I use Lapua brass and don’t sort it, other than to keep track of how many times cases have been fired.
I use Lapua brass and don’t sort it, other than to keep track of how many times cases have been fired.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
You certainly bring up reasonable thoughts on it all...
Right or wrong, I’ve come to believe that accuracy beyond about 600yds has a lot to do with consistency, whether the gear or the shooter. That’s where I come from with it. The sorting brass was a way to narrow down internal capacity of the case to help in that. The RP cases were a step above “bulk” and they were not in anything but ziplock bags. I had no idea of lot numbers, etc so that’s how I did it. It WAS a tedious process. The end result is that I now have two lots of brass that are very dimensionally consistent. I am certain that helps the cause. The other brands (besides the Hornady) have a pretty good reputation, so besides separating them for bullet type (Norma for the 225s etc) I haven’t dug the hole deeper.
You’re also correct that my skill level has enough variables all on its own. Lol. I guess my thought process is that if I can narrow down the technical aspects and get my ammunition as consistent as possible, when I shank one (or several) I know it’s me.
I’m a hack hobbyist. So is my buddy. It’s a form of relaxation for us. We’ll set the steel in the pasture on one day, come back have some beers and BBQ, then head out the next morning to shoot. If we’re not too zonked, we’ll yank the steel that evening. We don’t get too wound up about it. (Well...at least the shooting end of it. Lol) On one of our outings, the landowner wandered by on a 4 wheeler to chat. I think he was curious more than anything. This guy is an avid hunter and outdoors kind of guy. We had the steel set up at about 1K with a target cam. I could tell he was skeptical of the entire process and viewed us as a couple of schmucks with way too much gear flinging lead around his property. My buddy sat down and proceeded to stack about a half dozen rounds from his .300 Norma into a group about the size of a saucer. He watched it all play out live on the iPad. His sole remark? “Damn.”
It’s just yet another way to spend money in this hobby.
Last edited by entropy; 03-27-2022 at 08:47 AM.
Working diligently to enlarge my group size.
All makes sense to me.
I just wish I had friends with beer and BBQ and pastures! Closest we have is farmland and they are building 700 new homes in the fields nearest my house. Still about three miles away but still too close. That’s why I’m buying as much land as I can afford with my kids inheritance money!
ETA: I DO use the same type of all components (brass, primers, etc) when working up loads or shooting groups. So I believe in your consistency practice.
Last edited by TOTS; 03-27-2022 at 09:36 PM.
Like many things in life, with time being a precious commodity, I ask myself if it is worth it to sort by weight, anneal, etc.
Lapua brass has been very consistent for me and I have never sorted it. I won't say it is perfect but for that last 0.1" of accuracy, It isn't worth it. Wind is more of an issue to contend with.
For my 223/5.56 rifles, I mostly shoot range pick ups. I sort by headstamp but I usually don't worry about weight. There is a lot of variation in internal dimensions of different brass and I have had issues. I had a load that shot great using FC headstamp brass. I tried LC brass one day without starting low and working up, and I could feel the bolt start to get a little sticky. It was a perfect example of what not to do.
-Seconds Count. Misses Don't-
Annealing is worth it if you are firing cases more than a few times.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
Absolutely. You can feel the difference when you seat the bullet.Originally Posted by Clusterfrack
I’m low tech. I use a propane torch, rechargeable drill, and a deep well socket.
Working diligently to enlarge my group size.
I plan on the same. How many firings are you getting from 5.56/.223 before you suggest annealing? I already have the torch, drill, and sockets.
I don’t reload .223/5.56. I did in the beginning, but the miniature components plus the platform I was shooting it out of (heavy barrel AR) PLUS my HUGE ignorance in the beginning drove me away from it and into my first .308.
I’d still say every third loading. I’d grab a batch to practice on though. They’re small, and I imagine heat up REALLY quick. I have a cadence with the .308 and .300. Drill on low speed. I count 4 revolutions for the .308 and 6 for the winmag. When you do it, you’ll see the color change rapidly towards the neck. STOP THEN. Maybe someone else here has better experience on .223 can offer better tricks. You’re gonna ruin some. No way around it!
Working diligently to enlarge my group size.
@JCL has a Giraud annealer, I think. I know he does it for his 5.56 bolt trainer.
https://www.giraudtool.com/giraud-ca...-annealer.html
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
Maybe con him into doing a lot of cases for you...
But where’s the fun in that?
Working diligently to enlarge my group size.
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