New brass tolerances and satisfaction

[AJC1]

I spend a lot of time watching reloading videos, product Introductions and reading gun articles. One could say I'm in a free fall looking for the bottom of the rabbit hole. One thing that comes up and is bothering me is brand new brass length. More specifically strait wall cases. We all agree, at least I think we do, that strait wall cases dont grow, and over time even shrink. Why are people satisfied by strait wall cases brand new out of the box, shorter than trim to length. I like starline but watching a starline new brass review from fortunecookie45lc about 454 brass, every cartridge was less than trim to length. Why not give us sami spec brass at least.

 

[Highland Lofts]

They will do itcas long as they don't get to many complaints. Buy once shot used brass for a lot less then new starline.

 

[JFrank]

@AJC1
A couple of generic type thoughts/things come to mind, firstly the best way to get out of the hole is to stop digging. ( too late I know) secondly I’ve never bought a new piece of brass that wasn’t below trim length, why ? I’m guessing risk management but who really knows for sure . Maybe Mr. Guffey knows..
My first recommendation for your condition is to seek therapy the second one I have no idea.

Shoot Small
J

 

[AJC1]

They will do itcas long as they don't get to many complaints. Buy once shot used brass for a lot less then new starline.

I'm curious if many are even aware. I would only consider buying new brass for competition purposes unless I cant find any. 7.7 is my current exception as i cant find them laying around and it's not what i use for military bolt. I prefer the 6.5x55

 

[ballman6711]

I recently bought a hundred pieces of Starline brass from Midway. It showed up in a nice little box instead of a Starline bag. Thinking like you I knew it had been bought in bulk and then repackaged, and possibly/probably not from the same lot. So I measured a few. One was off a bit, so then I measured them all. I didn't write it down but I believe I had a .008" variance in length over those hundred pieces, and most were within .004". IIRC they were right around the trim to length, with some being shorter and some longer.

I didn't bother to weigh them, although I certainly could have. I've started down that rabbit hole in the past, and realized that with pistol/revolver ammo and my shooting ability it really won't make a difference to me or my shooting. It may make my ammo more consistent, and that certainly can't hurt, but I would benefit much more from more range time than i will with better ammo, within reason of course.

FWIW, the brass I bought was 480 Ruger, not a caliber you normally find just laying on the floor of the local range.

chris

 

[AJC1]

I recently bought a hundred pieces of Starline brass from Midway. It showed up in a nice little box instead of a Starline bag. Thinking like you I knew it had been bought in bulk and then repackaged, and possibly/probably not from the same lot. So I measured a few. One was off a bit, so then I measured them all. I didn't write it down but I believe I had a .008" variance in length over those hundred pieces, and most were within .004". IIRC they were right around the trim to length, with some being shorter and some longer.

I didn't bother to weigh them, although I certainly could have. I've started down that rabbit hole in the past, and realized that with pistol/revolver ammo and my shooting ability it really won't make a difference to me or my shooting. It may make my ammo more consistent, and that certainly can't hurt, but I would benefit much more from more range time than i will with better ammo, within reason of course.

FWIW, the brass I bought was 480 Ruger, not a caliber you normally find just laying on the floor of the local range.

chris

In magnum rounds that require heavy crimp is needed for good clean burn and setback, most trim them even to the shortest one barring a major outliers. I would be happy with cases between Sami spec and trim length. Give me more to work with.

 

[LiveLife]

One thing that comes up and is bothering me is brand new brass length. More specifically strait wall cases. We all agree, at least I think we do, that strait wall cases dont grow, and over time even shrink.

Why are people satisfied by strait wall cases brand new out of the box, shorter than trim to length.

You should measure some factory new ammunition for case lengths ...

And be prepared to be surprised more.

 

[ballman6711]

You should measure some factory new ammunition for case lengths ...

And be prepared to be surprised more.

I have...

and I was!

 

[.38 Special]

I find myself saying it more and more on this kind of thread but... I just don't care. When I set up with a new lot of brass, I adjust the dies for the desired results and then get on with it. I can't tell any difference on target or game if the brass shows a few thousandths variation in length, and it certainly doesn't matter if the whole batch is slightly longer or shorter than some book value.

I am, or at least was at one point, sort of the poster child for OCD handloading, but I think it is important to keep in mind that some details are important because they're important, while other details are important only because they keep the hobbyist engaged. This is one of the latter, in my opinon.

 

[LiveLife]

brand new brass length ... strait wall cases brand new out of the box, shorter than trim to length.

Wait, did you measure the case length BEFORE you resized or AFTER you resized?

You should measure some factory new ammunition for case lengths ...

And be prepared to be surprised more.

I have ... and I was!

So if we did not reload, we would have never known that such variation in case length, even for new factory brass, exists.

I find myself saying it more and more on this kind of thread but... I just don't care.

When I set up with a new lot of brass, I adjust the dies for the desired results and then get on with it ... if the brass shows a few thousandths variation in length, and it certainly doesn't matter if the whole batch is slightly longer or shorter than some book value

Now now.

We all know there are shooting variables and shooters simply acknowledge them and make the necessary adjustments so they can hit their targets.

Likewise, there are reloading variables whether they are factory new or used range brass. Reloaders simply need to acknowledge them and make the necessary adjustments to compensate for them so our finished rounds' dimensions and more importantly, chambered rounds' dimensions are consistent.