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What to do with pulled down brass

mtang45

Tangbladicus Maximus
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Apr 14, 2006
    878
    163
    Kansas City, Missouri
    When doing charge weight load development, I frequently have a few loaded rounds that I end up not shooting because the previous load was approaching being too hot. So when I get home, I pull them down and put the bullets and powder back where they belong and the question is what to do with the brass. Its had its neck stretched so its not new, and it has not been fire formed so its not 1x fired either. Its like its in a category of its own . I'm tempted to just neck it down and toss it in with the new brass. I admit I have not set up a test to see if there is any difference between new and pulled brass, or maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing. What does everyone else do with them?
     
    I've never had good luck with just reseating a bullet in brass that's been pulled, es/sd goes wild due to inconsistent neck tensions. Like Cascade said, resize.
     
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    I second neck sizing. Works only the brass I want to work to give me a serviceable round so I can keep that piece in the rotation.
     
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    Neck size them and shoot a sample next to your “normal” load. If they are within your acceptable range for Vel, Sd/Es, POI and accuracy…run them in the rotation.

    If not, load them and keep them in a box for sighters and foulers….

    ZY
    ZY
     
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    Thanks for the advice guys. Guess I'll save a up a few and then run them side by side against new brass to what the magnitude of the difference is, if any.
     
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    What I do with these, (if you shoot competitions) is I just keep them separate and burn them up on a shorter stage. The reality is that a 6" plate at 400 yards doesn't really test your ammo quality much as long as it doesn't have a large zero shift.
     
    Hmmm, I thought it was just common practice to run new brass through a fl sizer? Pull down and resize isn't changing the the brass like fire forming.
     
    Depending on how much you are expanding then resizing the neck you are work hardening the brass.

    How much and if it makes a measurable difference depends; how much is the ID changing in each step, annealed, 1x, 2x,3x fired, etc.

    In my case I do notice a slight change in SD if I mix the two..even POI with some. Not a lot…but some.

    Enough to matter? Depends on OPs process and his accuracy goals.

    ZY
     
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