Brass Weights

440sixpack · May 11, 2015

Everyone knows brass needs to have consistant weights for top accuracy but what about safety? I don't normally weigh my brass because I'm not that fussy in my hunting guns this seems extreme.

I have new Nosler 300 Win Mag brass and about 20% of it is 35 grains heavier than the rest. I've never run into this before.

Obviously it's not good, but will it cause pressure spikes on already hot loads? I'm wondering if I need to go back and weigh all my loaded rounds with this lot of brass and cull out the drastic overweight ones.

Stay thirsty my friends

Zeke · May 11, 2015

I have to admit that I've never weighed the brass for my "big" guns but it's common practice for the lil accurate ones.

35 grains seems excessive, but what do I know?

Hey, at least you realize that heavier brass = thicker brass = more pressure but how much more is the 3 dollar question?

For your sheep hunt.... I'd pull all the heavy ones and use them on deer!!!!

Congrats on the tag!!!!!
Zeke

440sixpack · May 11, 2015

LAST EDITED ON May-11-15 AT 04:29PM (MST)[p]Well I should have weighed them against Winchester brass first.

I don't have 20% that are heavy I have 80% that are 35 grains light. and the 20% are from a different lot. so it looks like Norma lightened up their brass 35 grains for whatever reason.

Now I need to chronograph and see if there is enough velocity loss to care about. and being 35 grains lighter than Winchester which is the lightest brass already can't be good for case life or strength.

Stay thirsty my friends

sageadvice · May 11, 2015

440, what rifle are you thinking of using on your Wy sheep hunt? Seems the 270 Weatherby is made for the task...no?

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

440sixpack · May 11, 2015

It is, but my 300 win weighs 7 lbs field ready and with the Leupold 4.5x14 BDC I have total confidence to 600 yards with it. I've been shooting it quite a bit out to that range and it's like I can't miss. well , unless the wind really picks up.

Stay thirsty my friends

Zeke · May 12, 2015

I agree with you both but there's more to a "sheep" rifle than just the cartridge it uses.

I'd use your 300 also since it's not "too" big and you're shooting it like a laser. I've used a 300 WM on a few sheep and it's just right.

I have all the components for my 280 AI except the barrel.
I've got the action, stock, scope, rings & Bases, brass, bullets, powder, primers.

Come on Lilja, ship my barrel! I need to hunt sheep with it!

Zeke

deadibob · May 12, 2015

have you compared case capacity variances between them, rather than just weight?

440sixpack · May 12, 2015

No, but if you have two exact same size cases made of the same material how can the capacity not be different?

I know this much, I could see the difference in the powder level in the neck is why I weighed them.

Stay thirsty my friends

RELH · May 12, 2015

I would be hesitate to use it if you are at the max safety limits on your load. Or you can develop your max load using the heavy brass cases to prevent a overload. Otherwise you will have pressure spikes that can mess with your accuracy at long range.
35 grains indicates very heavy walls over the lighter brass, that is if your brass is equal in length, and will increase pressure by five thousand PSI or more.

RELH

440sixpack · May 14, 2015

Chronographed them, the lighter brass was 150 fps slower as you'd expect. turns out the new Nosler brass was lighter than the old stuff, lighter than Winchester or Remington as well.

Keep this in mind if you're using Nosler brass, my guess is all cases will see the same reduction .

Stay thirsty my friends

Zeke · May 14, 2015

Maybe so 440, they must have changed their process or something.

I'm glad I have 100 rounds of the same lot for my 280 AI.

You're right, consistency is the key! 150 fps difference is too much for me to accept also.

You've got sufficient time to react. I know if I had a sheep tag, which I do, that I'd make sure all my brass was from the same lot.

Zeke

WapitiBob · May 14, 2015

You sure it's from Norma?
I shot with one of their custom ammo reloaders a cpl weeks ago and he said they were using winny and SSA brass as well as Norma. Headstamp die marks was the only way to tell on the brass.

440sixpack · May 14, 2015

I can't say for sure it's all Norma but I know most of it is. I know one of the guys who takes it out of the containers it comes in and he says it's marked Norma .

I'm sure a grain or two more powder would take things back to normal but I question how much case life will be hurt be taking away 30-35 grains of brass. it's 35 grains lighter than my old Nosler brass , 30 grains lighter than Winchester and about 32 lighter than Remington if I remember right.

Brass is more expensive than it used to be, I see why they're doing it but I'm not sure this is a good trend.

Stay thirsty my friends

deadibob · May 14, 2015

the reason I ask this is because there can also be variances in the alloys causing slight changes in weight. It happens all the time with bullet casting. You can cast the same mold with different lead alloys and get completely different bullet weights.

Not all bullet brass is the same so it would reason that there are slight weight differences in those alloys as well.

440sixpack · May 14, 2015

I suppose it's possible, but if you can see the difference in the powder level it has to be volume.

I wish if they made a big change like this they put a note on the package or something.

Stay thirsty my friends

deadibob · May 14, 2015

>Agreed, If you can see a difference in the volume then it has to be that.
>I suppose it's possible, but if
>you can see the difference
>in the powder level it
>has to be volume.
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>I wish if they made a
>big change like this they
>put a note on the
>package or something.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>Stay thirsty my friends

fishrite · Jun 22, 2015

I am glad I found this post. I had been waiting for a shipment of Nosler 7mm rem mag brass. Finely got it, I had never worked up loads for a 7mm before. I tried five different powder types, at max charge per Nosler specs. All were 150 to 200 FPS slow. I expected some reduction with a 24" pipe. I thought it was my chronograph. So I check my other guns, they were right on. Went and bought a box of Remington core locks. Shot them they were right on. Unloaded some of them and used my powder and nosler bullets. Shot them, the velocity was what I was looking for. My 7mm Nosler brass is about 20-25 grains lighter than the Remington brass. I e-mailed shooters pro shop and asked for a refund, I told them this may be a safety concern. If someone is going over maximum data to achieve velocity. Then loads a case that is within specs, look out.

Zeke · Jun 22, 2015

>I am glad I found this
>post. I had been waiting
>for a shipment of Nosler
>7mm rem mag brass. Finely
>got it, I had never
>worked up loads for a
>7mm before. I tried five
>different powder types, at
>max charge per Nosler specs.
>All were 150 to 200
>FPS slow. I expected some
>reduction with a 24" pipe.
>I thought it was my
>chronograph. So I check my
>other guns, they were right
>on. Went and bought a
>box of Remington core locks.
>Shot them they were right
>on. Unloaded some of them
>and used my powder and
>nosler bullets. Shot them, the
>velocity was what I was
>looking for. My 7mm Nosler
>brass is about 20-25 grains
>lighter than the Remington brass.
>I e-mailed shooters pro shop
>and asked for a refund,
>I told them this may
>be a safety concern. If
>someone is going over maximum
>data to achieve velocity. Then
>loads a case that is
>within specs, look out.

Yet another testimony to why we don't work up a load with one set of components and them change brass without taking the proper steps!
Why would a guy ever switch from one brass to another without doing his due diligence?
I don't "mix and match" ANYTHING when loading rifle ammo.
I've always said, some guys should just buy factory rounds!
Zeke

440sixpack · Jun 22, 2015

The problem is Nosler ( Norma ) changed the brass in the last year or so from what it had always been to something new. so the only way to know you had a problem before you had a problem would be to weigh each lot. something benchrest shooters do but hunters shouldn't have to.

I asked the kid at Nosler about it last time and he said he didn't know anything about it. I can only assume it's a cost cutting measure other manufacturers may soon follow. they didn't make them hevier they made them lighter, considering the price of brass these days I can only assume why they changed.

Stay thirsty my friends