Survey: Who sorts their brass by brand prior to reloading?

[IndyND]

As a new reloader I was reading that its best to keep all components the same while working up a load. I am guessing that its okay to use mixed brass with mild to medium loads for practice/ plinking. But I anticipate wanting some consistent and accurate loads so I plan on keeping them sorted by brand.

 

[RSW]

In a bolt action I separate and keep them in 100 round cases. This way I can keep track of load history by batch.

 

[Tom Terrific]

I do. I learned in archery that when you shoot the same load (arrow wgt), the same way (knock point, anchor point, etc) every time then the results will be more accurate. I apply that to my reloading. I try to load like headstamps in box lots (50) so each trip to the range I will be shooting the same load, from the same case as much as possible. It may not mean anything but it is also another opportunity to inspect your brass for problems.

 

[BAZOOKa]

I am curious what people have to say on this as well. I have to figure it is more important to keep track of the number of times a case has been fired than brand, but that's just my assumption. I am at the point where I have little batches of brass of different branding and at different number of firings. I am wanting to just roll them into batches by number of firings to get a smaller number of larger quantities to prep at once.

 

[Vince49]

No.

 

[hammer24]

It depends. For plinking loads, no. For high accuracy loads like for my rifles or hunting loads, yes.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Plinking rounds get little prep or sorting.

Precision rifle gets done by lot and a fair amount of prep work. I only bother to keep track of the number of firings to add to my collection of brass-life statistics.

 

[Classic]

Plinking rounds no - target rounds yes.

 

[bstewrat3]

Everything gets sorted.

 

[M67]

I used to, then I got over it. I learned I was a high volume shooter and loved hitting steel plates and shooting paper. Then I just got over sorting brass, unless I bought it brand spanking new

 

[TonyT]

I do for all of my match ammo but not for my practice ammo.

 

[Broom_jm]

The only thing I will add to Shibumseeker's post, is that after sorting for headstamp, I then sort by weight. Once that's done, the REAL work of case prep begins.

Truly accurate rifles and ammunition are rarely the result of luck or happenstance.

 

[Leo]

It depends on the cartridge. You will never see any difference in a handgun caliber. simply load and go. In a precision rifle case sorting will make a TINY difference. But you cannot stop at "brands". You will need to fully prep brand new brass. (size, trim, uniform primer pockets and flash holes) Check them each for concentricity, pitch the crooked ones. Then weigh (or CC ) each one and put them together in lots separated according to interior volume.

In a box of 500 new pieces of quality brass, you will find about as much difference as you will find between brands.

If you are not looking to ring a tenth of an inch out of a 100 yard bench rest target, or a 1/2 inch out of a 500 yard target, that is a lot of work that most people will never see on a target.

I do tend to keep my rifle batches together simply to keep count of how ever many times they have been reloaded, even if they are mixed brands or years.

 

[Thegeek]

Just by caliber and by prep level (dirty, clean, sized, primed, etc.). Nothing by lot or shot count.

 

[BGDave]

Everything. Back when every die set (RCBS) came with a roll crimp seating die little differences in case length became problematic. Taper crimp dies have spoiled me. Still do it. Makes it a little easier to separate my brass from range pick-ups.

 

[rvb]

depends.

For rifle: if working up a new load that'll be used for matches at longer range, yes. General plinking and practice ammo, no.

For pistol, never.

-rvb

 

[gregkl]

Just by caliber and by prep level (dirty, clean, sized, primed, etc.). Nothing by lot or shot count.

Same here. I am a noob and only load pistol though.

 

[kludge]

I sort. Then if I feel something different when priming or sizing I know something is up.

 

[Cerberus]

Yes. I'm quite OCD about head stamp and even year if it's on there. Just one of my quirks.

 

[Sniper 79]

I dont do a thing to my pistol loads. For my AR I am a little more picky mainly due to the pressures involved. I sell off any odd brand brass and only load one brand so I dont have to sort that much.