I was recently lucky enough to get some once fired brass for a cartridge that isn’t that popular anymore, but the only downside is that it is from multiple different makers. I know it’s preferable for accuracy and safety reasons to try and stick to one headstamp and even then, to sort brass in to different lots by weight. That said, my options right now are limited. Is there a “best way” to load brass from multiple different makers safely?
Reloading Brass With Different Headstamps
- Thread starter Chinook78
- Start date
If it's for plinking, I don't care about headstamp. If it's for hunting, I try to sort by head stamp and second by weight (deprimed, trimmed). I then try to use the odd brass loads to get "close" or to sight in my scope, then use the batch of the same headstamp/weight to get my group, and use same batch for the hunt.
My experience is at 100 yards, head stamp can make a difference of a few inches in group size. All shots would be a dead deer though.
I also comment to others that I am the weak point in my accuracy. Standing up, sitting in a tree or a ground blind, is it the ammo's fault I miss (or not have a "perfect" shot) or is it my fault? I like the expression "minute of deer" as if all of my shots hit a paper plate, then in theory that deer (bear, moose, etc) are dead.
My experience is at 100 yards, head stamp can make a difference of a few inches in group size. All shots would be a dead deer though.
I also comment to others that I am the weak point in my accuracy. Standing up, sitting in a tree or a ground blind, is it the ammo's fault I miss (or not have a "perfect" shot) or is it my fault? I like the expression "minute of deer" as if all of my shots hit a paper plate, then in theory that deer (bear, moose, etc) are dead.
Unless you are loading for extreme accuracy, and are yourself capable of shooting very accurately, the differences in brass from different manufacturers will probably not be noticeable. There should be no concerns about safety if the brass is in good shape.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Yes - I experience similar - I suspect that a start load from most modern manuals with most any head stamp brass and any primer will be fine - has been for me, so far - but when pushing into upper levels, each component makes a difference. I would, at minimum, to weigh those assorted brass that you have - to see what sort of difference there might be among them - some might be similar - some a LOT of different on inside capacity. You will not know, without checking - I am thinking of ones here - Norma brand 7x61 Re versus 7x61 Super - easily 3 or 4 grains difference between them, yet identical on the outside dimensions. 7.62 NATO versus commercial 308 Win - can be similar difference - not always. I made a recent post - some PPU 9.3x62 versus some nny in same caliber - weight of water that they hold full to the brim with a fired primer in place - there was more difference within either case head stamp than there was, on average, between them - so I consider them identical - for my purposes - but did not know that until I measured and weighed them. And that was only based on 5 cases each, when I had more than 100 of each, here.
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Use starting to midrange loads if you don't have a chronograph.
With open sights I strongly doubt you will even see the difference on target.
In a scoped rifle shooting coyotes at 300 yards it'll matter, deer (or larger) at 100 or 200 yards it won't.
With open sights I strongly doubt you will even see the difference on target.
In a scoped rifle shooting coyotes at 300 yards it'll matter, deer (or larger) at 100 or 200 yards it won't.
300_savage
CGN Regular
- Location
- New Brunswick
I usually don't see a large difference in volume between win, rem, imperial, & dominion brass but federal cases usually have the least volume in my experience & will often show pressure signs before others. If I'm loading win & rem brass together and there is little difference in volume between cases I'm not too concerned, but fed and ivi military brass, I usually reduce 3-5% due to less volume.
