Mixing cases?

[widgeon]

I have prepped forty .270win cases. All are at least once fired in the rifle I will be loading for. I have 20 w-w, 10 Fed and 10 Rem. I'm sure I can use the 20 ww, but I have yet to weigh any of them.

So, I guess my question is... would it be a bad idea to mix brands of cases even if they weigh the same and have all been prepped the same way?

 

[jmad_81]

In a word, yes.

 

[6mm Remington]

+1 to what Jake said. Each has different thicknesses, hardness, and lots of other factors that could cause lots of trouble pressure wise and accuracy wise. I you shot the same load, that was proved to be safe in each brand of brass, it would be very unlikely that the group shot with one of each would be any good at all, and I am betting it would be bad. Use the same brass for your load work and it will be much easier and quicker to find an a good accurate load for your rifle. Give the other brass to a friend who can use it.
David

 

[wildgene]

...naw, it's a .270...

..OK, sorry, just kiddin'... :mrgreen: :lol:

...really depends on what you want out of 'em. There will probably be a little difference in water volume, neck thickness, etc. between manufacturers, whether or not it's enough to make more of difference than, say, your actual chamber tolerances will depend more on your rifle. I'd load 'em, keep 'em separate & shoot 'em, any major discrepancies I'd start measuring cases...

 

[jmad_81]

My thoughts are that you are going to spend more money on components trying to figure out if they will shoot the same than it would cost you to go get 50 pieces from the same lot (not counting your time and effort). For me it is just one less thing that could be causing a problem. I've started weight sorting brass even from the same lot #. Every once in a while there are a few pieces that are way out on the edges of the bell curve that could cause some accuracy issues.

I really enjoy reloading, but I hate getting frustrated. Brass issues can be some of the most frustrating issues that a reloader can come across.

 

[300WSM]

I sure can answer this.

Is this out of a normal multi use rifle? Meaning not a 1000 yard 12 pound benchrest rifle?

Yes you can. Especially since they will be shot from the same rifle.

You will be typed on here that the accuracy will suffer. It won't suffer as long as you have the cases trimmed to the same length and of course using the same exact load. The weight of the case matter much less in this instance. Make sure the length is all the same and of course you dot your "i's" and cross those "T's" with the load and all will be fine.

Sub 1" grouping all day long with multi-make brass.

If you are trying to set a world record at 1000 then you would want to use the same brass.

 

[Guy Miner]

"Brass issues can be some of the most frustrating issues that a reloader can come across."

Agree. And easily fixed by the purchase of a bag or two of new brass.

I'd use that mixed case stuff for practice ammo though. It will likely shoot just fine for that.

Guy

 

[widgeon]

Thanks guys.

I sort of figured that would be the story, but it can't hurt to ask.

I have 20 ww cases that are all from the same lot and fired the same number ( I think 3) of times through my rifle. I'll stick with them.

As far as the others go, I have more of them, but they are still loaded from preivious projects and I will eventually have full sets of 20 for other loads. From my pre-reloading days.

Now, I am generally happy with a hunting load when I can acheive good velocity at or just under an inch. I'm not too picky. With this in mind, How important is case weight?

 

[joelkdouglas]

For hunting brass, sure.

My worry would be the number of times each had been shot. If you had a neck split or whatever, I would worry about the other pieces in that group. But if it's all been shot only once, go ahead.

 

[runtohunt]

Five years ago when I first started reloading, my father had a 338 win that he wanted me to reload. He gave me 50 empties that he had purchased at a gun show that were in a sealed bag. All brass was new/unfired; I trimmed, sized and primed the brass. During the filling process, I noticed that near the max load the case capacities were vastly different. At that point, I realized that he had 20 Rem brass and 30 WW brass mixed in the same bag. Hate to see what might have happened with different pressures generated by the different types of brass.

 

[ScreaminEagle]

I wouldn't if i was going for the 1000yd benchrest title, but it's perfectly fine for hunting. I have mixed brass for my 280 and 06. They both shoot great too!

 

[widgeon]

Interesting.

Years ago, when still new to reloading, I loaded some 150 grn BT's in a mix of brass. All trimmed, sized and prepped alike. I didn't notice a difference, but wasn't paying all that much attension. I wound up with groups that averaged just under an inch and called it good. If I remember correctly, it used a charge of 53.5 grns H4831, which is well bellow MAX.

 

[SJB358]

Mixing cases has never worked out well for me but then again, I run full pressure hunting loads. I don't like variables in the accuracy department so having the same brand of cases reduces it a little for me. With just being run through the ringer with the same brand of different cases, but different lots I'm a little paranoid now. 50 like cases are fairly inexpensive and worth the time to keep sorted. As you start climbing in powder internal differences will rear their heads and it's not usually worth the hassle. Just me though, if it works for you, drive on, but I like mitigating the variables. Small differences at 100 yards just magnify as you stretch it further.

 

[widgeon]

Mixing cases has never worked out well for me but then again, I run full pressure hunting loads. I don't like variables in the accuracy department so having the same brand of cases reduces it a little for me. With just being run through the ringer with the same brand of different cases, but different lots I'm a little paranoid now. 50 like cases are fairly inexpensive and worth the time to keep sorted. As you start climbing in powder internal differences will rear their heads and it's not usually worth the hassle. Just me though, if it works for you, drive on, but I like mitigating the variables. Small differences at 100 yards just magnify as you stretch it further.

Well said, Scotty.

All things considered, I think I'll stick with matching cases. You used the word " Variables" and it hit me. It has always been part of my thinking that consistency is a huge part of any reliable load.

One of the best things about this forum is reading all of the varying methods and ideas, some of which I may not have considered.

Thanks, Everyone. :mrgreen:

 

[JD338]

You may or may no see a difference.
I would stay with the same barss.

JD338

 

[Wincheringen]

I wouldn't if i was going for the 1000yd benchrest title, but it's perfectly fine for hunting. I have mixed brass for my 280 and 06. They both shoot great too!

I have to agree here, my experiences with a 25/06 and a mix of FC, WW Super, and RP cases yielded lots of deer in the freezer. Thats the only one I have a mix of brass for, everything else has just one make of brass for.

 

[FOTIS]

Never ever mix cases.

Different case internal dimensions and capacity. Pressures can and will spike with max loads and accuracy will rarely be good.

 

[AzDak42]

How about with pistol reloads?

My father in law wants me to reload some plinking ammo for him for his .38 special S&W. I have a bag full of once fired magpul and winchester brass. (All from me.. so I know they are good, once fired only)

I'm going very light on these. I have some boxes of the rebated/free 110g .357 bullets Hornady bullets and am going to use the min or near min powder charges.

 

[DrMike]

I assiduously avoid mixing brass when loading rifle cartridges. Why deliberately introduce another variable when accuracy is the primary justification for hand loading?

 

[TXbaldhunter]

I did a test once in my 308 using different brass.All loads were the same for each brand of cases.The cases I used were Winchester,Nosler and Remington.In this test,the groups using Winchester and Nosler were very similar,the groups with the Remington cases were about one inch larger than the other two.I repeated this test with several different bullets and charges and the ones loaded with the Remington cases consistently shot larger groups.I'm not knocking Remington brass,I like it in several calibers I load for,but this test really opened my eyes on what different brass can do for your loads.So,I too say,never mix different brands of brass,it can make a difference.