Variations in Brass weight in Hunting Caliber Reloads

[41rem]

Have a batch of 1x fired Nosler 28 brass @ 70 pc currently. Must be from different batches of factory ammo as the empty/clean weights run from 260 grains up to 284.

I'm planning on using this brass for load development. Have a few questions.

1 will this skew my results if not segregated by weight?

2 if segregated what weight range variation is acceptable?

3 better to move on and start fresh with Pederson or ADG brass?

I'd hate to just toss this stuff in the garage bin.


41

 

[Bill Norris]

Have a batch of 1x fired Nosler 28 brass @ 70 pc currently. Must be from different batches of factory ammo as the empty/clean weights run from 260 grains up to 284.

I'm planning on using this brass for load development. Have a few questions.

1 will this skew my results if not segregated by weight?

2 if segregated what weight range variation is acceptable?

3 better to move on and start fresh with Pederson or ADG brass?

I'd hate to just toss this stuff in the garage bin.


41

For hunting re-loads it may be O K but my OCD tells me if I'm spending the time and components to develop a load then I want to give it every chance to be as good as possible. Mixed brass in my opinion will hamper the results.

 

[243winxb]

if segregated what weight range variation is acceptable?

In 243 win brass, same lot , 3 grains. Benchrest preped 3/10 gr.

 

[K22]

Having been at this game a long time, I can tell you that starting with virgin brass of the same lot can make a significant difference for precision reloading applications. If nothing else, it aids in uniform sizing to promote uniform chamber fit, a highly desirable feature for hunting reloads.

If you are loading for minute of a deer / elk, then it's not a big issue accuracy wise but you should verify the sized cases chamber properly.

 

[Bronsin]

Normally for hunting loads I wouldn't pay attention to it, but 24grs on the same cases is a bunch. Weigh them all and see just what the average is, and try grouping them from there. 3grs difference isn't exactly comfortable, but that might be as good as it gets. Best bet would be to get a new box of brass so they have a chance at being close to each other.

 

[RyeGuy]

Buy new brass. You probably will eventually and all work until then would kinda been a waste. I did the same thing. Wish I would have bit the bullet sooner. Buy at least 100. And keep track of firings

 

[209jones]

That is quite the spread on them, only other way to sort them would be water capacity. Problem with just weighing cases is possibly the brass alloy blend, and where is the extra weight in that piece of brass, somewhere in the wall thickness, somewhere in the base. Water capacity sorting is a PITA, only other way is maybe to use felt pens to colour flyers brass, see if that reoccurs with that brass again, but, that'll probably take 3 shots ea to know for sure.

 

[jds holler]

So today I just received 50 Lapua brass in 243 Winchester. I bought them from one of our Forum fellows.
I had a few minutes to kill so I opened them up and started weighing them on my Lyman micro touch 1500.
These brass are freaking amazing!!
The mean weight is 173.0 grains, and out of the first 10 I weighed five of them were exactly that. Of the ones that were heavier or lighter, none were more than .2 grains off.
I have never had brass that consistent
Lapua blue box 243

Out of the 50 brass, it is quite possible that half of them will weigh EXACTLY 173.0 grains. Hell I am used to brass that weighs a full +/- 5 or more grains!!
jd

 

[Gary in MD]

Have a batch of 1x fired Nosler 28 brass @ 70 pc currently. Must be from different batches of factory ammo as the empty/clean weights run from 260 grains up to 284.

I'm planning on using this brass for load development. Have a few questions.

1 will this skew my results if not segregated by weight?

2 if segregated what weight range variation is acceptable?

3 better to move on and start fresh with Pederson or ADG brass?

I'd hate to just toss this stuff in the garage bin.


41

(3)

 

[JMA]

24 gr is alot If you have a load worked up for the lighter cases it might be way over pressure
in the heavy case.
Ran into this in an ar15 using some cases I was given

 

[SeabeeKen]

Since you are in MT, Im guessing your shots could be long. In this case, I'd get new quality brass and begin from there. Given the cost of components and time investment, I think it worthwhile.
If shorts are short, then I wouldnt worry with it. I've killed truckloads of deer with range pickup brass in my younger days and no deer complained.
My 257ai shoots under .5 with Jamison brass and my 6mm Rem ai shoots .027" with PPU brass. No sorting involved

 

[DumpHollow]

Not only variations in capacity but hardness variations between lots affecting neck tension. When I start a new caliber, I typically buy a new set of quality brass in a quantity to support the use of the rifle.

 

[wright brothers]

Let me guess, the heavies are longer?

 

[GotRDid]

Let me guess, the heavies are longer?

A question that I also had.
Received a batch of OF cases from mixed lots of Federal .308 Win hunting ammunition in late 90s. My intent was to load them for my own Whitetail rifle, so just did a cursory weight check prior to processing them. Weights were just 10 grs spread and acceptable for this project. After prepping, that variance was cut to less than half; particularly pleasing to me.
Perhaps weigh your cases before the process you use, then weigh again after? If still beyond your standard, maybe weight sort into sub lots for practice ammo?

 

[RegionRat]

Rough rule of thumb is about 3% of the case weight. Above that much means sorting or testing. YMMV

Why not use these as a learning opportunity and test a sample of the lightest against the heaviest?

 

[41rem]

Why not use these as a learning opportunity and test a sample of the lightest against the heaviest?

That's a good idea, I'll give that a go.

Have 5 pc that weight exactly 260 grains & then I'll pick the 5 heaviest & run the same starting load in all ten.

I'd imagine the heavy cases will have the higher velocity due to increased case pressure.

41

 

[RegionRat]

In for the water weight volume of the heaviest and lightest case, then the fully prepped version.