Lee Loader

It's been raining in So. Oregon for a few weeks off and on and due to a recent fire and life stuff I haven't been shooting for mebbe 6 months so. I really don't need anymore reloads so I fiddle around in my shop to pass the time. Well, yesterday and today, really bored so I cleaned, sized/deprimed a 1/2 gallon container of range pickups 9mm brass. Still nuttin' to do so I sorted them by headstamp Then I was curious so I measured a bunch of cases then weighed them (and the results mean nothing!). Winchester cases varied .004" in length and weighed from 56.0 gr. to 59.0 gr.. FC cases varied .008" in length and weighed from 54.9 gr. to 60.6 gr.. R-P cases varied .004" in length and weighed from 57.2 to 58.6 gr.. WCC cases varied .003" in length and weighed from 61.2 to 62.3 gr.. All cases measured between .742" to .750". Test groups were 12 cases of each headstamp for weight and 18-20 for measured length.

Now with all this info. I sincerely doubt if there will be any differences take place with my reloads, but I stayed "in touch" with my reloading/gun stuff one more day.

Man, I gotta get a life...

Sometimes a few hours spent doing what you did is all you need to get your mind right. I've found it really tough to step into my room this year because of outdoor duties but I've been purposing cutting an hour or so out of each day as of late to get my projects back on track. I still am mowing my yard in November for crying out loud, I don't remember an October and November this hot.

With nothing on TV, assorting brass is more educational and interesting and doesn't have commercials.

I do stuff like that.

If they were all shot from the same gun the info would be very helpful. Taking out one major variable is the key.

I’ll put a strip of masking tape across my bench and label it in increments to sort by unit of measure.....whatever I’m measuring.

I still have a giant amount of LC 5.56 to trim.

Sigh

Sized, cleaned, swaged and trimmed 200 IVI 7.62 NATO cases with dates ranging from 1971 to 1981. So got to thinking after reading this post and got out the scale. I weighed 5 random cases from 1971 and 5 from 1981. Here are the results:
1971
182.7
183.4
187.2
184.7
184.7

1981
188.2
187.5
188.2
190.0
190.4

I then weighed 5 commercial 308 cases:
Winchester 158.1
Win Super 163.4
Hornady 156.5
RP (Remington) 165.6
FC (Federal) 176.2

Knew NATO brass would be heavier but it is a lot more consistent than commercial. The lightest 7.62 was only 6.5 grains heavier than the heaviest commercial. The heaviest commercial was a whopping 19.7 grains heavier than the lightest commercial. I wonder if anyone has ever tested just how much brass weight affects performance and pressure? I have always followed conventional practices in dropping start loads down a grain for 7.62 NATO brass and reworking near max loads if I change brass headstamps but going to have to pay more attention to this in the future. Going to have to do some research.

(Note: All cases were trimmed to the same length.)

I have an answer to that from a lot of 120 LC 43 .
I also had a rifle that was very touchy .

94.5-95.5 gr will shoot 5 inside a quarter move down to 92-93.5 gr the group with the same everything opened to 2" and moves 4" toward 10:00 from the hub . Move up to 96.5-98 gr and the group opens to 2.5" and goes 6" toward 4:00 .

IIRC, this is the first time, in 18 years, I ever measured a 9mm case. The most I do is check OAL and the Plunk Test for my reloads. I'm sure my test will have nuttin' to do with my reloading the cartridge as I have three 9mms and none are of "target quality" so the finer things for consistency aren't all followed. Jes wanted to get my fingers dirty handlin' some brass in my shop surrounded by the smell of Ballistol and the sound of tinkling brass with some George Jones in the background...

He stopped loving her today. They placed a wreath upon his door. Soon they'll carry him away.