Sorting Headstamps Matters

[HKGuns]

I've paid more attention to headstamps since I got the AMP annealer, as I have settings for the different headstamps of brass I now anneal.

I was sorting headstamps of 20 rounds of 762 reloads I shot the other day over my new doppler chronograph. I wasn't impressed or happy with the ES or SD numbers for these particular loads, I don't remember what the loads were as they were as they were in one of the mags I keep ready to use.

As I was sorting I noticed all but 5 were LC11 headstamps. This got me to thinking, wondering if I could pick out the 5 odd balls in the data set and what the numbers would look like if I were able to find and remove them.

For the sake of brevity, I'm pretty sure I was able to find the 5 oddballs. The data below highlights the odd balls and shows the before and after Average velocity, SD and ES. The numbers still aren't great, but a lot better without the odd balls included in the data set.

This probably isn't news to most reloaders, but I was surprised I was able to pick out the 5 odd balls in the data set. Shot 15 might be one of them, not entirely sure.

[markm]

Brass sorting is pretty important in 308/7.62 for sure. 300 WM also for us. (FC is super light, RWS being super beefy on opposite ends of the spectrum). I have different pre-sets in my Chargemaster for different brass.

.223/5.56 used to be unneeded in most cases, but now I'm finding more variants in weight. Some like the Norma you can hear when the cases rattle together that they're beefier. I've just now started sorting 5.56 brass as it comes out of the tumbler.

[msnyder0609]

.223/5.56 used to be unneeded in most cases, but now I'm finding more variants in weight. Some like the Norma you can hear when the cases rattle together that they're beefier. I've just now started sorting 5.56 brass as it comes out of the tumbler.

Would you sort just by make, or make/year? If using LC brass for example.

[gaijin]

This also applies to handgun brass. While few would be anal enough to be concerned with an 1" or two at 25 yds with range ammo, when I'm working up a load for a new/different bullet/weight I isolate Brass by headstamps.
I was sorting a few hundred rds. of junk, range brass and was shocked at finding TWENTY THREE different headstamps in the bunch.

[HKGuns]

Would you sort just by make, or make/year? If using LC brass for example.

LC brass varies a great deal by year. Three of the odd balls in my data were LC12.

When using the AMP annealer there is a different setting for almost every year of LC head stamps.

[markm]

Would you sort just by make, or make/year? If using LC brass for example.

For 5.56 I don't. All LC get lumped together right now.

[triggerjerk]

HK, any guess whether different annealer settings were due to wall thickness, brass composition, or both?

[markm]

HK, any guess whether different annealer settings were due to wall thickness, brass composition, or both?

There was a chart thingy on Accurateshooter's forums, and my impression was that most brass was pretty close in makeup. Additional elements detected APPEARED to be insignificant to my untrained eyes.

My guess would be thickness. Especially in 308 where some (win or hornady) necks are really thin and head up much faster than an FC/Lapua/LC piece.

[HKGuns]

HK, any guess whether different annealer settings were due to wall thickness, brass composition, or both?

Based on my limited understanding of the analysis process I’d say definitely wall thickness, but probably both as different cases appear to use different alloys. The AMP machine takes the brass to the point of destruction, so I am only guessing both properties contribute.

Note the different alloys in this chart.


Here are some of the AMP codes I have generated for different bead stamped 762 brass.

Higher number = more time / heat.

FC - 0153
LC11 - 0152
LC12 - 0155
LC07 - 0152
WCC - 0146
SBS08 - 0158
RP - 0146
Lapua - 0159
CBC - 0159
PMC - 0153
Hornady Match - 0147

The LC cases I’ve generated codes for vary between 151 - 155.

[sinister]

Are you a benchrester or bolt-gunner? You sure put a lot of work into brass segregation -- not a bad thing if you have the time and patience.

I shoot Bullseye Service Rifle, combat, and sniper sustainment training against E-type silhouettes.

I'll sort 5.56 and 7.62 brass by factory (LC, WCC, WRA, IMI, TAA, etc.) but not by year.

Since LC is my predominant brand. that goes to 200 and 300-yard loads, or stand-ins for All-Army training (69s, or 69 Tipped Match Kings). 600-yard 80-grain lots are all by the same stamp (typically Winchester commercial, IMI, etc.).

Civilian and odd stamps (Federal, R-P, Speer, Hornady, Nosler, Creedmoor, Wolf, Prvi, Fiocchi) usually go to 55-grain blaster ammo.