Sorting Brass
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jonathon1289
New member
Yes sort it by head stamp. Some brass is weaker and doesn't hold up as well, and since you should be visually inspecting all cases for damage it is an easy step to sort at the same time.
MarkGlazer
New member
You will also find that each manufacturer creates a different sized case (length not diameter). It wreaks havoc on consistency when you are aiming for the proper OAL.
jersurf101
New member
I find it better to sort brass by head stamp for a variety of reasons. The biggest are consistency and safety.
jwrowland77
New member
I sort all my brass pistol and rifle. Biggest thing is each manufacture has different thickness in their brass.
Colorado Redneck
New member
What then?
After brass is sorted by headstamp, then what? Do you work up a different load for each brand based on some criteria?
For 38 Special I don't fool with sorting brass. The pressures I load to are below max. For rifle brass I have experimented with loading different brands and found that even though velocity may vary, accuracy differences are not radical. I have wondered about sorting and how that might be viewed by experienced shooters.
After brass is sorted by headstamp, then what? Do you work up a different load for each brand based on some criteria?
For 38 Special I don't fool with sorting brass. The pressures I load to are below max. For rifle brass I have experimented with loading different brands and found that even though velocity may vary, accuracy differences are not radical. I have wondered about sorting and how that might be viewed by experienced shooters.
David Bachelder
New member
I don't sort brass, other than by caliber. I don't shoot for extreme accuracy or compete so it seems like a waste of time to me.
I also sort brass before it goes into the tumbler. I don't like it when the 38 special get stuck in the 40 S&W or any other of the possibilities.
Everything gets stuck in 45 colt.
I also sort brass before it goes into the tumbler. I don't like it when the 38 special get stuck in the 40 S&W or any other of the possibilities.
Everything gets stuck in 45 colt.
wyobohunter
New member
What he said... Mostly, if you are looking for bulk ammo reloading just for fun and aren't overly concerned with tiny groups a safe way to accomplish using mixed brass:
1-Clean all brass.
2-Size all brass.
3-Inspect and measure all brass and cull the bad ones.
4-Trim them all to uniform length.
5-carefully work up a load that is a bit beyond mid-power (say 2/10 grain).
6-Do your bulk loading at the mid power level, this provides room for error.
7- measure all fired brass. Different head stamps will not stretch uniformly. I keep the ones that are "close enough" and cull those that stretch noticeably more than the average.
8- repeat (you can skip trimming until brass it close to max length).
Note: step 6 doesn't mean you don't have to check your powder throws every so often. It just gives a margin for error.
Keep in mind that this is the system I use when I'm shooting several hundred rounds in a session and I don't expect tiny groups.
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Brass like this I would sort in the 'range pick up' pile. Load and go for plinking. You can sort it by head stamp but you will be chasing your tail to get lots of 100+ worth your while.
Visual inspection for defects is more important with this type of lot. Load it up and lose it in the 9mm variation.
Visual inspection for defects is more important with this type of lot. Load it up and lose it in the 9mm variation.
jersurf101
New member
I do not work up different loads for different brass, But I have more bad neck tension with R-P and PMC brass than other brands to where I do look out for it and don't prime a bunch without testing the neck tension first.
When I started reloading 9mm two years ago I decided to sort by headstamp to reduce the variables should I have any problems. I'm glad I did. I found that different headstamps behave differently in my press. Some work near perfectly while others give me problems with one or more of 1)bullet falling off just before seating, 2) primers not removed all the way, 3) not fitting into headspace guage, 4) primers seated a little high, and 5) OAL variation. There are one or two HS's that give me little or no problem, while one in particular I keep picking the bullets off the floor.
So "good" HS's get used where I can always pick them up and "bad" ones I use outside where I can lose them. I can't tell if one shoots better than others; that's an exercise for another day.
The first time you sort takes quite a while, but once sorted just use one HS at a time. I recommend cleaning before sorting.
So "good" HS's get used where I can always pick them up and "bad" ones I use outside where I can lose them. I can't tell if one shoots better than others; that's an exercise for another day.
The first time you sort takes quite a while, but once sorted just use one HS at a time. I recommend cleaning before sorting.
Miata Mike
New member
I sort only to weed out the military crimp crap. I sort WIN, RP, and everything else. I am saving the RP for lead loads. Tomorrow I will load a slew of "mixed others" and will report on how it turns out.
I have no problems using mixed brass in 38 special and .45acp so far.
I have to report that I have found crimped Winchester brass too. What next....
I have no problems using mixed brass in 38 special and .45acp so far.
I have to report that I have found crimped Winchester brass too. What next....
SVTCobra306
New member
Miata Mike, was it Winchester headstamp or WCC that was crimped?
I sort mine, probably more than I need to, but if I want to put together hunting loads or accurate loads, I don't have to sort again. I have a bunch of the $1.97 sterilite containers from Wal-Mart that are all marked and stacked on a shelf with caliber, headstamp, and # of times fired.
An added bonus is that I don't get mad at small primer .45acp brass.. I just put it into a different little container. As it happens I can't seem to find large pistol primers regularly here, but I'm finding small pistol primers all the time and have some stocked up.. so I'll be shooting up the small stuff for now
I sort mine, probably more than I need to, but if I want to put together hunting loads or accurate loads, I don't have to sort again. I have a bunch of the $1.97 sterilite containers from Wal-Mart that are all marked and stacked on a shelf with caliber, headstamp, and # of times fired.
An added bonus is that I don't get mad at small primer .45acp brass.. I just put it into a different little container. As it happens I can't seem to find large pistol primers regularly here, but I'm finding small pistol primers all the time and have some stocked up.. so I'll be shooting up the small stuff for now
Miata Mike
New member
Unfortunately it was indeed WIN headstamp. I too sort out small pistol primer .45acp for special occasions where I think I may have to leave the brass.
Fire_Moose
New member
I sorted all my 9mm when I started loading. Had a case+ of SandB, crap load of DC, and win win NT and wcc was another pile. Small groups of the others. I crushed about 7 primers this first round, all wcc. Now a bunch of wcc primed fine but I toss new ones now.
/shrug
Went thru the wins and DC now on to the s and b. Ill let Cha know if any of the wins crush primers during seating.
/shrug
Went thru the wins and DC now on to the s and b. Ill let Cha know if any of the wins crush primers during seating.
Fire_Moose
New member
FC***