Weight variances.... When to be worried.

kydaddy · October 15, 2009, 06:44 PM

Little background. Loading 45 ACP R&P brass, Hornady XTP 230 grain bullets and 4.8 grains of Bullseye with WLP primers.

I'm pretty uptight about my reloading and I hand weigh every charge on the balance scale. Finished 50 rounds and decided to weigh the final product in case I was an idiot and dropped two charges in.

Out of 50 rounds, 40 ranged in a .4 grain range and 9 in a .8 grain range with one outlier that was roughly 1 grain heavier than any other.

Head scratching time.....

So I took 30 XTP bullets and weighed them.... hmmmm the majority ranged inside .5 grains range with one a full half grain lighter than any other and one roughly .4 grains heavier than any other. Well there is some of the difference there. Didn't bother repeating the experiment with the brass but willing to be there might be .5 grain there also.

So here is my concern... No way that the one heavier load is double charged b ut still concerns me. Seems that I could just have an outlyer in the XTP or brass or both and have a load that is fine. But I am worried that the scale stuck for that load or I went crosseyed and the magic smokeless powder fairy dropped an extra grain in or something. Highly unlikely but I'm not real bright and need all ten fingers to count to ten so I would really miss them.

Would you just pull the bullet and be done with it? Or would you just shoot it. Are the ranges I'm getting in weight typical?

Thanks all

Farmland · October 15, 2009, 06:51 PM

If it bothers you enough to write about it then pull it.

However you have discovered that just weighing the finished bullet there are some factors that will determine the final weight besides powder.

Bullets can have some difference in weight from the same lot. Cases from the same lot can have a difference as will 100% cases with different head stamps. I'm not sure but my guess is primers could be different. Of course no matter how you weigh the powder it also could have a small weight difference.

Thus weight the finished loaded round can have many different weights. Can it add up to a grain? I don't know but I would bet it could be close on some rounds.

Casimer · October 15, 2009, 06:57 PM

The disparity you're seeing could very easily be due to the other components.

But I don't know whether these are typical variations, because I don't weight finished cartridges.

.284 · October 16, 2009, 09:01 AM

I've weighed brass and bullets prior to loading (yes, I was that anal). I also weigh each powder charge individually and still had head scratching variations in the final product. Here's the thing, the range results are satisfactory to me and that's what really counts.

It's the components and it is really not necessary to be that anal. I have the number to the 12 step program if you just can't let it go.

Sevens · October 16, 2009, 09:55 AM

You might be REALLY surprised (or shocked?) to see the wild variations in brass weight, especially in full production (cheap!) brass like your basic R-P brass in .45.

You could have a double charge of powder in one round mixed in with 25 good, safe rounds and there's a very, very good chance that weighing all the loaded rounds would simply not find it.

Bottom line: bullet weights vary, primer weights might vary, and brass weight varies quite a bit, so weighing loaded pistol rounds is pretty much a futile waste of time and effort.

Rifle would be a whole other matter. If you somehow forgot to put powder in a .30-06 round, you'd likely be able to find that on the scale.

Paochow · October 16, 2009, 08:24 PM

I've weighed .500 S&W rounds and found 6+ grain variations in weight, even though pulling the bullets and reweighing only netted a .1gr difference in powder and bullet weights. Brass was the culprit, so weighting rounds may only reveal squibs and double charges.

October 15, 2009, 06:44 PM	#1
kydaddy Member Join Date: September 29, 2009 Posts: 16	Weight variances.... When to be worried. Little background. Loading 45 ACP R&P brass, Hornady XTP 230 grain bullets and 4.8 grains of Bullseye with WLP primers. I'm pretty uptight about my reloading and I hand weigh every charge on the balance scale. Finished 50 rounds and decided to weigh the final product in case I was an idiot and dropped two charges in. Out of 50 rounds, 40 ranged in a .4 grain range and 9 in a .8 grain range with one outlier that was roughly 1 grain heavier than any other. Head scratching time..... So I took 30 XTP bullets and weighed them.... hmmmm the majority ranged inside .5 grains range with one a full half grain lighter than any other and one roughly .4 grains heavier than any other. Well there is some of the difference there. Didn't bother repeating the experiment with the brass but willing to be there might be .5 grain there also. So here is my concern... No way that the one heavier load is double charged b ut still concerns me. Seems that I could just have an outlyer in the XTP or brass or both and have a load that is fine. But I am worried that the scale stuck for that load or I went crosseyed and the magic smokeless powder fairy dropped an extra grain in or something. Highly unlikely but I'm not real bright and need all ten fingers to count to ten so I would really miss them. Would you just pull the bullet and be done with it? Or would you just shoot it. Are the ranges I'm getting in weight typical? Thanks all

October 16, 2009, 09:01 AM	#4
.284 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2009 Location: davison, michigan Posts: 665	I've weighed brass and bullets prior to loading (yes, I was that anal). I also weigh each powder charge individually and still had head scratching variations in the final product. Here's the thing, the range results are satisfactory to me and that's what really counts. It's the components and it is really not necessary to be that anal. I have the number to the 12 step program if you just can't let it go. __________________ Guns have only two enemies, rust and politicians! Deer are amazing creatures....so please don't burn the sauteed onions and I'll pass on the steak sauce, thank you.

October 16, 2009, 09:55 AM	#5
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	You might be REALLY surprised (or shocked?) to see the wild variations in brass weight, especially in full production (cheap!) brass like your basic R-P brass in .45. You could have a double charge of powder in one round mixed in with 25 good, safe rounds and there's a very, very good chance that weighing all the loaded rounds would simply not find it. Bottom line: bullet weights vary, primer weights might vary, and brass weight varies quite a bit, so weighing loaded pistol rounds is pretty much a futile waste of time and effort. Rifle would be a whole other matter. If you somehow forgot to put powder in a .30-06 round, you'd likely be able to find that on the scale. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

October 15, 2009, 06:51 PM	#2
Farmland Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2009 Posts: 869	If it bothers you enough to write about it then pull it. However you have discovered that just weighing the finished bullet there are some factors that will determine the final weight besides powder. Bullets can have some difference in weight from the same lot. Cases from the same lot can have a difference as will 100% cases with different head stamps. I'm not sure but my guess is primers could be different. Of course no matter how you weigh the powder it also could have a small weight difference. Thus weight the finished loaded round can have many different weights. Can it add up to a grain? I don't know but I would bet it could be close on some rounds.

October 15, 2009, 06:57 PM	#3
Casimer Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2007 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 1,918	The disparity you're seeing could very easily be due to the other components. But I don't know whether these are typical variations, because I don't weight finished cartridges.

October 16, 2009, 08:24 PM	#6
Paochow Senior Member Join Date: September 17, 2000 Location: Midwest Posts: 277	I've weighed .500 S&W rounds and found 6+ grain variations in weight, even though pulling the bullets and reweighing only netted a .1gr difference in powder and bullet weights. Brass was the culprit, so weighting rounds may only reveal squibs and double charges.