Newbe brass question

A

Aikia

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When loading 9mm for an auto gun to be used for plinking and range fodder is it necessary/advisable to separate different brands of brass ?
 
I don't, and haven't had any problems. I do sort brass for my match loads to ensure reliability. Also, I only used new brass for my SD loads, as they're pretty hot, and I want everything the exact same every time to ensure safety and reliability

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I would not bother.

While I can load better than factory 41 mag, the most accurate round in my 9mm is factory Golden Sabre.

I tried to load them from Rem GS bullets and not better than the rest.

Maybe someone can, I sure can't reload 9mm that is anything more than practice.

When I am done, I put the laser on the center, one shot of GS, B eye and off I go.

I also do not use my own rounds for SD. I use the GS for that. Well regarded in the top 5 of SD loads.
 
I never have, in the 20+ years I've been reloading 9mm. I reload as much range pickup brass as cases I've bought, and I've had accurate and reliable ammo all that time.
 
Thank you "gentlemen" that was my thinking though I've read both. Now that I don't need to sort them its of to cleaning:D
 
I do separate headstamps on all calibers. My rationale is that it removes a variable from each batch.

BUT, it is not necessary and you can load good, functional ammunition with mixed headstamp brass.
 
There are a few brands out there such as IMT, CBC, WCC that have a ledge or thicker cup part towards the bottom of the case. You might want to segregate those cases out of your stockpile.
 
You need to watch out for crimped primers, 380 brass, and oddball cases with the ledge in them. I figure if you have to to look at each headstamp you might as well throw the brass into piles by maker.
 
You need to watch out for crimped primers, 380 brass, and oddball cases with the ledge in them. I figure if you have to to look at each headstamp you might as well throw the brass into piles by maker.
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This is sort of what I do as well. It gives me a chance to inspect as cull the bad cases and any .380s that sneak by.

Now rifle brass is a different story all together, and I inspect every cartridge carefully and discard a lot of it.

I used to sort them by manufacturer into about 15 piles or so, but then I realized that about 80% or more of the brass I get falls into 4 piles:

Winchester
Federal
Remington
Blazer

and then I also separate the NATO crimped brass (for reaming, I don't actually see much of this).

And then "other" for all the rest of it, and be done.

That makes 6 piles total.

As mentioned, it gives me a chance to inspect and discard bad cases, or ledged cases, and I can get the NATO cases reamed that need to have the crimp removed.

This is what I see from the range pickup brass in *my* area, you may find a totally different mix where you shoot however.

I am not sure if it is totally necessary, and to be honest, I have been beginning to wonder if it is even worth it for 9mm. I have tried to see if a certain brand of brass shoots better in my guns, but I am not sure that I can really tell a trend with my shooting skill level!
 
I sort my 9mm to get rid of undesirable brass like TulAmmo and any of the various stepped case brass. I try to keep my brass segregated from the other brass at the range but that does not always happen. Also by loading a certain headstamp and when I go to the range anything that I do sweep up without that headstamp I know it is new to me brass and requires extra scrutiny.
 
I don't separate by headstamp, but I do inspect my brass, and look at the headstamp (it only takes a split second). Not every case you find is reloadable as noted above. Inspection is an essential part of reloading...;)
 
I wouldn't call it sorting if all you are doing is getting rid of the oddball and NATO stuff.

Yes I got through it and pitch the stuff that is bad for any reason and the NATO stuff as well.
 
As long as the brass doesn't have a 'Smile' or 'Bulge' in the side, I don't worry about sorting.
I'm not a big handgun shooter or loader, but that 'Smile'/'Bulge' is caused by the case NOT being supported, usually because the feed ramp extends into the chamber too far.

No bulge, good to load, no matter the head stamp...

I've not run into the stepped brass in 9mm (yet...), But I don't get general range pickup like I used to since I rarely do public ranges anymore.

As for milbrass (NATO), not an issue for me in specific, I run it on a Dillon 1050 that is more than capable of punching crimped primers, and then PROPERLY swaging the crimp out of the way.
I don't rely on Dillon swaging tools anymore, I use something more accurately shaped and MUCH harder so the swage is uniform... (F&FB swage heads).

If I were doing bulk brass on any other machine, I'd sort for crimped primers!

Before I had the 1050, once primers were punched and crimps removed, I used a red ink pad on the heads, let me know they were my brass and good to go without crimp removal again.
Red Dykem on a pad stays on clean brass really well, blue will too, but blue is harder to see.
(Dykem is a machinist's metal marking dye, available in liquid or spray)
The low budget version is a 'Sharpie' but it doesn't stay on the brass as long.
 
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"...necessary/advisable..." Not unless you like the idea of looking at each and every piece of brass you have every time you load it. Isn't necessary at all though.
Any .380s will be found inside 9mm cases. Aikia isn't loading .380 anyway.
"...I've read both..." Lotta OCD around these days. snicker.
 
Any .380s will be found inside 9mm cases.
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Nope, close enough in diameter that they won't nest. I tumble mixed loads of .380 and 9 mm all the time, then stand them up to sort. The different heights make the caliber quite obvious.
 
If you have mixed head stamps of military brass and you intend to use the RCBS primer pocket swage to remove the crimps there may be a problem with that process due to the different web thicknesses between brands (as per the instructions that come with the RCBS swage tool).
 
I separate all my brass by brand. Just a precaution to cull troubled brass before their reloaded. Damaged rims and cracked mouths are perhaps the most rejected.
"Old habit of following I guess."
 
I do separate and toss S&B headstamp from my range pick ups. It is good brass but the primer pockets are so tight it's a pain to seat primers. I am too lazy to make reloading harder than it need be.
 
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