Sorting Brass by Weight

[titanxt]

Hello! When you cull your brass by weight, how much +/- of a swing in grains do you keep in a group?

Thanks!

Andy

 

[jonbearman]

Let me ask how far do you intend to shoot? If you are under say 200 yds then I would keep them within 3 grains if possible depending on how many you have to sort.


PS: I sort with 3 grains because I have small lots and I am really looking for the oddballs in the heap of brass. I shoot 200 yds and after sorting for awhile it seemed useless.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

Hello! When you cull your brass by weight, how much +/- of a swing in grains do you keep in a group?

Thanks!

Andy

One-half grain.

Danny Biggs

 

[bheadboy]

the answers you have gotten are not to relevant until you indicate what caliber you are talking about.

for instance the 22 hornet or 221 vx the 338 mag etc.

Bob

 

[titanxt]

.223 Remington. And I will sight in for 200-yards, but probably wont shoot past 300.

Andy

 

[Shynloco]

For best accuracy, I keep mine within 2 grs, but preferably within 1.5 max. And that's using strictly Lapua brass.

Alex

 

[6xcshooter]

1 grain ie: 40 to 40.9 , 41 to 41.9 etc

 

[DocBII]

1/2 grain for .223, but you need to consider the brand of brass, whether or not you'll neck turn, and are willing to perform other uniforming techniques.

HTH,
DocB

 

[amamnn]

After weighing my brass for years and years it was proven to me that until and unless you get hold of some cheap junk cases, that vary by 5% or more, weighing is a waste of time. A 5% variation from the mean weight in a batch typical .223 rem case of say, 87 grains (mean) would be 4.35 grains................and a possible variation of 8.7 grains from one end batch weights to the other. Slight variations do not make all that much difference in case volume and weighing does not tell you if the case is head heavy or if the thickness of the body varies, or what.

If you really want to get anal retentive obsessive compulsive wacko about this particular subject--you'll be sorting your cases according to actual volume as determined by how much water (by volume) they will hold. If you do it for cases to be used in an off the shelf factory rifle, well, it's a free country and you are entitled to waste your time and money any way you wish.............

 

[titanxt]

The brass I have may fit into the cheap/junk category, I don't know. It is Federal brass. Weighing several pieces (and I wish I had a digital scale...) I am getting a range of under 2 grains for the 50 pieces I am working with. I have not bought high-end brass before. Maybe in the near future I will. For now I am rolling what I have on hand.

Andy

 

[ronemus]

I did an experiment several years ago to determine just how much effect brass weight has on .223 loads. I used WW brass (sized, trimmed and deburred, primer pockets uniformed, flash holes deburred, and neck turned) , WSR primers, charges of RL-15 or N-550 powder weighed to 0.1 gr, and 75 gr A-Max bullets. Using the lightest and heaviest cases (sorted from 1000 once-fired I had on hand), I had two lots of 10 cases with a 3 gr difference in weight. The average muzzle velocity difference was 16 fps, just a bit more than the 12 fps due to 0.1 gr of powder. I choose to sort 0.5 gr lots of .223 brass for my long range loads, but the effect will only matter at 800-1000 yards - the vertical displacement on the target from such a small velocity change is negligible at shorter distances. Unless you control all other sources of variation, the effect of brass weight is negligible. I also shoot .284, and because the brass is twice as heavy I batch in 1 gr lots.

 

[mysticplayer]

I personally gave up on weighing cases - didn't show me any sig difference on target.

Same brand, same lot... Neck prep I found to be really really important. Annealing, outside neck turning, neck tension consistency... big gains on target.

Holding my charge weights to very very tight tolerance... HUGE.

Primers - some batches suck. I test new batches against a known good lot.

I know this will rub many but I find thinner necks better for the consistency I am looking for... especially in the 223.

Regardless, sort as you want. test on target and see if there is any benefit for what you want to do.

Go from there...

Jerry

 

[r bose]

Andy, only shooting 300 yds and having a 2g swing from heaviest to lightest is not going to affect accuracy. Lapua brass isn't necessarily about consistency (it is a bit better) but more about longevity. (more reloads)

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Listen to Danny - He knows of what he speaks!

 

[titanxt]

Danny, What are you seeing with your loads and rifles that makes sorting at .5 grains a benefit on target?

Thank you!

Andy

 

[Lbart]

I try to apply the KISS principle whenever I can. When I get a new lot of brass (usually 1,000) I have the wife weigh them with my digital scale into 0.1 grain lots. She does a find, fast job. From then on they stay in 50 round boxes for all operations and for reloading. Does it make a difference? Heck I don't know, but I have been known to beat Danny on occasion Maybe that 0.1 vs. 0.5 grain makes a difference.

Ask Danny how he likes basket ball playing at his age. Danny I hope you are getting better.