A question about LC brass

[Tim K]

I have a pile of mixed LC brass. I want to designate some or all of it for my precision AR load. I have lots of other brass for blaster ammo. Should I sort this stuff by year, or is just having it all LC going to be good enough? I could also weigh it all if that made some sense.

[Zombie Steve]

They do vary from one year to the next. I generally weigh a few of one year to get an idea of where they're coming in, then a few of another, and so on. Unless they're more than a 4-5 grains different on average, I'll shoot them together. Might save you some sorting.

If you really wanted to be precise, go with water volume.

[Tim K]

You answered a question I forgot to ask...how close is close enough in weight. I've only ever weighed new Lapua brass, and it's typically withing a few tenths of a grain.

Maybe I'll check water volume on the high and low and see how much case capacity varies with case weight.

[Zombie Steve]

I probably don't want to know your results. [Coffee]


My LC brass AR loads are for range fodder. I have a precision load, but I'm using Winchester brass.

If you have just a ton of LC, you'll probably be good separating by headstamp and weighing them individually. Cull the highs and lows and get to loadin'.

[Zombie Steve]

In my experience, the brass weight isn't usually much more than +/- half a grain within a given headstamp. One year to the next might be 1 or 2 grains different on average. At 200 yards, I haven't noticed any big issues just loading them up and making a bunch of noise.

I suppose I would probably separate them out if they were 3 or more grains different, but it's just an arbitrary number.

[JM Ver. 2.0]

I have a pile of mixed LC brass. I want to designate some or all of it for my precision AR load. I have lots of other brass for blaster ammo. Should I sort this stuff by year, or is just having it all LC going to be good enough? I could also weigh it all if that made some sense.

Knowing what I know about you and how you shoot..... Why not just buy some new lapua brass for your accurate stuff.

Sent from my teepee using smoke signals.

[Hoser]

Out of an AR with a low powered scope, just run with any year of LC. If you were entering a Benchrest match, than maybe by year.

[C Ward]

Not worth the effort in my application , too much other stuff to worry about in an AR . As long as its all LC is as anal as I'll get with 223 brass for good ammo .

[Tim K]

I weighed them all. After tossing the 5% that were crazy outliers, I was left with a total spread of 4.0 grains from heaviest to lightest. Had I been willing to toss another 15%, I could have gotten the spread to 3.0 grains.

The date codes were from the 80's to 2011, so I paid no attention to them.

[Great-Kazoo]

I weighed them all. After tossing the 5% that were crazy outliers, I was left with a total spread of 4.0 grains from heaviest to lightest. Had I been willing to toss another 15%, I could have gotten the spread to 3.0 grains.

The date codes were from the 80's to 2011, so I paid no attention to them.


You weight and mic your bullets yet? [Beer]

[Tim K]

You weight and mic your bullets yet? [Beer]

Not necessary for my purposes. This load (77SMK and Varget) is good for 1/4 MOA at 100 yards consistently with Winchester brass. I'm only concerned about the brass change. I just grab bullets out of the box, no sorting at all.

I might weigh a few tonight though, you have my curiosity piqued now.

[Great-Kazoo]

Not necessary for my purposes. This load (77SMK and Varget) is good for 1/4 MOA at 100 yards consistently with Winchester brass. I'm only concerned about the brass change. I just grab bullets out of the box, no sorting at all.

I might weigh a few tonight though, you have my curiosity piqued now.

55gr hornady bt-fmj runs 54.9 -55.4gr I did have one go 55.7 Their OAL gets interesting.