Do You Sort Brass

Yes, I sort both ... a result of mild OCD and the fact that I rarely reload large QTYs at one time (I never process more than a couple of hundred at a time). Still using my 1974 RCBS JR3 single-stage press.

I only load pistol. For some unknown reason, I have it sorted. All my brass is range pick up.
I have to admit, I am a brass whore. I probably spend as much time sorting as loading.

Man I feel your pain. At the range I spend more time wallowing around in the dirt chasing brass around than I do shooting usually. i feel like a kid at Easter running back to the truck with my little basket of eggs...-handfuls of brass/steel. (yes i recently started grabbing the steel too )

red rick said:

Do you sort your brass by head stamp ( rifle & pistol ) ?

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Rifle yes. Cases I load for one caliber, that is reloaded regularly, ranges from 160 grains to 187 grains in case weight, with six different brands.

Here's why

My load with my rifle. Remington M700, 24" barrel.

Load #1
200 gr Nosler Partition
C.O.L. 3,07”
Norma 203-B
Case: Headstamp; WIN (Winchester). Case weight 160.1 grains
Primer: WLR
46.0 2395fps
47.0 2442fps
48.0 2508fps
49.0 2557fps (no pressure signs.)


Load #2 (Note that a different case was used)
200 gr Nosler Partition
C.O.L. 3,07”
Norma 203-B (same lot)
Case: Headstamp; WW (Winchester-Western). Case weight 178 grains
Primer: WLR (same lot)
46.5 2495fps
46.8 2510fps (my settled on load.)
47.5 2563fps (max with pressure signs.)

46.8 grains had the most consistent grouping.



Ruger #3 30-40 (Not for grandpappy's krag. No charges listed.)
Load #1
150 gr Sierra BT
C.O.L. 3,08”
Big Game
Case: Winchester Case weight 170.1 grains
Primer: WLR

XX.X 2720fps

Load #2
150 gr Sierra BT
C.O.L. 3,08”
Big Game
Case: Remington Case weight 160.8 grains
Primer: WLR

XX.X 2660fps

Only thing that changed was the cases.

Good example of the old saying, "Start low and work-up when you change components."

Sorry for being wordy...bored.

For rifles definitely..... Even so far as to sort the date of lake city brass recently. I figure I if go to the trouble to decrimp the primer pocket the year stamp will help keep track of the brass and the # times fired. Why I do this I don't know. I stopped trying to load that magic bullet years ago. Just part of the fun I suppose.

Pistol ammo I could care less.

I sort both rifle and pistol brass. There are many variations in both and I am picky about every round I load, striving for consistency within each batch I make. Differences in brass internal capacity (different brands have different thickness and thus different internal capacity) can make a significant difference in MV in some loadings/calibers.

Yes I do,, and load to that head stamp.

I understand the principles behind neck turning and weight sorting and I've always wanted to do it myself, but since I'm loading small batches in the same cases over and over it's just more cost-effective to pay for the premium, pre-finished brass.

I do sort my brass,the more consistent you can be the better,weather it be head stamp, trimming, weight, or whatever you choose to O.C.D. about.
It's good to be king of your own little world.

Yes and Yes.

My 210's and other accurate guns convinced me it matters.

only for my 243 rifle---prvi-partizan cases do not bulge when used in my Savage 243 rifle.
All other cases bulge at the web area.
I don't sort for pistol cases

For both handgun and rifle. With so many reloading, and picking up their brass. It helps me to identify my casings, most of the time.

I am only loading .45 ACP at the moment and ordinarily I do not sort brass by headstamp but I did last night. I was having variable COL measurements using mixed brass and I wanted to see if it was because of using mixed brass. It was.

Rifle, almost always yes. It depends on the purpose. For pinking loads I don't care. For hunting and load development they are separated. For auto loading pistols, no. For revolvers that require a roll crimp, absolutely. Those are trimmed as well so I get a consistent crimp.

A lot of my sorting has to do w/ case preparation. If it's going to be trimmed they are sorted. If I have to swage the primer pockets they are separated. And any cases I'm going to covert to something else are sorted. Some brands will require more or less work.

Pistol no except I toss AMercs when I find them (and of course any Steel ot Aluminum)
Rifle 223/5.56 no toss steel and these
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=748343

7mag Yes

Pistol: Yes. I sort by headstamp.
With a single stage or turret press, sorting results in better consistancy. With a progressive press, not so much. The progressive with several actions being accomplished at one time, averages out the harder/softer brass.
The Single stages and turret presses will see noticeably closer tolerances with seating depth/oal and taper crimp when all the brass has the same hardness/thickness.

Do these closer tolerances improve results? It depends on your use and load.

I'm anal, I sort my brass by size, except my 357 brass which all came from Starline.

Yes to both, and keep them seprate when testing loads.

I do not sort anything commercial. I will separate military from the commercial but thats about it.
I simply keep the brass in containers labeled by how many times they have been fired.

As it appears, I definitely need some professional counseling. I'm in denial, cause I have bin after bin of handgun and rifle brass that has been bagged and sorted by head stamp, and prep stage, and number of times loaded. I'm a sick, sick man. Truth be told, I recently a (couple years ago I think), decided to stop sorting handgun brass. By the time I run through all the the stuff that has already been sorted, I'll probably forget that I decided to stop sorting and then continue doing it.

But I do have a large amount handgun brass that hasn't been sorted. Hopefully I'll remember that I quit sorting when I get to those bins, it appears old age is creeping up on me. Oh, what a world, what a world, I'm melting! I'm melting!

GS

I only sort by headstamp for my match rounds.

I can't help it. I'm anal and I sort my brass by head stamp which I believe makes a difference with my single stage press.

I am only loading .45 ACP at the moment and ordinarily I do not sort brass by headstamp but I did last night. I was having variable COL measurements using mixed brass and I wanted to see if it was because of using mixed brass. It was.

Click to expand...

If you load on a SS, try this. I promise you this is more accurate. Pay attention to how they feel when you flare/expand them. You can easily sort your brass more accurately than by looking at the headstamp.

You will catch all the RP brass and S&B 45ACP brass that is super thin. You will let by those few RP and S&B brass that isn't too thin, cuz sometimes there's variation. Or sometimes you get a couple firings out of them before they get loose. And you will catch the occasional Win or FC cases that are also gotten loose (overworked, I guess). What I'm trying to say is that headstamp isn't always accurate. Some of the other headstamps belong in that pile you separated, and some of those you separated don't belong in that pile. And the actual thickness/thinness of the case isn't what makes it seat different. It's the neck tension. And the feel when flaring is the best way to gauge that, not calipers or a headstamp. If you want to sort because of seating differences, do this, and you will never have to look at a headstamp, again.