in my 260 i have brass on its 6th, 4th,3rd, first. right now i have always kept them seperate. how improtant is that. all of them have the same case prep done to them and are trimmed each time.
case sorting quesiton
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Re: case sorting quesiton
I think it's important enough to keep up the segregation.
To my thinking, the most critical factor to accuracy is neck tension. Neck tension varies directly as a product of work hardening of the brass in the neck area.
When you introduce variations in firing/reloading cycle counts, you introduce additional variations in neck work hardening, with accomanying variations in neck tension and accuracy.
Not the best approach. Folks understand that I treasure handloading simplicity very highly; but this kind of complexity, maintaining separate lots of brass, is well within my range of acceptable accomodations.
Greg
I think it's important enough to keep up the segregation.
To my thinking, the most critical factor to accuracy is neck tension. Neck tension varies directly as a product of work hardening of the brass in the neck area.
When you introduce variations in firing/reloading cycle counts, you introduce additional variations in neck work hardening, with accomanying variations in neck tension and accuracy.
Not the best approach. Folks understand that I treasure handloading simplicity very highly; but this kind of complexity, maintaining separate lots of brass, is well within my range of acceptable accomodations.
Greg
Re: case sorting quesiton
I use a three cornered file to nick the rim each time a round is fired, so it is easy to keep up with how many times the brass has been fired.
I can still polish all together, and sort them later. Easy
I use a three cornered file to nick the rim each time a round is fired, so it is easy to keep up with how many times the brass has been fired.
I can still polish all together, and sort them later. Easy
Re: case sorting quesiton
My brass goes from dies to ammo box, box to gun and back to box, then into a plastic bag common to the brass lot for further handloading processing.
At a match I always fire off saved rounds, typically at the sighter bull right after the completion of my final string, to keep my brass lots intact. For a 40rd match, I load 60 rounds, and typically have 5-12 saved rounds, depending on the gods of war and the spoils of competition. 60 may be too much; but often enough, 50 have been too few.
Greg
My brass goes from dies to ammo box, box to gun and back to box, then into a plastic bag common to the brass lot for further handloading processing.
At a match I always fire off saved rounds, typically at the sighter bull right after the completion of my final string, to keep my brass lots intact. For a 40rd match, I load 60 rounds, and typically have 5-12 saved rounds, depending on the gods of war and the spoils of competition. 60 may be too much; but often enough, 50 have been too few.
Greg
Re: case sorting quesiton
To indentify my special brass, I mark the bottom with a sharpie, usually red.
Then when getting ready to segragte the brass into lots, all the ones with red go into a separate pile and get cleaned and stored together.
Anal I am...
Jerry
To indentify my special brass, I mark the bottom with a sharpie, usually red.
Then when getting ready to segragte the brass into lots, all the ones with red go into a separate pile and get cleaned and stored together.
Anal I am...
Jerry
Re: case sorting quesiton
thats what i was thinking. i think im just going to set the 5x brass aside and catch the other brass up so i can have more ammo ready at one time.
thanks guys
thats what i was thinking. i think im just going to set the 5x brass aside and catch the other brass up so i can have more ammo ready at one time.
thanks guys
Re: case sorting quesiton
You could also introduce case neck annealing to keep neck tensions consistent between firings.
I have heard of people even annealing after every firing.
When i get around to getting a bench source annealing machine I will include a light neck anneal after every firing just to keep things consistent.
You could also introduce case neck annealing to keep neck tensions consistent between firings.
I have heard of people even annealing after every firing.
When i get around to getting a bench source annealing machine I will include a light neck anneal after every firing just to keep things consistent.
Re: case sorting quesiton
I like the auto center punch idea. Right now my rifle brass is easy to sort. Once fired is in gallon bags from when I collected and sorted it for headstamps, hard sort LC XX or WCC XX. Maybe the odd PMC. Then after I shoot it once it goes into a second bag. When I get a batch there I'll load it again. I like the punch to mark it. After seeing AR's rip rims I don't think I'd put a nick in the edge.
I like the auto center punch idea. Right now my rifle brass is easy to sort. Once fired is in gallon bags from when I collected and sorted it for headstamps, hard sort LC XX or WCC XX. Maybe the odd PMC. Then after I shoot it once it goes into a second bag. When I get a batch there I'll load it again. I like the punch to mark it. After seeing AR's rip rims I don't think I'd put a nick in the edge.
Re: case sorting quesiton
I don't track .45 ACP brass just keep loading it I'm on 2nd or 3rd reload with some of them.
I don't track .45 ACP brass just keep loading it I'm on 2nd or 3rd reload with some of them.
Re: case sorting quesiton
I keep mine seperate.You hear some guys say they load em till one splits and discard.I think thats a waste one could be weak so through out all 50?color code and seperate.I like the file response also.
I keep mine seperate.You hear some guys say they load em till one splits and discard.I think thats a waste one could be weak so through out all 50?color code and seperate.I like the file response also.
Re: case sorting quesiton
I cull splits and when they become more common, I set the brass aside for one more use in a non-critical application, like sighters, foulers, hunters, and plinkers.
I may also earmark such brass for use as ammo for newbies, as absolute accuracy tends to be less of a critical issue for first timers.
I neither anneal nor trim, as these issues seldom become critical for my loads.
I buy the more common commercial brass and use what savings accrue as an allowance to renew my brass more frequently, before longevity issues compromise brass integrity.
Greg
I cull splits and when they become more common, I set the brass aside for one more use in a non-critical application, like sighters, foulers, hunters, and plinkers.
I may also earmark such brass for use as ammo for newbies, as absolute accuracy tends to be less of a critical issue for first timers.
I neither anneal nor trim, as these issues seldom become critical for my loads.
I buy the more common commercial brass and use what savings accrue as an allowance to renew my brass more frequently, before longevity issues compromise brass integrity.
Greg
Re: case sorting quesiton
i usually dont trim between every load. seems that you would be reducing the overall life of your brass doing that. all my newer brass is on its third loading, after they are all fired ill check to see and consider trimming.
i usually dont trim between every load. seems that you would be reducing the overall life of your brass doing that. all my newer brass is on its third loading, after they are all fired ill check to see and consider trimming.
Re: case sorting quesiton
I happen to be one those that anneals brass. Sometimes after every firing but never more than firings between annealing. I sort my brass by times fired after annealing. The pieces that get annealed after every firing are my "special" match brass. I see no real benefit in accuracy between the two lots of brass. I still keep my "special" match brass separate just to make me feel good. I only pitch the brass when the primer pockets get loose.
This works for me, while your mileage may vary.
Semper Fi
I happen to be one those that anneals brass. Sometimes after every firing but never more than firings between annealing. I sort my brass by times fired after annealing. The pieces that get annealed after every firing are my "special" match brass. I see no real benefit in accuracy between the two lots of brass. I still keep my "special" match brass separate just to make me feel good. I only pitch the brass when the primer pockets get loose.
This works for me, while your mileage may vary.
Semper Fi
