I just bought a bag of new unprimed brass for my 222 and couldn't hardly hit the target compared to the factory stuff I used. I did not do any case prep besides deburring the flash hole. Does anyone do anything to new brass before loading them up?
Using new brass
- Thread starter ryan_jess
- Start date
- Location
- In the middle of gopher country
Full length size, trim length to spec, chamfer case mouth inside and out, tumble.
The above are the minimum.
Then after the shooting of these loads do the neck size, etc. Then see what your rifle can do for groups with once fired brass.
The above are the minimum.
Then after the shooting of these loads do the neck size, etc. Then see what your rifle can do for groups with once fired brass.
What load did you use?
A .222 should group well with most anything, at least mine did.
A good solid load is 19.5grs 4198, also 24.0grs BLC/2, both with 50gr bullets.
Cheers
- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
Always resize any brass you buy...new or used. My BSA .222 loves the 55 grain FMJs being pushed by 22 grains of IMR 3031.
What reloading instuctions were you following?
I check length, trim if necessary, neck size, chamfer mouth, debur flash hole then load them. Out of round necks are not good, precision loading is about consistency and attention to details.
- Location
- In the middle of gopher country
Pudelpointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lethbridge, Alberta
I do not believe the OP full length resized his brand new brass, if fact we do not know if he even neck-sized them. I think that is likely his main problem right now, though there could be any number of other things going on. Who knows.
It is highly unlikely that the brass has anything to do with the OP's problem. It is NOT necessary to size new brass to use it. Of course, it is a good idea to round any case mouths that are not perfect, but other than that, it should be a load and shoot proposition. I have loaded and shot thousands of new cases without any sizing, and have never had any issues with them. Regards, Eagleye.
There are a lot of different ways of doing various things and this certainly applies to handloading. Different people use different methods in reloading. No one should trash someone else's way of doing domething, just because it is different than the way they do it.
A typical case in point is in loading new brass. The new brass made by any of the major ammunition makers is made to strict standards. For esample, the Remington brass you buy in a box is exacly the same brass cases as are used in their loaded ammunition. It is made to the exact same standards. Unless it has been physically damaged after manufacture, why would you resize, trim, etc, the brass before you loaded it? Do you think your dies are more accurate than those used by Remington, Winchester, Federal, etal?
The necks are at the correct tension for holding the bullet, when the brass is made. If you were going to load a cast bullet, the neck would have to be belled a bit, but for a jacketed bullet they are just right, and the bullet will go in, with no problem.
Did any of you ever buy a container of new brass from a reputable manufacturer, which stated on the container that the new brass must be resized before it is loaded?
I have never, ever, resized a new brass case before I loaded it and I have never had a speck of trouble from doing it this way.
A typical case in point is in loading new brass. The new brass made by any of the major ammunition makers is made to strict standards. For esample, the Remington brass you buy in a box is exacly the same brass cases as are used in their loaded ammunition. It is made to the exact same standards. Unless it has been physically damaged after manufacture, why would you resize, trim, etc, the brass before you loaded it? Do you think your dies are more accurate than those used by Remington, Winchester, Federal, etal?
The necks are at the correct tension for holding the bullet, when the brass is made. If you were going to load a cast bullet, the neck would have to be belled a bit, but for a jacketed bullet they are just right, and the bullet will go in, with no problem.
Did any of you ever buy a container of new brass from a reputable manufacturer, which stated on the container that the new brass must be resized before it is loaded?
I have never, ever, resized a new brass case before I loaded it and I have never had a speck of trouble from doing it this way.
This is just to point out that I did not see the posting by Eagleye, before I posted mine.
I read the posting by Puddlejumper, then wrote mine. When I posted, there was Eagleye's, ahead of mine.
Thus, I guess we can state that with forty, or forty-five years of reloading for each of us, we have reached the same conclusion!
I read the posting by Puddlejumper, then wrote mine. When I posted, there was Eagleye's, ahead of mine.
Thus, I guess we can state that with forty, or forty-five years of reloading for each of us, we have reached the same conclusion!
Pudelpointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lethbridge, Alberta
Have you guys ever measured a bunch of new brass? Are my dies better then the manufacturers? Well, they must be because there is a fair difference between the dimensions and how uniform the brass is out of the bag and when I am done prepping it. Are my calipers that much more accurate? Again, I guess they are, for the same reason. Maybe Nosler batched, prepped and sorted brass would be okay, but come on, I have taken new brass that the expander button didn't even contact the necks on inserting them into the die, how can that be the right neck tension?
Can you load it straight out of the bag, sure, but why would you? Because you guys have 45 years of reloading between you doesn't mean you are right ALL the time, but thanks for your input. I am sure we can agree to disagree.
Can you load it straight out of the bag, sure, but why would you? Because you guys have 45 years of reloading between you doesn't mean you are right ALL the time, but thanks for your input. I am sure we can agree to disagree.
Pudel
I think that is 45 years each,
I have reloaded 204 Ruger 223, 250 Savage, 6.5x55 in the last 3 months right out of the bag. Some of the pieces with dented necks of course not. All of this shot very well, so I shall continue this practice. FS
I think that is 45 years each,
I have reloaded 204 Ruger 223, 250 Savage, 6.5x55 in the last 3 months right out of the bag. Some of the pieces with dented necks of course not. All of this shot very well, so I shall continue this practice. FS
My first thought when I read ryan's original post is that it's probably not a good load for his gun and that the poor results have little or nothing to do with case prep. But since I don't have extensive experience reloading rifle rounds for accuracy I didn't mention anything.
I think it would be more useful to ask: How new is Ryan to reloading? Did he follow proper load development procedure for his .222 or did he just pick a random recipe from the manual and expect it to perform wonders? Did he pick the best bullet weight for his rifle's twist rate? etc. etc.
I think it would be more useful to ask: How new is Ryan to reloading? Did he follow proper load development procedure for his .222 or did he just pick a random recipe from the manual and expect it to perform wonders? Did he pick the best bullet weight for his rifle's twist rate? etc. etc.
