I inspect every case I reload, so sorting is just a matter of where I drop the case, which pile, I just looked at. For a load work up, I sort by headstamp, both rifle and pistol brass. After I find the "perfect" load I'll relax my "standards" and often use mixed brass. If some aspect of the load is worsened, I may go back to sorting as a part of trouble shooting. But I have been reloading 38 Specials since '69, 44 Magnum since '87 and rifle rounds since '88, and have found for my shooting needs, mixed brass is acceptable. The only caveat being military rifle brass, which I keep separate by headstamp...
Do you sort your brass?
- Thread starter Granite28
- Start date
Jim Watson
New member
Range pickup pistol brass, I only sort by caliber and to discard .45 Small Primer and 9mm Ledge. I will occasionally pick out some same headstamp for chronograph or benchrest.
I don't sort rifle brass, it is always kept boxed for its gun to keep loads uniform, since I don't plink with centerfires.
Likewise shotshells, I fire a AA and put the hull back in the other side of the pouch.
I don't sort rifle brass, it is always kept boxed for its gun to keep loads uniform, since I don't plink with centerfires.
Likewise shotshells, I fire a AA and put the hull back in the other side of the pouch.
I'm a novice reloader and mediocre plinker. I only reload pistol calibers. I don't feel the need to sort the brass I find by head stamp, but I do give all brass a good general inspection.
I do like the very informative comments in this thread regarding rifle brass as I'm thinking about reloading my 30 carbine and 30-06 brass.
I do like the very informative comments in this thread regarding rifle brass as I'm thinking about reloading my 30 carbine and 30-06 brass.
Crankylove
New member
Yes, kinda.
I separate most of my brass, loadable from non-loadable (creased, full of dirt, unwanted headstamps, etc).
Loadable gets separated again into plain brass, and nickle plated, then goes into the tumbler.
Non-loadable gets dumped into the recycle jug.
I try and keep rifle brass (.243, .30-30, .270, .30-‘06, .358, and .375) together as long as I can, be it bought as new brass or factory ammo, but as brass gets lost or worn out, it gets replaced with pick-up brass.
Pistols brass (9mm,.45 auto, .45 colt, .38, .357, etc.) just gets lumped together, with the exception of my .32 calibers, and .41 mag, I have small enough amounts, it’s easy to keep them together as manufacturer/lot.
I separate most of my brass, loadable from non-loadable (creased, full of dirt, unwanted headstamps, etc).
Loadable gets separated again into plain brass, and nickle plated, then goes into the tumbler.
Non-loadable gets dumped into the recycle jug.
I try and keep rifle brass (.243, .30-30, .270, .30-‘06, .358, and .375) together as long as I can, be it bought as new brass or factory ammo, but as brass gets lost or worn out, it gets replaced with pick-up brass.
Pistols brass (9mm,.45 auto, .45 colt, .38, .357, etc.) just gets lumped together, with the exception of my .32 calibers, and .41 mag, I have small enough amounts, it’s easy to keep them together as manufacturer/lot.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Only brass I sort are those intended for hunting purposes. They get a pretty good once over look and measuring before resizing in a Small Base die set.
Everyday stuff on the other hand since its typically re-loaded with reduced target charges. Such brass gets bunched irregardless of Base labeling. After 8 or so chargings that stuff get left on the ground. Since I practice my shooting skills at a shooting cub its not a problem getting first-fire replacements.
Everyday stuff on the other hand since its typically re-loaded with reduced target charges. Such brass gets bunched irregardless of Base labeling. After 8 or so chargings that stuff get left on the ground. Since I practice my shooting skills at a shooting cub its not a problem getting first-fire replacements.
Pistol Brass absolutely yes!!!
Look up my old posts on Blazer and Perfecta pistol brass. I've posted several pictures. I find so many once fired range defect brass from mostly blazer that I refuse to reload it myself and I won't sell or trade it to anyone who might try to reload it. Blazer might be fine to fire once out of the factory but their brass alloy is weak. I have found more cracked blazer brass than any other headstamp of brass. Perfecta pistol brass typically 8 out of 10 of the primer holes are off-center. Ain't nothin perfect about perfecta. I am not a fan of Aguila brass. I find WAY too much variation in it to want to try to make consistent reloads out of it.
At present I get winchester pistol range brass in quantity and have found it to be the best once you've worked it removing primer hole burs.
Next down the list for me is Remington and Federal.
Geco out of Europe is good except the primer holes are smaller to a metric dimension and can stick on the de-priming pin on occasion, but it is otherwise exceptional brass - i just don't see it in quantity here in TX.
Speer seems fine but it isn't the first thing I reach for.
Look up my old posts on Blazer and Perfecta pistol brass. I've posted several pictures. I find so many once fired range defect brass from mostly blazer that I refuse to reload it myself and I won't sell or trade it to anyone who might try to reload it. Blazer might be fine to fire once out of the factory but their brass alloy is weak. I have found more cracked blazer brass than any other headstamp of brass. Perfecta pistol brass typically 8 out of 10 of the primer holes are off-center. Ain't nothin perfect about perfecta. I am not a fan of Aguila brass. I find WAY too much variation in it to want to try to make consistent reloads out of it.
At present I get winchester pistol range brass in quantity and have found it to be the best once you've worked it removing primer hole burs.
Next down the list for me is Remington and Federal.
Geco out of Europe is good except the primer holes are smaller to a metric dimension and can stick on the de-priming pin on occasion, but it is otherwise exceptional brass - i just don't see it in quantity here in TX.
Speer seems fine but it isn't the first thing I reach for.
The blazer range brass - that one on the left was one I had under a torch to anneal it to make a swaged bullet jacket out of but because the alloy wasn't consistent, one part of it melted like butter while the rest of the case held up fine. Now I have done close to 1000 of those and I've only ever had blazer brass give way like that when annealing it to make projectile jackets. The rest you can clearly see the case splits in both the .40 and 9mm cases. Second pic is the perfecta primer hole variations which some people might not care about , but it can lead to uneven powder burns or hang fires.
Attachments
+1
There is also the idea of culling your brass... that is taking out what one other poster called 'junk brass,' which is true... I only keep certain headstamps, depending on the cartridge. These days, you have to sort your .45ACP brass to separate the SP from the LP brass (which can go for some rifle cases as well.) Further, I'm too OCD to load mixed headstamp brass... so, yes, I sort everything. I also use the headstamps to keep my brass separated for loads or use... I use nickle .45 brass for full-power SD practice loads, for example. I had a specific lot of 7.62mm brass, LC 04 to be exact, that was substandard... it was far easier to isolate that brass as a separate lot, than dig through 2000+ cases to pick each one out.
RaySendero
New member
Sort all rifle cases.
One other notion to consider regarding sorting your brass. I have now reloaded thousands of rounds and one thing that has developed over time is my trust in the "feel" of the reload. You get a sense of a normal feel coming off your press handle over time. If you consistently use the same headstamp for your reloads, you eliminate one variable. Consistency matters. In a .40 S&W winchester pistol case I can usually tell just by feel whether the reload is right. So if the pressure in the press handle is off - either too light or too hard, it's time to stop and figure out what's causing the pressure change.
Grey Lion that is exactly what I said way back in post 10.
Not that I feel I gain any advantage by sorting headstamps other than the "Feel" in the reloading process and when loading on a progressive press feel at least to me is very important in determining if something is amiss. Tight resize, loose primer, easy boolit seat.
Not that I feel I gain any advantage by sorting headstamps other than the "Feel" in the reloading process and when loading on a progressive press feel at least to me is very important in determining if something is amiss. Tight resize, loose primer, easy boolit seat.
Just a cpl thoughts on this topic. Sorting is only the first step in making accurate, reliable & SAFE ammunition. I have no interest in loads that are assembled for "blasting" purposes. The thought here is that if I'm spending my time loading, as well as the cost of components, I'll readily accept the add'l time necessary to sort.
As a preface, I pick up no range brass...reason being I have absolutely no idea if it was reloaded by a moron, or how many times it's been fired, nor the condition of the gun it was fired in. I use only what I purchase new, unfired, or factory fresh ammunition. It gives me some control over the condtion of my own ammunition.
I've sorted my brass, both rifle and handgun since I began reloading in 1962. Mostly by head stamp, but for rifle, by lot number as well.
If working up a load for rifle, I may weigh the cases as well. Cases are prepped: trimmed, & primer pockets uniformed.
For hand guns, when working up loads, I begin with once fired or new Starline brass. I uniform it for length in order to get a uniform crimp. I keep hand gun ammunition in boxes of 50 and do not mix them with other 'lots'. When I get a neck crack, loose primer pocket or other sign of age, I toss the entire box of brass.
HTH's Rod
As a preface, I pick up no range brass...reason being I have absolutely no idea if it was reloaded by a moron, or how many times it's been fired, nor the condition of the gun it was fired in. I use only what I purchase new, unfired, or factory fresh ammunition. It gives me some control over the condtion of my own ammunition.
I've sorted my brass, both rifle and handgun since I began reloading in 1962. Mostly by head stamp, but for rifle, by lot number as well.
If working up a load for rifle, I may weigh the cases as well. Cases are prepped: trimmed, & primer pockets uniformed.
For hand guns, when working up loads, I begin with once fired or new Starline brass. I uniform it for length in order to get a uniform crimp. I keep hand gun ammunition in boxes of 50 and do not mix them with other 'lots'. When I get a neck crack, loose primer pocket or other sign of age, I toss the entire box of brass.
HTH's Rod
buck460XVR
New member
yep.....