Lot # Brass

[creedmoor664]

I had been mixing my 6.5 Creedmoor Hornady brass, and no worrying about Lot #.... It seems that there is a pretty good variation between neck thickness and size in different lot numbers. It has made sizing a pain. I try to size the shoulder 1-3 thousands from fired to prep. I have decided to buy several hundred in the same lot # and keep them together all the time when prepping and loading so as to get more consistency when sizing.. I assume all you top shooters do the same? Pipe in, please...

 

[morganlamprecht]

track lot #s of everything...it all can matter some and account for variations

primers, bullets, powder, brass

 

[creedmoor664]

Thanks. I should have known that but just didn't consider it when I purchased for the best price.....Old Vet with a new learning curve......

 

[XLR308]

Are you using a bushing sizing die ?

 

[Backcountryguy]

+1 for keeping all lots the same. Primers, powder, bullets. Any time one changes, confirm your load is still good. I try buy bullets with the same lot number anywhere from 500-1,000 currently.

I have found a lot of variation in Hornady ELD-M bullets between different lots. Where one lot may touch the lands with a CBTO of 2.230” the next lot may touch at 2.220” or similar variation.

In regards to bumping your shoulders back 1-3 thousandths, the brass lot shouldn’t matter? They should fire form to the same dimensions in your chamber, therefore be a consistent length when going up into your die...I can however understand a difference in neck thickness. This is why I set my neck tension with a mandrel die, so neck tension is always the same regardless of neck thickness.

 

[morganlamprecht]

if hes buying once fired brass, various chamber dimensions will affect amount of sizing likely more than brass lot itself

also with 2 necks of different thickness, id bet the one thats thicker has more "tension" than the thinner one (both having similar hardness) because youre moving more material

if i have 2 pieces of brass with a 1" ID, but one has a thicker wall...its gunna take more force to move the thicker one

 

[Backcountryguy]

I guess I never considered the brass had been shot in any chamber other than his own...but yes, if that’s the case, then it definitely could cause inconsistencies

 

[creedmoor664]

Before I started reloading I was buying Hornady American Gunner 140gr BTHP and accumulating brass before I began reloading. I had bought several different lot# at different times, so, yes, I was reloading once fired brass from my rifle. I just ordered some new 6.5 Hndy Creed brass and they assured me it was all the same lot #. Those will be kept together thru the process including annealing.

 

[just browsing]

If I buy same brand/different lots of new brass and am only shooting it out of one rifle, I never worry much about mixing them together. They are all going to be “close enough” and fireform in the same chamber. If there are different chambers, rifles, etc. in the mix I will always sort them according to lot.