Sorting Brass

[Unclenick]

Victor,

You can view the SAAMI spec drawing, here. You will find the spec calls for case length to be 0.744"-0.754". Anything over 0.754" should be trimmed if you value feed reliability.

[temmi]

Yes sort it by head stamp.

Really

Snake

[arch308]

I don't sort pistol brass by headstamp. I do chk case lengths and trim the long ones for a consistant crimp. I used to take the time to sort but have found over the years that it's not needed for plinking ammo. JMO

[m&p45acp10+1]

I sort out AMERC it goes into the scrap can. Crimped primer brass gets scraped as well.

[Beentown71]

I sort. I have 1k WCC that I need to run through with my RCBS swaging die. Not looking forward to it...

[Miata Mike]

I sort. I have 1k WCC that I need to run through with my RCBS swaging die. Not looking forward to it...

I have a slew of WCC and might just recycle it before running it through the Super swage 500.

[WESHOOT2]

Just making noise?
Don't bother.

38 Special and 45 ACP not intended for Bullseye competition?
Don't bother.
Intended for Bullseye competition?
Bother.

9x19?
Bother, IF IT MATTERS FROM YOUR GUN.
I bother, mostly, because it matters from mine.......



40 S&W?
Always sort.


IME sorting cases is based on 'goal'.

[Beentown71]

Originally Posted by Miata Mike

I have a slew of WCC and might just recycle it before running it through the Super swage 500.

Before you recycle I would pay you for them at recycling rates and some time for shipping. At least then I would feel better for taking all that time getting rid of the crimp.

[DennRN]

I sort by headstamp.
Even for pistol and I'm not reloading for competition.
Why?
Overall length varies when loading different headstamps.
Different OAL alters pressure.
Different pressure alters velocity.
Different velocities alter point of impact.
Varying points of impact make me sad.

It's "cheaper" to reload...
Yeah, after sinking over a 1.5k in just equipment, I'm looking for higher quality, Cheaper isn't happening any time soon.

[arch308]

Have you tried trimming your brass?

[603Country]

I do not sort brass for my 9mm, 38 or 357. I tumble them and load em and shoot em, though I do check for split necks, etc. I will, on occasion, have a 357 case that's a touch too long and messes up my crimp. I'll trim it or toss it, depending on my mood at the time.

[Lemmon]

Remember to sort out the short .380acp. My last batch loading of 9mm I ended up with a number of 380's loaded with 115 grain bullets and a lot more powder that a 380 should have. Never tried to load one but it may jam your pistol and end your shooting time.

Lemmon from Rural South Carolina

[joneb]

I find brass can vary in weight and thickness between brands, even if the length is the same the case capacity is not.
I have found that pistol brass of the same head stamp will have lower SD#s and tighter groups than mixed head stamp reloads.
If you don't care about accuracy then don't bother.

[Unclenick]

And sort by load history; i.e., how many times it's been reloaded. The brass works hardens a little more with each sizing, to the grip on the bullet varies, and start pressure varies with it.

[Gunplummer]

I don't reload pistol brass, but sometimes sort rifle brass. It depends what I am shooting. Like the others, I always inspect the brass. I have already found defective brand new brass.

[jmorris]

All of my 9mm brass gets culled for steel and aluminum then sorted by the casegauge pass or fail. Won many matches with that fairly simple method.

[RC20]

I gave it up other than general. You have to have 1000 slots for how many times fired (what load!) , head stamp and small lots picked up that fit no where. Military I am putting all into one group regardless of Danish, HXP or PDU

And I keep seeing comments about overall brass length per mfg.

Fire it once, and its all out the door. some expands and needs a trim some does not and .........

For the 30-06 I got the Little Crow Gun works trimmer and it all gets should trimmed, if its ok nothing comes off if not it works fine (and when done the OAL is always in the ragne of what it should be) .

I have a bunch of FC I use as baseline and mix up the rest of the radom ones.

I can do the same with another batch when and if the FC starts to go.
I have 200 RP from one source and era and those will be the standard.

[WESHOOT2]

I have three kinds of cases:
-New
-Once fired
-More than once fired



I use new cases for development, and ammo that matters. Know what I mean?
If you do not know what I mean, follow this example regardless.

I use once-fired cases for just saying I'm using once-fired cases (I used once-fired cases for cop-training ammo manufacturing, and still have a few left over).

I use used cases for everything else.



I prefer to sort my used cases by headstamp, but I don't always, 'cause I'm either outta time, or lazy.

[millerwb]

I will gladly pay for shipping of and and all brass that has crimped primer pockets that others don't want to mess with. I will also take small primer 45 acp. Let me know if you have anything.

As for sorting, I just throw them all in the mix. Occasionally, I will sort out similar like nickel plated brass for HP rounds. That way, I know at a glance if it is target ammo or self-defense or hunting ammo.

[BigJimP]

I don't sort any handgun cases by headstamp...../ I do sort thru them after I clean them ( getting rid of any nasty looking ones, dumping out all S&B, AMERC cases, etc )....for caliber, etc../ and put them into a case specific storage box ...like "9mm cleaned and sorted"....but there is a variety of headstamps in the box...

I'm a "tactical shooter" not a bulls eye shooter..../ and I know my groups shrunk at least 30% using my reloads over any factory ammo. My procedures and tolerances I can hold, on my press, is way better than the cheap factory ammo - in my opinion.

I shoot about 6 - 8 boxes a week of 9mm ...mostly in a couple of 1911's .../ and I've never seen an accuracy issue show up because of mixed head stamps. I load a premium bullet, Montana Gold, 115 gr CMJ in 9mm primarily...

[Airman Basic]

Do ya'll really swage the primer pockets on WCC 45 brass? Never really saw the need.

[Unclenick]

Depends on the lot you get. I've had .308 and .223 brass that allowed primers to seat without swaging, too, but you can't count on it and it's not usually as smooth seating into them. I think this is one reason the Dillon 1050 has a built-in swager at the second of its 8 stations.

[Farmland]

Never saw a need to short any brass. I don't short my rifle brass but I do trim to keep in spec.

[kilimanjaro]

I'm new to reloading and do sort my brass by headstamp, probably because I'm anal about some things, I guess. The sort is really secondary to just examining the brass for condition.

[schmellba99]

I don't sort brass, other than by caliber. I don't shoot for extreme accuracy or compete so it seems like a waste of time to me.

I also sort brass before it goes into the tumbler. I don't like it when the 38 special get stuck in the 40 S&W or any other of the possibilities.

Everything gets stuck in 45 colt.

This.

I cannot even guess how many 9mm, .38, .45, .357, etc pistol rounds I have loaded up. Outside of some specialty rounds (such as SD loads), I never sort brass for my pistols anymore. Back when I first started reloading I was super anal like most are, but quickly figured out what is a time burner and what is worth the effort - and sorting brass for range loads is a time burner that produces (for me) zero tangible benefits.

I've yet to have a problem, or notice any difference in performance (hell, when I go I grab one of my ammo cans that has 9mm or .45 or whatever loose packed and grab handfuls as needed to load magazines).

Another poster said it accurately - worry about your powder charge more than anything. If your powder charge is fairly consistent and your projos are consistent, you'll have good results. Your brass should have very little effect on the outcome of your loads, especially in a pistol round like 9mm.