put at least two firings on cases , before using them for Match competition . To get them to "fit" their chamber consistently . There's that "word" again .

This is good to know. Sounds like it may not matter much!

 

[JimSC]

This is good to know. Sounds like it may not matter much!

here is a anecdote for you, happened to me a week or so back. Using my .260 Rem practice gun loaded 30 rounds. Used ten shooting steel at 800 to get a good feel for the wind. I felt really good about what I was seeing on the steel so I shot the next ten at paper, I went down and measured a .5 something group and marked them feeling good about the load and my shooting. Came back to the line and shot ten more, went down and had a 2 MOA group. It wasn't just one flyer, I was all over the paper. High, low, left, and right. Same gun, ammo, and conditions. Cheek weld? lack of concentration? Breathing, recoil management? darn if I know.

My point is that no matter how perfect the ammo and rifle the guy pulling the trigger can screw it right up

 

[CA_Shooter]

After seeing the various posts, my better judgment had me anneal the brass today. Did about 200 brass in about 20 minutes with my salt bath annealer. Setup took longer though

 

[ChrisA]

When I first got into the precision rifle game I unknowingly mixed twice fired brass with once fired brass. Most of the twice fired brass was marked so thats how I figured it out, anyway, there was 30 fps difference between the two.

After a good scolding, Jim See recommended that I anneal all the brass and that took care of the velocity spread. Lesson learned.

Chris

 

[jelenko]

When I first got into the precision rifle game I unknowingly mixed twice fired brass with once fired brass. Most of the twice fired brass was marked so thats how I figured it out, anyway, there was 30 fps difference between the two.

After a good scolding, Jim See recommended that I anneal all the brass and that took care of the velocity spread. Lesson learned.

Chris

The twice fired brass had 30fps more than the once fired?

 

[ChrisA]

The twice fired brass had 30fps more than the once fired?

I don't recall which was faster.

Chris