I’ve got 99 cases…

[tmd16556]

Reloading is about control and order in many ways. But how do we deal with disorder? I was noting my own dislike of mixing nickel and brass pistol cases earlier. That and talking with another reloader at the range earlier this week made me think this would be a good not-too-serious poll idea.

You have a 100 round box but only 99 pieces of brass with the same headstamp and color. What do you do?

 

[rabid wombat]

If important, segregate the one… something like plinking pistol, load it…

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I have baggies for such occasions. I wait until I come across that one missing piece of brass to complete the box.

FWIW, I “normalize” my rifle and revolver brass to make it easier to match pcs. I know every piece of brass I own by first, last, and nickname.

 

[.45Coltguy]

Hmmm. Just add a "off" brand case and make it the 100. Chances are, you'll forget the one and never notice any difference.

 

[bullseye308]

I know the feeling, I have 99 125 grain critical defense 357 bullets. I can’t make myself load them and trying to sell them will just make someone else deal with it.

 

[nettlle]

....goodness sakes.

 

[Enfielder]

I’ll be in the corner hugging my knees, rocking back and forth, muttering “this is my rifle something, something, something”

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Different

Reloading is about control and order in many ways. But how do we deal with disorder? I was noting my own dislike of mixing nickel and brass pistol cases earlier.

It's more about consistency for me.
I don't get up in arms about headstamps. Everything I have is mixed and I pay no attention to it whatsoever. Everything gets loaded the same. You'll get some people talking about different headstamps have different internal dimensions.................yada yada yada. I've never had a problem and I get all the accuracy I need.

However, I don't mix brass and nickel either. I'm not a psychopath.

 

[barnfrog]

Load 'em up. I almost never load exactly in 100 round increments.

 

[mstreddy]

Oh, this poll is interesting and I don't honestly know how to answer it. Are we talking rifle, for plinking, for blammo? Are we talking pistol for semi auto, for revolver?
I have different levels of headstamp sorting consistency ranges for the different cartridges I load.
For rifle I mostly sort by headstamp. Revolver calibers I sort by headstamp as the brass thickness does vary and I do load cast. For 45 ACP I ended up sorting by headstamps when I got a large batch that included military cases from the 40s and 50s. For all other semis I load whatever mixed bag of cases are around. And of course to sort out small primer cases.

However, I don't mix brass and nickel either. I'm not a psychopath.

And, based on Arkansas Paul's estimation -- I may need professional psychiatric help! 'Cause in 9MM and in 380, and even 40 S&W, I've been known to just throw all the cases together, including brass and nickel.

So, how do I answer the poll?
For 9MM, 380, 40 and other pistol rounds -- add that 100th case and carry on.
For rifle - load the 99. Then start another headstamp batch for the other 101.

 

[Condor]

I use the odd one for a fouling shot.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I'm not OCD, so it doesn't bother me to use what ever in what ever.

 

[ballman6711]

You have a 100 round box but only 99 pieces of brass with the same headstamp and color. What do you do?

I sort my 45acp by headstamp as well as to sort for large and small primers. Headstamp A goes in a ziploc bag marked with number of pieces, headstamp, and where in the loading process they are ( cleaned, sized and deprimed, etc...), repeat with Headstamp B, and so on. I try to put 100 pcs in each bag. Sometimes I'll do fifty. At some point I'm left with a few of these and a few of those, and I'll put those in a bag marked "mixed headstamp", as well as marking the bag with everything else I normally do.

I try to do the same for everything I load just for consistency. 480 Ruger only gets Starline brass because that's the only headstamp I have.

The real problem comes when I only have 99 pieces of brass, or worse only 49 pcs. I hate the thought of leaving an odd number of primers in the sleeve!

chris

 

[dh1633pm]

They don't make boxes that hold only 99. Its OK to have only 99 in the box. Everything is just fine. The empty spot isn't hurting anyone.

 

[horsemen61]

I just add one to me it looks better and I shoot better in my mind

 

[kidneyboy]

Reloaders are an odd bunch........
Not that theres anything wrong with that.

 

[AJC1]

Reloading is about control and order in many ways. But how do we deal with disorder? I was noting my own dislike of mixing nickel and brass pistol cases earlier. That and talking with another reloader at the range earlier this week made me think this would be a good not-too-serious poll idea.

You have a 100 round box but only 99 pieces of brass with the same headstamp and color. What do you do?

I add one piece of nickel same headstamp.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Oh, this poll is interesting and I don't honestly know how to answer it. Are we talking rifle, for plinking, for blammo? Are we talking pistol for semi auto, for revolver?
I have different levels of headstamp sorting consistency ranges for the different cartridges I load.
For rifle I mostly sort by headstamp. Revolver calibers I sort by headstamp as the brass thickness does vary and I do load cast. For 45 ACP I ended up sorting by headstamps when I got a large batch that included military cases from the 40s and 50s. For all other semis I load whatever mixed bag of cases are around. And of course to sort out small primer cases.


And, based on Arkansas Paul's estimation -- I may need professional psychiatric help! 'Cause in 9MM and in 380, and even 40 S&W, I've been known to just throw all the cases together, including brass and nickel.

So, how do I answer the poll?
For 9MM, 380, 40 and other pistol rounds -- add that 100th case and carry on.
For rifle - load the 99. Then start another headstamp batch for the other 101.

I agree. In the response I noted “rifle and revolver” because those are the only brass I keep. Pistol brass from self loaders gets left behind. It still gets sorted by condition and general characteristics - just to eliminate FFF issues - but lots of head-stamps are similar enough to mix.

In 9mm and .40S&W I have been known to mix Ni with yellow brass. . A fellers got to let his hair down once in a while. Metaphorically speaking.

 

[higgite]

You have a 100 round box but only 99 pieces of brass with the same headstamp and color. What do you do?

Get some silly putty and plug one hole.

Follow me for more high tech reloading solutions.

 

[Bcwitt]

You could save the odd bullet for a gauge. No need to obsess about even numbers. I occasionally cut random cases laterally for inspection pourposes.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

You could save the odd bullet for a gauge. No need to obsess about even numbers. I occasionally cut random cases laterally for inspection pourposes.

It’s not the extra case/bullet, it’s the missing case/bullet. 101/100 is easy. 99/100 is annoying.

 

[FROGO207]

As with all things reloading, it depends.
For any ultra precision loading I would load an odd brass with same load and use as a fouler in rifle.
With handgun or blasting ammo load up with any headstamp until I run out of primers in that tray. I also store these rounds in ZipLoc freeser bags so no open holes to fill helps my OCD immensely.

 

[AJC1]

As with all things reloading, it depends.
For any ultra precision loading I would load an odd brass with same load and use as a fouler in rifle.
With handgun or blasting ammo load up with any headstamp until I run out of primers in that tray. I also store these rounds in ZipLoc freeser bags so no open holes to fill helps my OCD immensely.

I fill jars with loaded rounds, serving the same purpose... fill a tray or some boxes to go to the range... new brass pickups are cleaned loaded and put in the jar... pistol only.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

And, based on Arkansas Paul's estimation -- I may need professional psychiatric help! 'Cause in 9MM and in 380, and even 40 S&W, I've been known to just throw all the cases together, including brass and nickel.

Some people just want to watch the world burn. LOL

 

[Charlie98]

Through years of therapy, and heavy doses of psychotropic drugs, I've come to a place in my life where I can almost tolerate an empty spot in the cartridge box. I finish up the box, look away as I close the lid, and put it under the bench with the other loaded, full, happy, productive, full boxes... that are full of fullness... and run away. But then, later, after I've forgotten about it, I'll open that box... and the severed head of emptiness hurtles towards me like a jack-in-the-box with a cream pie in it's hand... and I'm back in therapy again.