Several Questions

CalCoyote

CalCoyote

New member
I am getting started reloading. I was going to order some components this week from Cabelas for the 243 and then stumbled onto a garage sale today and bought the following:

200 55g Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets $18 (seconds, still in the bag)
50 Winchester Brass (new) $10
100 Once fired brass mixed headstamp $8

I have the following questions:

Most of the once fired brass is RP (Remington). What are the consequences of using Win/RP/FC brass together if I am NOT loading to maximum pressures?

I assume FC stands for Federal. Can I use these? I have never seen Federal brass for sale.

There are 3 pieces of the RP brass that are silver colored. Will these shoot just like the other RP brass or is there a difference in thickness of the wall resulting in different pressures? Also there are 3-4 pieces that are stamped RP UMC. Are these the same as the other?

What primers do you guys recommend for the 243 shooting 70-100g bullets?


I plan on doing quite a bit of reading before I start. Will probably also purchase a DVD. Recommendations?

Thanks,

Cal

 
There are really only two basic reasonsd to reload. You either want to save money so you can shoot more, or you are only interested in a higher degree of accuracy.

Which one are you??

Consistency is the REAL KEY to reloading for accuracy. It really is that simple.

So for example. Different cases have different capacities, so these different capacities will change your pressure. So if you are reloading to just save money, then by all means back your loads off a little and mix your cases. However if accuracy is your parameter then mixing cases is a NO NO.

Start with just the 50 WW cases and take good care of them. You might be suprised how long those 50 will last you. Tom.
 
All of the brass you bought will work, but keep in mind that individual loads are like fine recipes. Every "ingredient" can and will change the desired result.

In other words, you SHOULD work up each load in the different cases. If it were me, I would pick the one brand you have the most of. Work up the load in that brand. Then when you have found the "magic" load, back it off for the other brands of brass, then work it back up and check for pressure signs and accuracy.

I usually start with Rem 9 1/2's in the .243 but again, just another ingredient.

The silver pieces are nickle plated. Since you only have three of them, If it were me, they would go in the scrap pile. There isn't any pressure issues there, to my knowledge, but it's been said that the nickle plating can flake off tiny pieces and scratch your dies. To me, it's not worth the risk since you only have three.

Have fun and good luck...and just a hint for ya', try some Win 760 with those 55g boolits!
 
Originally Posted By: HOGGHEADThere are really only two basic reasonsd to reload. You either want to save money so you can shoot more, or you are only interested in a higher degree of accuracy.

Which one are you??

Consistency is the REAL KEY to reloading for accuracy. It really is that simple.

So for example. Different cases have different capacities, so these different capacities will change your pressure. So if you are reloading to just save money, then by all means back your loads off a little and mix your cases. However if accuracy is your parameter then mixing cases is a NO NO.

Start with just the 50 WW cases and take good care of them. You might be suprised how long those 50 will last you. Tom.

Tom,

I am both really. Here in the beginning I want to save money and shoot more. Over the next year I want to develop some perfection. If we are talking differences of .75 group vs a .95 group that is fine. How much difference coule there potentially be?

TW
 
Quote:If it were me, they would go in the scrap pile.

Set them aside, you'll sacrifice them at some point either setting up dies or adjusting trim length, etc.

As far as case capacity goes, size and trim the whole bunch, then weigh a few out of each batch and compare.
If they average within 2-3 grains of each other, combine the batches and treat them the same.

RP UMC is just Remington brass they packaged under the UMC brand, Weigh them, but I'd bet they're the same stuff.

If you end up with 2 (or 3) batches due to weight differences, you'll have to work loads up for each batch as seperate experiments. Either that or sell/swap and get more of what you have loads developed for.

But that's just how I'd do it. There's no one "right" answer.
duckdog's got good advice there. I just figure there's a good chance the case capacity between brands will be so close you can combine them.

I found that true with most .223 Rem. cases I weighed, at least. They shot just fine, too.

 
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Quote:How much difference coule there potentially be?

It would depend directly on how much weight (capacity) difference there was.

In .308 Win, there can be a huge difference between commercial and (most) military brass. In .223 I never saw much at all.

And I don't own a .243 so I have no idea.
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Do you own a reloading scale?
 
Originally Posted By: Evil_Lurker

Do you own a reloading scale?


I am going to buy one before I start. Also need a case trimmer.
 
Quote:I am going to buy one before I start.

Weighing the cases will be good practice, then. If you make a grid on a piece of paper and record the weight with each case, you can figure out pretty quick what's up.
And no, don't weigh every one.
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If they're within 5 grs. treat them alike. Most factory ammo deviates that much or more.
 
There is no doubt that the weight of the case is important. However I have found that with different mfrs. cases that the volume of the case is different. And remember that when it comes to pressure--volume is a key factor.

There is no way to tell what the differences in accuracy will be until you try it. However you already have 50 WW, so that is definitely enough to start with. Tom.
 
Quote:There is no doubt that the weight of the case is important. However I have found that with different mfrs. cases that the volume of the case is different.

Since they are all made out of the same alloy, if the cases are sized and trimmed to equal length, the weight and volume are directly proportional. If they weigh the same, the volume will be the same.
 
If I may suggest, since you are just getting started.

Try to keep it simple. Get a good manual if you don't already have one and read the darn thing. A decent scale will probably make more of a difference in the group sizes than the different manufacturers brass, IMO. Get one type of primer and maybe one type of bullet and stick with them for a while. I use standard Win large rifle, but that's just me.

When it's all said and done, and you found a load that you really like, I'd bet you a soda that if you use commercial Win, Rem, Fed brass, you won't see a difference in your group size under hunting conditions.

Now if you aren't using a factory rifle, with a factory barrel and chamber, and you are a real good marksman that will open new doors to accuracy.
 
Originally Posted By: CalCoyote
Most of the once fired brass is RP (Remington). What are the consequences of using Win/RP/FC brass together if I am NOT loading to maximum pressures?

First, remember this - you're playing with stuff that generates over 50,000lbs of pressure. Get one small thing wrong or even different and maybe it'll go off in your face. And its like a Terrorist, it only has to go off once, whereas, you have to get it right every time. Don't mix components (ie. projectiles, brass, primers, powders). The load for my Remington brass is too much for my Nossler 22-250 brass. My 22-250 Tikka load with a CCI primer is too low if I use a Federal primer. And what works in one rifle may not work in another. The 22-250 load for my Tikka T3 is way too high for my Savage 12BVSS.

Originally Posted By: CalCoyoteI assume FC stands for Federal. Can I use these? I have never seen Federal brass for sale. Federal make OK brass, but what you don't know is how many times they already been reloaded. There are many things to look for in fired brass that can go wrong (ie. splitting necks, case head separation). For my part I like to buy a fresh batch and then I know exactly where I am.

Originally Posted By: CalCoyoteThere are 3 pieces of the RP brass that are silver colored. Will these shoot just like the other RP brass or is there a difference in thickness of the wall resulting in different pressures? Also there are 3-4 pieces that are stamped RP UMC. Are these the same as the other?

Rule 1. don't mix components. Some say that nickel chromed cases are not as good for reloading because they wear the reloading dies and the chrome splits early with resizing. I don't use so i can't testify to it.

Originally Posted By: CalCoyoteWhat primers do you guys recommend for the 243 shooting 70-100g bullets?

The people who make primers,the people who develop powders,the people who make and sell ammunition all say that the large rifle primer is what you should use for the 308 case. Different primers do give different reactions upon ignition and you need to develop a load that best suites your rifle, case, powder and projectile combination. For my part I use Fed 210GM or CCI BR2 primers. Each one has a slightly differrent load/amount of powder.

Originally Posted By: CalCoyoteI plan on doing quite a bit of reading before I start. Will probably also purchase a DVD. Recommendations?

I read and asked questions at the range. I would advise that you be very careful using loads or "experimental" advice given over the net. Its easy to make a typow error. I have also seen dangerous advice given over the net(ie. use of magnum instead of LR primers, stupid/dangerous amounts of powder, differnt components, wrong powder, etc).

I find reloading to be technicaly challenging and better than starring at the TV. Stay safe - do what the books say while you're learning and once you get your feet then you will be able to sort out what is good and what is dangerous advice.
 
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