Should all the reloaded ammo weigh the same when using a specific weight bullet, say a 155 gr copper plated flat point? Same powder load? Does the casing weight matter in the reloaded weight? I am going to reload some 40 s&w, 155 grain and 165 grain loads. I have weighed some stock stuff and they were all close but about .6 grains apart in weight. I am just wondering if they should all weigh the same after I finish reloading them? Thanks for advising a beginning re-loader. I have about 3k Winchester, 1300 brass, 1700 nickel. I will reload some of them with 155 gr. copper plated xtreme FP's and some with 165 gr. copper plated xtremeFP. All these Winchester casings are once fired cases. My son is a LEO and he got them from their rangemaster, I am a lucky guy.
Reloading weight question
- Thread starter 74man
- Start date
- Status
No, too much variation in bullet and even brass weights. This is why, when asked if it's possible to detect a double charge via a scale, it's always best to pull bullets.
LiveLife
Member
Since bullet weights vary around 1 gr and brass cases by several grains, unless you weighed the bullets and cases to be exact, your finished rounds' weight will vary by several grains.
AJC1
Member
If you were in precision rifle they would be almost exactly the same. Pistol range fodder has way to many elements of deviation. My batch of 308 rifle brass have a total spread of .4 grains. I weight sort bullets. Your cases alone have more spread than my loads.
EricBu
Member
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2021
- Messages
- 1,435
You might be able to find a narrow range...if you weighed each piece of brass...and set aside the ten closest......and each bullet...and set aside the 10 closest.....and if you know your charge is always within a tight range......then you would have 10 finished bullets that all weigh within a narrow range. If you are bulk loading brass and bullets....no "weigh", lol. Some of the benchrest guys will weigh 10 and take an average......then pick match bullets out that are closest to that average....but that is a labor of true love. Same with some long distance guys. I've even known handloaders that would take a average weight of 10 in a batch.....then weigh the entire batch looking for a disparity big enough to indicate a case that didn't get a powder charge, or a case with a double charge, but honestly, unless you have 25 hours in a day and load less than a hundred bullets at a time, that's not very realistic. For most shooters.....there is no significant gain in worrying about finished weight of the bullets.
AJC1
Member
Weight sorting every component is not a game for the average reloader.
EricBu
Member
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2021
- Messages
- 1,435
That is a labor of love right there.
Case weight shouldn't matter for 40 S&W. Some loads with .308 Win or 5.56 Nato might have enough variation between headstamp that it can make a difference between a safe load and a hot load even when using moderate loads. Some foreign brass differs in thickness, but I've never heard of similar issues with handgun brass,
If all the cases are from the same lot and all the bullets are from the same lot, it can be possible to tell if a case was not charged or double charged even with 40 S&W. However, it's generally it's not helpful to weigh loaded rounds. Variations of 1, 2, or 3 grains would still be common. If you're using range pickup brass there can be enough variation between cases of the same manufacturer that detecting a double charge or no powder is not possible.
If all the cases are from the same lot and all the bullets are from the same lot, it can be possible to tell if a case was not charged or double charged even with 40 S&W. However, it's generally it's not helpful to weigh loaded rounds. Variations of 1, 2, or 3 grains would still be common. If you're using range pickup brass there can be enough variation between cases of the same manufacturer that detecting a double charge or no powder is not possible.
Riomouse911
Member
Unless you weigh every case and every bullet and segregate by exact weight, the only thing that you can control is the charge weight. The variance in bullet and case weight can vary… especially if you’re using mixed headstamp brass.
Load safely and diligently and you’ll be just fine
.
Stay safe..
Load safely and diligently and you’ll be just fine
.Stay safe..
JFrank
Member
AJC1
Member
I trade my time for money. Prepping range brass is not the easy way, but I have the brass and the time why not.
Jonny2guns
Member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2020
- Messages
- 675
There may be recovery groups for this type of disorder..... but then we would all be missing out. Love it dude! Keep it up!
Skeptic13
Member
You will never get them to all way exactly the same. Even if you weigh every component you will end up with 50 (exaggeration) different weight groups out of 100 loads. There are ways to get close. I have done load development and sorted brass in general weight ranges so that each case for a particular powder charge weighed relatively the same. You could do the same with bullets. There are also bullets like Berger that have very low weight variances. The only reason that I see to weigh every component to get each round to weigh the same is for extreme accuracy. But weighing components alone will not guarantee you that. That pursuit is a much larger topic.
JJFitch
Member
You're over thinking the art of pistol reloading. When reloading for general purpose range ammo at self defense ranges. 10% or more makes little to no difference. 40 S&W isn't considered for precision pistol shooting anywhere I'm aware of.
As mentioned above when reloading for precision rifle 10's of grains matter at the top levels of competitive shooting. The same applies for precision pistol as well. We would rub Budda's belly and howl at the moon if we thought that would tighten groups!
Smiles,
docbrown
Member
They will not always weigh the same. There is almost always a slight variation in case weight even between manufacturers. Some of my 357 cases have been of by as much as 5 grains. 9MM not as much, but definite variations. The weight of the case should not really be a factor. That being said, I have known of a couple of people who did weigh their cases and bullets when shooting precision rifle, but for pistol, I really do not see a pressing need to do so.
FROGO207
Member
The way I look at charges in my brass is to actually LOOK at them. I fill a loading block with brass primer up. This assures the primer is in, not upside down, and brass empty. Then on the other side of the bench I have an identical loading block that is empty. Pick up an empty brass fill with charge and transfer to other tray without spilling it. When all are done I use a strong light and while tipping the block slightly and shaking it a bit check the level in all the brass are the same "oval" look. If so then I seat bullets. Any I don't like and I dump the charge and refill. Then check against the rest again before putting any bullets in. If you are on a progressive or turret press use the light and either eyeball EVERY round or use a camera to do this. Some use a powder check die but I don't trust them personally. Weighing each finished round is a fools errand to my way of thinking. Also if you are afraid of a double charge, use a propellant that more than half fills the case. You will easily see a double charge. Basically develop a safe system that works for you and do it every time. Then if you feel something is off, it probably is and check. With reloading some things are not able to be shortcut without compromising safety. Just sayi'n.
- Status
