Is there a point to sorting brass by firings for casual shooter?

[CJ6]

I keep them sorted, always have. Does it matter? Dunno. But I feel better about it.

 

[SKWERLZ]

TLDR: We have to give a rookie the best starting advice and let them develop. If they don't get started with learning to inspect their brass, they will never learn when a difference becomes big enough to flag it.

Since the OP is new, they will inevitably want to learn how sensitive they are in their own context to things like case weight and volume.

No need to confuse the thread with how case weight does or does not correlate to volume since you take the empty case weight to get the tare value when weighing the water-filled case. Any rookie who plans to shoot small down the road, had best get started learning what their components are doing as soon as possible.

Once you achieve your goals, it is often the case where you don't need to check things as often because you have already learned they are stable or don't affect you. You can then cut back on checking as often and maybe learn to spot check or just sample when new batches arrive. Till then... assume you will need to gather the skills and tools to inspect your brass prep.

It usually takes more than a 3 grain weight difference (within a common batch of brass) in something like a 5.56 case before we can see it on the target at 600 yards, and since that study has been run countless times there is no reason to confuse a newbie. He will need to decide for himself.

With studies of 556, 308, 30-06, etc., it has been fairly easy to show a good linear correlation between case weight and volume. The main point of dwelling on it for another minute is to say that the correlation coefficient does depend on having some significance in the weight difference before we would even see a volume difference.

In so many words, if you run a study and don't see a correlation, it is a good thing because that means your brass weight difference is likely in the noise and there is nothing to complain about.

On the other hand, if you are playing with mixed headstamp 223 or 308 brass for example, there is a fair chance you will eventually see a case weight difference, and that difference will correlate to volume. The real question then becomes is it important to sort out or can he even see it in his style of shooting?

A rookie needs to watch two ways. One is the big changes you can get when mixing brands of brass. A second way is to watch the difference within a common batch of brass. Those weight/volume changes are often different and may or may not matter to them.

If a rookie has a science/engineering background, we can speak about internal ballistics and sometimes we can show rough math to explain how things change with weight or volume. However...

While there is some easy math that shows how much of a bullet weight change is needed to see a difference on the target, there is no easy way to show how case volume affects velocity without resorting to complicated models.

That means details in brass prep that affect neck tension or case volume are better to test than to explain.

The OP will need to learn how much difference is too much and we can only share experience to suggest starting points. But first, we would need to know more, or at least I would....

In his post, all I know is that he is running a 105 grain bullet, but I don't think he has shared what cartridge he is running. If he did, I apologize for missing it, but that prevents a suggestion of when a weight or volume difference is too much and should be tested.

We might assume it is a 6mm, but if he wants better advice on case sorting, it would be good to share what case we are discussing.

If this is assumed to be a 6mm Berger 105 Hybrid, he doesn't need to sort bullet weight till he starts shooting Master or High Master at 600 or beyond because he won't see it.

If we assume a 6 BR variant, again, it takes a fairly big case weight difference before a rookie can demonstrate the difference at 600 yards, that is within a common batch. Change the headstamp and you should test.

Keeping his workmanship under control is important, and he should learn to track the vital stats on his components but not dwell on them too much till he gains experience. Learn to inspect your brass and track the vital dimensions. If you don't, then you will never learn.

When a new batch of primers, powder, bullets, or brass comes along, it should be at least roughly checked to see if there are any significant differences. It takes getting started with that discipline early to have a chance of learning when it is important later on. A rookie who plans on being good, should keep detailed load diary notes, as well as shooting climate notes.

A rookie needs to learn to set their own first order tolerances and goals. I recommend the OP measures his workmanship and includes a sample of his lightest and heaviest brass, and checks the volume too. That way, when he tests he will know if he can even see the difference. Carry on. YMMV

The hard reloading lessons I learned are invaluable

My cheap ar blaster/practice ammo is range pick ups

My more accuracy focused rifles get brass in working lots but I don’t weigh sort.
I do mark brass that gives a wonky results and cull them if do the same on subsequent firings.

 

[dellet]

Newish shooter and handloader.

Any other good reason to sort (for a casual shooter)?

Edit: I anneal with an AMP after every firing, in case that is relevant

You might be a new, casual shooter and loader, but you’re probably on your way to being a very meticulous loader bordering on some sort of certifiable mental condition.

@RegionRat and others have some really good reasons to consider, but for myself I found it’s a process with some of these fine details. First you need the rifle that is capable of shooting the difference some of those processes make. Worse than that you need the talent and experience to be able to shoot the rifle and loads potential. I have this problem, most of what I enjoy shooting will never be capable of 1/2 MOA. And what is capable I don’t shoot enough to consistently do so.

So the endless circle begins, a good rifle, questionable loads, questionable shooter. Then good rifle, better shooter, questionable loads.
Better shooter, better loads, questionable rifle after aces thousand rounds.
New barrel, new loads, same shooter, tighten the tolerances or try a new technique loading then it’s
Good rifle, good load, questionable shooter.

Somewhere in that seemingly never ending circle you try something in your case prep that you had dismissed as not making a difference before. And it shaves a little bit off your average group size. Then it’s all flowers and unicorn farts until you realize you’re the weak link again.

It’s a lot easier to start out with a well laid out process at the beginning and refine that process over time by tightening the tolerances and or quality of tools, Than to add steps to the process later, at least for me.

Probably Like a lot of others here who started out with a Lee whack o mole or hand held press, to have someone say in a modern day penpal club from half a world away they just started loading and anneal with and Amp shake their head at the available quality equipment and knowledge base is almost beyond comprehension.

 

[RegionRat]

@dellet brought up a good point that reminds me to emphasize something I missed earlier.

At some point, the record keeping on all your ammo, even the stuff with the minimum care or what he called blasting ammo, requires some level of record keeping for your own safety (or those you leave behind).

You really don't need to be a BR, PRS, or F-Class competitor to realize that if your blasting ammo isn't labeled well and some time passes where you accumulate ammo that isn't used for a couple of years, the lack of records can become a safety issue.

If some functional or safety issues pop up years later, you would want to know what you loaded and half of that is the brass prep and it's history.

So to some level if you are a rookie starting without a good mentor, let me nag you now to start with good record keeping habits and you can cuss me all you want. Keeping a diary for all loading, and labels with your ammo, will save you some day.

Someday, your kids or widow or friends will need to figure out what you left behind and if it sorted and labeled well, it doesn't become HAZ waste or scrap metal. YMMV

 

[Texas Solo]

I have 2 large coffee cans.
One labeled 3X, the other 4X.
I get brass from the 3X can then put it in the 4X can after firing it. When the 3X can is empty, it will become the 5X can.
I think it's a good idea to keep track just so you're not loading the same brass over and over.

 

[ebb]

Region Rat in this day and time all of us will be buying brass when it is available, which will most likely will not coincide with any plans or need. Having a plan is a really good thing, having brass stashed away is most likely better. I totally agree with you but the economy, state of American business may not.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Its not hard, so why not just keep track?

 

[GetReal]

IMO... no. I get sub-MOA ( 0.3 - 0 7" ) accuracy w/o sorting/ weighing / annealing etc.

That said it's pretty easy to do. Just keep your brass in a plastic tub, shoot all the way through that batch, putting fired cases into another plastic tub, When you've used up all of your 1x you'll have a tub of nothing but 2x.


Rinse.


Repeat.

But for casual shooting and plinking I don't see the point.

 

[jelenko]

o the endless circle begins, a good rifle, questionable loads, questionable shooter. Then good rifle, better shooter, questionable loads.
Better shooter, better loads, questionable rifle after aces thousand rounds.
New barrel, new loads, same shooter, tighten the tolerances or try a new technique loading then it’s
Good rifle, good load, questionable shooter.

!!!