Sorting brass and bullets by weight

[lilabner]

I use a balance beam scale ill equipped to weigh bullets and cartridge cases. I'm thinking about buying an electric scale that would give instand readings. Is weight sorting very helpful in improving accuracy? How much do bullets typically deviate from their stated weight? Do deviations in brass weight have much significance?

 

[John Kielly]

I sort both by the Irish method - pull 'em out of the box with my eyes closed.

 

[John S]

It depends

If you are using Lapua brass then it isn't worth the time.

If you are using Sierra, Nosler, Barnes or any other great bullet then it isn't worth the time.

If the only brass you can get for you appication is sold in bulk, then weighing them and throwing out the extreams will help.

 

[gunnermhr]

I pretty much agree with John. But to answer the other part of your question the electronic scale is the only way to go for sorting. If the only thing I had was a beam scale I wouldn't sort anything.

 

[JSchopper]

Wasting your time...........

I use a balance beam scale ill equipped to weigh bullets and cartridge cases. I'm thinking about buying an electric scale that would give instand readings. Is weight sorting very helpful in improving accuracy? How much do bullets typically deviate from their stated weight? Do deviations in brass weight have much significance?

Paying more attention to the conditions will outweigh (pun intended) any slight differences in either bullet or case weight

 

[lilabner]

My guess was that brass sorting would be more productive than bullet sorting. I buy Winchester brass in bulk and have noticed differences in case length. One batch of cases had a few with web grooves incompletely cut (wouldn't fit into shell holder) and there are big differences in flash holes. Some new cases had oversize primer pockets and I sorted them out. I use Nosler bullets and they seem to be OK. I could buy a lot of quality brass for the price of a good electronic scale. Since I'm not a benchrest shooter, maybe that is the way to go. I'm working with hunting rifles and have them shooting MOA or better, but none below .65 for 3 shot groups. That may be the best they can do.

 

[marion packett]

sorting may matter,but only at long range ( 500yds and beyond)

 

[Larry Elliott]

I've got to agree with Marion Packett and Barrel Butcher that wind will make more difference than sorting cases or bullets, especially if you're shooting a factory rifle. The only time I ever found weight sorting to be of any benefit was in rimfire BR. Sorting cases by weight for a .25 BR I had made no difference out to 300 yards at least.

The cases all should be trimmed to a uniform length, primer pockets reamed to a uniform depth, and all the other fun stuff done before weighing too, so that you're comparing apples to apples not apples to pumpkins.

Long range BR (500+ yds) might benefit, otherwise shooting over windflags and paying attention to them and other conditions will produce better results.

 

[marion packett]

I shoot 600 yd and 1000yd competion with a 6.5-284 and I do a lot of sorting some of which may not be necessary.Some of the top shooters will not tell you everything they do,but I do every thing that I think might help me compete against those that are better shots than I. As to bullets in order of importance in my opinion: sort by bearing surface, tip the bullets(this increases bc a little and at the same time it uniforms the meplat) regardless of weather I tip the bullets , I sort by oal. Last I weigh looking for an oddball weight. Weight variance of .15 gr. is acceptable. ( .05 gr is almost equal to 1/10,000 of an ounce.
As to brass,weight to within .5 gr is definitely close enough, prob 1.0gr( as you get more firings brass will gain weight by retaining burnt powder residue) Most important thing for competition brass is to keep number of firings sorted to help with consistent neck tension or anneal) I hope to be annealing next year. AND don;t forget the usual processes to be consistent; uniform p. pockets,full length size bumping no more than .001, chamfer and debur and trim to length.Remember this caveat; long range accuracy is the results of consistency!

 

[Waylan Kisor]

If you are using Lapua brass then it isn't worth the time.

If you are using Sierra, Nosler, Barnes or any other great bullet then it isn't worth the time.

If the only brass you can get for you appication is sold in bulk, then weighing them and throwing out the extreams will help.

You must get the good lots of Lapua. I checked 100 pieces from a recent box of 220 Russian and had over 5 grains difference from low to high using a Redding electronic scale. FWIW I hnave shot groups in the ones in my 6PPC with almost three grains difference in case weights. I still weigh my cases but not bullets. Some do some don't. If you think it makes a difference then by all means do it. You will feel more confident...

 

[Con Cross]

I sort both by the Irish method - pull 'em out of the box with my eyes closed.

Mr. John Kielly you'r very funny, but knowledgeble man. How well do you shoot 308 at 1200 yards? Shooting 308 past 600 yards can be very difficult.

Con

 

[Worker]

Norma brass

I read an Article in one of the shooting rags that cleaning primer pockets was a waste of time.( Do a search on me and you'll find what I posted and the many response's) I shoot a 6x284 and a slew of others. But this is about my 6x284. I didn't weight any,didn't debure the flash hole,nor have I squared the primer pocket. I size the stuff,trim the stuff if its needs it,Chamfer the case mouth ( No compromise on that ever) And lately I've been getting best accuracy ever. Why? Because I found what my rifle likes in powder,bullets and seating depth.Were talking in the 2s and 3s with 70gr Nosler BT,87gr V-max and 90gr Lupua.

 

[beemanbeme]

Oh my Gawd, worker, you're trying to tump over the sacred cow. I think the reason we weigh and measure so much stuff is because we can.

 

[keithcandler]

I made custom bullets for a number of years, shooting BR...

I also have a very expensive Denver Instrument scale that will weigh bullets, jackets, cores, cases as fast as you can sit one on the scale, remove it and pick up another one and sit it on the scale.

At 100 yards using a BR Rifle in 6 PPC, bullets will go in the same hole with weight variations up to 2.0g!

If you are going to sort brass, the only way that will truely make a difference is to get a device that will measure the variation just in front of the webb, weighing is pretty much a waste of time...but it does keep us busy tinkering on our favorite hobby.

There is a bullet spinner that is made that will help a guy sort bullets that really works.

Good luck!