Segregating Cases By Weight

Rickd · Post by **Rickd** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 1:36 pm

My new #1 Sporter (40-65) will be ready for pick up at my FFL on Wednesday. I've got over 1300 bullets cast and have 25 lbs. of Swiss on hand .. and I need your recommendations on segregating cases by weight. After deburring flash holes I am getting case weights ranging from 160.5 to 164.5 (Winchester brass reformed from 45-70). I segment my bullets into .5 grain spread groups. What is the recommended practice for brass? How much of a spread can you have in case weight without changing your load (i.e., with the same powder charge .. 56 grains for example, the light case will have less compression that a heavy case with the same quantity of powder). Appreciate your input!! Good shootin! Rick Durkin ..finally a Shiloh Sharps owner!!!!!!

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 6:37 pm

Rickd,
First, how many cases are we talking about? If you split the distribution in half; how many cases will you have?
Second, I segregated my cases [40-65 WW brass] at first, then I found that if the load [grains of holy black] is in that optimum part of the load curve, that 4 grains in brass weight didn't make a measurable difference. Part of the situation was explained to me; black powder and brass don't take up the same space per weight, therefore 4 grains of brass weight will not translate into 4 grains of powder weight. In your case, maybe a 1/2 grain of powder, which if that were true, would be about .010" of compression difference. The typical extreme spread for a good load will cover that difference, so don't worry about it, just start shooting, & shooting, & shooting, etc....

Keep on hav'n fun!

Rickd · Post by **Rickd** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 5:14 am

Mike T. Thanks for the comment. I have 600 cases and I have segregated them into 4 groups .. two primary groups with a 1 grain variance in weight. Was surprised at the final weight distribution. One group was 160.5 - 162 grains (1.5 grain spread). One group 162.1 - 163; one group 163.1 - 164; and one group of 75 cases 'over 164' which has cases up to 178 grains. I plan on shooting the 3 segregated groups and not using the 75 'over weight' cases. Will fireform them this weekend ..with that new rifle!!

Harlan Sage · Post by **Harlan Sage** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 9:08 am

Last week at the Quigley I had some brass mix in my box. I had starline 45-90 and Remington BA stretched 45-90 accidently mix with the same load. Just for kicks I tried them on the 800 yard buffalo during practice and they both impacted on the target at the same place. Seeing this I cannot believe separating the same type of brass will make a difference.

Harlan

TYRVR · Post by **TYRVR** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 2:36 pm

I never weigh my brass, having read and being told by guys that should know, the most important thing on brass is neck thickness. The necks being of uniform thickness directly affects the tension on the bullet, too tight or too loose .......or worst of all, non consistent, this will have almost as much effect on accuracy as primer and powder selection, also.....rim thickness...the thickness of the rim affects bullet seating, primer seating and case length. so I suggest seperating brass by neck Dia. and rim Dia.
The age of brass is important too.....a case that is newer or older than the other cases may have problems with brittleness/softness, so, one should try to keep cases from the same lot together.....if that is not possible....load and segregate the rounds so they can be shot as a batch and not randomly selected and shot.

Hope this hard learned info helps someone,

Ol'Tye,

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 9:38 pm

There is a very good article in the summer issue of the BPCN, by Bob Glodt, and he gives his opinion on case weights. He thinks the same thing as Harlan and a lot of the rest of us do, it doesn't mean much. I started to weigh mine once but after 30 or so being within 4 or 5 grains of each other I just quit and have never worried about it.

Timberlake · Post by **Timberlake** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 10:00 pm

You know, you all could be right. But sometime back I weighed 50 cases of Starline 40-65 caes and found most to be within 1.5-2.5 grns. Loading carefully, I shot some really good groups with those cases. Was it the brass or my being meticulous at other seps in the process? I'm not convinced that cases is (are) the end all be all.

By the way my sd's hovered in the 3's. And cases made that particular difference. sd's were otherwise, ho hum 5's and 6's.

JTL

Tasmanian Rebel · Post by **Tasmanian Rebel** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 6:25 pm

Rick, I asked the same question here about a year and a half ago. General consensus was 3 or 4 gr variance is OK as best I can remember. In Mike Venturino's new book Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West he has a section of some reloading techniques of some top shooters/national champions. Here Steve Garbe says there that he weighs his cases and if they are within plus or minus 4 grains they are considered match grade. The cases I have gotten from Midway or BA usually fall well within this parameter but I weigh them just the same to be sure.

JAGG · Post by **JAGG** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 5:56 pm

A heavier case is a thicker case ! Which means that the inside volumn will be different and so will you compression of the powder between a heavy case and a light case ! The longer the range the closier in weight everything in your load should be ! Shoot for groups at long range to see ! Shooting at metal thingies just means you hit a metal thingie ! JAGG

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Segregating Cases By Weight

Segregating Cases By Weight

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