Super noobish question about X fired brass

[nhenry]

Didn't used to worry so much, but ever since diving into the reloading game headfirst I've been scared to load different times fired brass in the same batch as others - so in other words I haven't loaded twice fired with once or thrice fired.

How much does it actually matter if I FL size all my brass anyways?

 

[sako2]

None as long as your inspecting it for head seperation and split necks.

 

[salmonchaser]

I’m with sako on this as well. I make an effort to keep them sorted but after a while it gets to be problematic for me. I think if a guy was shooting over 500 yards out to 1500 or so regularly I think that could make a difference with sorting cases. But if youre neck sizing only and not having to trim brass I don’t think you’re frustrating your self between once and twice fired brass. That being said, might explain why I have open groups out of rifles that normally shoot bugholes.
I think full length sizing moves more brass around than a guy realizes. I hate re-sizing cases and neck size all my cases until I’m forced to full length resize.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

it matters! if accuracy is the key factor, brass work hardens as you reload it, with that neck tension varies. if you want to mix your brass, anneal it all first after you check expansion and check for necks splitting.

 

[RL338]

Are referring to “batch” as if the brass is from the same production lot? If you are using a mix bag of brass , all full length sizing will do is an easier closing bolt. Makes of brass today vary in internal capacity causing finding a repeatable accurate load a chore.

 

[nhenry]

Are referring to “batch” as if the brass is from the same production lot? If you are using a mix bag of brass , all full length sizing will do is an easier closing bolt. Makes of brass today vary in internal capacity causing finding a repeatable accurate load a chore.

Referring to batch as a batch of ammo to make, which is typically around 20 cartridges for a small loading session and 50 for a bigger one. All the brass I use is same headstamp and lot for the same load.

 

[ShadeTree]

I try to keep things separated. It's really not that hard. Same head stamp which is typically Remington, and if it's not it's something like the 348 which is all Winchester brass, or my 250 Savage brass is all currently Hornady.

Far as once, twice, 3x, 9x fired, etc, same thing. I keep it separate. I use a lot of factory Remington brass that was once fired core lokt. So I'm working on one box at a time marked for a given rifle, and I keep using out of that box until the brass is time to be thrown out. I have a universal decapper so I always start with a box that has all the cases in it with no primers. As I'm loading and maybe I'm just trying 3 or 4 of a certain load, I leave those primers in after firing. So anytime I pick up a box that I have marked for a certain rifle, even if it's 6 months later, I can look in that box and I know that the cases in that box with no primers are the ones I have not yet sized or loaded in that cycle. When the box has all cases with fired primers in them, I decap them all and start the process again. There's never cases that have been mixed up and fired x times more than others. Easy and idiot proof for me.

 

[jimbires]

I keep track of how many firings on the case . I work with batches of 50 . I load what's fired , not when all 50 are fired . I anneal every cycle . the easiest way I've found is to number the cases . I use boxes , and leap frog the brass from one box to the next . it's really not that hard to keep track of things this way .

I anneal all my brass . I lay out my boxes , and put all the same numbers in a box . I then prep a piece of brass and place it in the next box . you can see number 7 in the box on the right . I 'll prep a piece and place it in the next box to the left .in this case it's box number 8 . then I'll work on number 6 brass , as I prep a piece it goes in the empty number 7 box . and just work my way down . I use carb cleaner on a rag when I wipe the case lube off , this also removes the number. I then renumber with the correct number . it sounds more difficult than it is . it's really pretty simple system , and it works well for me .

 

[TackDriver284]

When I buy a batch of 20, 50 or 100, i shoot all 20 , 50 or 100 pieces before I anneal. I don't like to mix different X firings together. I keep them sorted in zip lock plastic bags and mark them as Fired 1 X, 3X, etc. I sort them and by lots as well. Different batches of brass may have different volumes, even if its the same brand. I have seen one fired batch have much as 2 to 3 grains more water capacity when compared to another fired batch. If I spent extensive time prepping, I would keep them sorted, since I like to shoot small groups and at long ranges.

 

[Joec7651]

I sort by headstamp. I try to keep brass matched by the number of firings. With that being said, I aneal after every 3 firings. Brass sometimes gets mixed in that has been fired more or less. It happens, and I’ve never noticed enough difference to worry much about it. Most of my rifles shoot more consistently than I can. The brass isn’t the weakest link in my equation if it’s anealed, inspected, and properly prepared. I am.

 

[300WSM]

Forget about times fired...
Keeping track of times fired is less safe IMO...

Focus on the condition.
If you rely on times fired you might ignore inspection by default. That's bad.
Like this piece has two firings so I know it's good and just load it up.

Every case should get a once over every time. Once fired or 10 firings.
Quick inspection is always safe and keeps you from the bad habit of assuming saftey by firings rather than verifying saftey.

Not suggesting you would do that but trust me when I tell you a lot of people ignore inspection because it's "only" been fired "x" times

 

[TexasLife]

I inspect when the case comes out of the rifle after being fired, before cleaning, before, before and before.................up until it's 100% ready to prime, charge, seat and crimp to finished product. I keep baggies of 100 rounds per bag and note on the bag everything I know about it. To make sure I go thru every round I'll shoot down until 50 rounds are left, then start working on loading the next "x" fired. I've been doing it this way for 38 years (started at 18 yo). It just got to be a habit. I was young and wanted to make safety #1 priority.

 

[nhenry]

So is the general consensus that mixing different fired brass affects the groups you'll get?

 

[George Foster]

Yes, it may very well do that.

 

[300WSM]

So is the general consensus that mixing different fired brass affects the groups you'll get?

Different brands? Yes.

Times fired? No provided same brand.

This is provided they're all trimmed same length

 

[300WSM]

I inspect when the case comes out of the rifle after being fired, before cleaning, before, before and before.................up until it's 100% ready to prime, charge, seat and crimp to finished product. I keep baggies of 100 rounds per bag and note on the bag everything I know about it. To make sure I go thru every round I'll shoot down until 50 rounds are left, then start working on loading the next "x" fired. I've been doing it this way for 38 years (started at 18 yo). It just got to be a habit. I was young and wanted to make safety #1 priority.

Exactly...
Times fired can get your paddy in the cookie jar..

Inspection is always key. Once fired, 8 firings no matter.
Verifiy saftey is always safest

 

[Ridge_Runner]

Times fired? No provided same brand.

This is provided they're all trimmed same length

I can assure you this is not correct!

 

[300WSM]

I can assure you this is not correct!

In my experiences I've had zero difference in group sizes using brass with different firings.
Same mfg of case and all other details being the same I've found no difference or certainly negligible...rather any slight difference could be attributed to the effects from nature.

If you found otherwise do tell.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

In my experiences I've had zero difference in group sizes using brass with different firings.
Same mfg of case and all other details being the same I've found no difference or certainly negligible...rather any slight difference could be attributed to the effects from nature.

If you found otherwise do tell.

brass is a combination of copper and zinc, its an alloy, as you resize it, it becomes work hardened. it developes springback as it hardens. meaning the more you size it the more it attempts to stay the fired size. this affects neck tension, which affects velocity, which affects consistancy. This is why neck sizer guys reach the point where they have to FL size to bump the shoulders back .002. I worked in a copper mill for 4 years so I fully understand what annealing does and the work hardening of copper based alloys.
If you don't believe me, sight your rifle in at 500 yards, load 3 once fired brass,, shoot a group, then take 3 brass that are 1, 5, and 8 times fired,, load them up and shoot the same 500 yard group, then get back to me.

 

[jimbires]

So is the general consensus that mixing different fired brass affects the groups you'll get?

how far are you shooting , and what size group are you happy with ?