Sorting brass by weight

Talk with other Shiloh Sharps shooters.

Moderators: Kirk, Lucinda

TAA
Posts: 333
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:22 am
Location: St. Paul, MN

Re: Sorting brass by weight

Post by TAA »

I didn’t realize that the concept of weighing cartridge cases had been taken up by BPCR shooters.

Bench rest shooters using jacketed bullets and smokeless powders have some varying degrees of “brass worship”. I’ve watched more than a few of them come to a match with (5) empty cases. They load as the match progresses and really shoot fast, trying to wait on a condition (wind) and then get all of their rounds downrange quickly. Then it’s time to reload the same (5) cases.

Quizzing them about their cherished (5) cases, you learn that they go through an extensive sorting routine far more focused than just weighing the cases. They often start with (200-300) cases and narrow the pile down to (10) “best” cases. When asked what they do with the “unacceptable” cases, they say they put them in bags of (50) cases that they sell at gun shows.

Another routine is to use a tool like a NECO to identify the thinnest or thickest section of a case, file a notch in the face of the case rim that aligns with the thinnest or thickest section of the case wall and as the round is loaded, that notch is oriented at 12:00 in the chamber.

Our hobbies all have their extremes!

Tom
hepburnman
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:39 am

Re: Sorting brass by weight

Post by hepburnman »

I am no expert on case volume and its effects on accuracy but I have seen changes in density of Swiss BP over the years. In spite of this I still weigh my charges to the same weight ignoring the density change. Some time ago this same charge was maybe almost 1/4" below the case mouth before compressing. Now with the current lower density powder this same weight charge is about 1/8" or less below the case mouth. Given this "volume" change I have not see any changes in my accuracy. So, I wonder that if my case volumes were changing this much would I have to worry about the accuracy effects?
TexasMac
Posts: 2364
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 5:29 pm
Location: Central Texas
Contact:

Re: Sorting brass by weight

Post by TexasMac »

TAA wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 8:49 am I didn’t realize that the concept of weighing cartridge cases had been taken up by BPCR shooters.
Tom
I don't believe it has with the possible exception of a very few. I thought I'd try it to see the results. Based on my results I don't plan to do it again.

Wayne
NRA Life (Benefactor & President's Council) Member, TSRA Life Member, NSSF Member, Author & Publisher of the Browning BPCR book
http://www.texas-mac.com
SSShooter
Posts: 2910
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:06 am
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Sorting brass by weight

Post by SSShooter »

Wayne - thanks for the links.
Glenn
Post Reply