Brass

Jonzeey02 · September 9, 2012, 04:41 PM

Hi guys i just received my reloading manual in the mail the other day (lynman) i was wondering if you can use different brass companies with the same load data they give you in the manual or do you have to stick to the one they tell you in the manual. I want to buy bulk brass and i notice alot of companies has different head stamps so i was wondering if i needed to stick to one head stamp? thanks.

serf 'rett · September 9, 2012, 04:53 PM

Can use different brass, but should start with low powder charge weights and gradually work upward.

serf 'rett · September 9, 2012, 04:54 PM

What are you planning on reloading? Pistol? Rifle?

Saint Dennis · September 9, 2012, 05:00 PM

Well, that depends. Rifle rounds operate at a higher pressure as a rule and you should stick with one type of brass for a load work up. Most rifles like to work toward the top of the recommended "book" loads and brass, primer, powder lot all matter. In handguns, especially lead (I noted the Lyman manual) not so much. I load 45 acp, 45 colt, 9mm in lead and pay no mind to headstamp. I also load low power lead 44mag and 357 for plinking and headstamp is irrelevant. Now if you are going to push the envelope in handguns you might want to pay attention. I just don't push my pistols that hard. Never saw the need.

Jonzeey02 · September 9, 2012, 05:06 PM

For right now im gonna start with pistol.

dacaur · September 9, 2012, 06:01 PM

There is a reason they are called reloading "recipes". When someone comes up with a recipe, they use certain brands of each component. You CAN substitute a different brand, but the end result might not be exactly the same, which is why you need to start low and work up if you change anything. Every component they list is simply what they used. You can use whatever brand you happen to have/want to use. Thats why they list a starting load, you always start at the starting load and work up, because sometimes different components will give different pressures.... any time you change a component you need to start over at the beginning load.

Heavy Metal 1 · September 10, 2012, 08:46 AM

The conventional wisdom is as noted above, however I have not seen any significant difference in my rifle loads ( 11 different rifles), but have noticed that handgun accuracy is significantly affected by brass brands. I keep the rifle brass sorted for sake of measuring longevity for safety sake. For handguns when accuracy is important (vs plinking) I just am sure to sort for brand when I load up the gun.

Powder and bullet combonations and to a lesser extent brand of primer affect accuracy more than brand of brass in my experience. YMMV

BDS-THR · September 10, 2012, 09:01 AM

For pistol cases, I don't worry too much about variations in chamber pressures when using mixed headstamp range brass with unknown reload history as I typically use mid-to-high range load data. When I use near max/max load data loads, I prefer to use verified once-fired brass (ones I saw go from factory new boxes to the pistols).

But for rifle cases, when I am using thicker walled military cases with decreased internal volume (as measured by water volume), I will back off the near max/max charge during powder workup as decreased volume will increase the chamber pressure.

September 9, 2012, 04:41 PM	#1
Jonzeey02 Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Posts: 29	Brass Hi guys i just received my reloading manual in the mail the other day (lynman) i was wondering if you can use different brass companies with the same load data they give you in the manual or do you have to stick to the one they tell you in the manual. I want to buy bulk brass and i notice alot of companies has different head stamps so i was wondering if i needed to stick to one head stamp? thanks.

September 9, 2012, 04:53 PM	#2
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	Can use different brass, but should start with low powder charge weights and gradually work upward. __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

September 9, 2012, 04:54 PM	#3
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	What are you planning on reloading? Pistol? Rifle? __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

September 9, 2012, 05:00 PM	#4
Saint Dennis Member Join Date: March 31, 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 97	Well, that depends. Rifle rounds operate at a higher pressure as a rule and you should stick with one type of brass for a load work up. Most rifles like to work toward the top of the recommended "book" loads and brass, primer, powder lot all matter. In handguns, especially lead (I noted the Lyman manual) not so much. I load 45 acp, 45 colt, 9mm in lead and pay no mind to headstamp. I also load low power lead 44mag and 357 for plinking and headstamp is irrelevant. Now if you are going to push the envelope in handguns you might want to pay attention. I just don't push my pistols that hard. Never saw the need.

September 9, 2012, 05:06 PM	#5
Jonzeey02 Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Posts: 29	For right now im gonna start with pistol.

September 9, 2012, 06:01 PM	#6
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	There is a reason they are called reloading "recipes". When someone comes up with a recipe, they use certain brands of each component. You CAN substitute a different brand, but the end result might not be exactly the same, which is why you need to start low and work up if you change anything. Every component they list is simply what they used. You can use whatever brand you happen to have/want to use. Thats why they list a starting load, you always start at the starting load and work up, because sometimes different components will give different pressures.... any time you change a component you need to start over at the beginning load.

September 10, 2012, 08:46 AM	#7
Heavy Metal 1 Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2012 Posts: 247	The conventional wisdom is as noted above, however I have not seen any significant difference in my rifle loads ( 11 different rifles), but have noticed that handgun accuracy is significantly affected by brass brands. I keep the rifle brass sorted for sake of measuring longevity for safety sake. For handguns when accuracy is important (vs plinking) I just am sure to sort for brand when I load up the gun. Powder and bullet combonations and to a lesser extent brand of primer affect accuracy more than brand of brass in my experience. YMMV

September 10, 2012, 09:01 AM	#8
BDS-THR Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2010 Posts: 479	For pistol cases, I don't worry too much about variations in chamber pressures when using mixed headstamp range brass with unknown reload history as I typically use mid-to-high range load data. When I use near max/max load data loads, I prefer to use verified once-fired brass (ones I saw go from factory new boxes to the pistols). But for rifle cases, when I am using thicker walled military cases with decreased internal volume (as measured by water volume), I will back off the near max/max charge during powder workup as decreased volume will increase the chamber pressure.