Don't you weigh all your reloads?

[EddieCoyle]

Here's what I loaded this week. I put mine into boxes too:

I weighed every cartridge, and even weighed all the primers and bullets before I loaded them.











Just kidding. I never weigh completed cartridges. I look in every round before I seat a bullet. I figure that I can tell (by eye) if a round is too light by a fraction of a grain. It doesn't happen very often.... like not even once in the batch above.

 

[pthomas65]

I've never weighed a cartridge.

I have been reloading since the 80's and never had weighed a cartridge and have yet to blow myself up.

 

[asp]

Here's what I loaded this week. I put mine into boxes too:

.

That's some serious production

 

[*chris*]

Here's what I loaded this week. I put mine into boxes too:

I weighed every cartridge, and even weighed all the primers and bullets before I loaded them.











Just kidding. I never weigh completed cartridges. I look in every round before I seat a bullet. I figure that I can tell (by eye) if a round is too light by a fraction of a grain. It doesn't happen very often.... like not even once in the batch above.

Holy crap, if I shoot 250 rounds in a week that is a lot, how many thousand rounds is that?

I can understand why you wouldn't.

Chris

 

[PEW]

such a simple check that is 100% accurate

Bull. Sorry bud, I have no issue with you taking the time to weigh your reloads, but don't tell me your method is 100% accurate. The only possible way that would be true is if your cases, primers, and bullets were perfectly consistent. That is a statistical impossibility.

The above statement should read 'such a simple check that is maybe almost accurate,' or 'partially accurate.'

 

[EddieCoyle]

That's about 7K rounds.

ETA: The ones in the 50 cal cans are mixed brass 'plinking' loads. The ones in the 30 cal cans are 'accuracy' loads made with sorted brass (all once-fired RORG brass sorted by year).

I weighed a bunch of the sorted brass for match loads (not in the picture) and found that the cleaned and prepped cases weighed 97 grains +/- about 3 grains. There's no way you could verify charge weight by weighing the completed cartridges unless you first sorted all of the empty cases by weight.

 

[Fixxah]

You and one other guy.

-tapatalk and Devin McCourty blow chunks-

 

[Supermoto]

That's about 7K rounds.
.

On a LNL, you must have been in front of the press 24/7 for a week. Probably about 14 hrs total of loading and 154hrs trying to get the press to work right

 

[EddieCoyle]

It took a few tweaks, but once I got the case feeder squared away, it was a breeze.

 

[Supermoto]

It took a few tweaks, but once I got the case feeder squared away, it was a breeze.

Mine needed a few tweaks also.... tweaked it right into the trash

 

[DrRansom]

On a LNL, you must have been in front of the press 24/7 for a week. Probably about 14 hrs total of loading and 154hrs trying to get the press to work right

Lol. harsh, dude.

It took a few tweaks, but once I got the case feeder squared away, it was a breeze.

Case feeder worth the money? Also, what do you prefer for swaging the 5.56 brass?

 

[TWtommers]

I have a digital scale and I load the finished rounds in a case like this:

There is no math required, an average DEWC, casing and powder weighs around 221 grains. I just loaded 100 2 nights ago and none weighed less than 219 nor any greater than 223. Since I am loading 4 grains of powder, I could probably extend the "ok" range from 217 to 225 but I don't seem to have to. If I get a chance tonight, I will time myself, I bet it takes less than 5 minutes to weigh 100 rounds.

I am surprised I am the only one to do such a simple check that is 100% accurate. The 5 minutes max is more than worth the time over blowing up my Python.

I am using plated bullets and casings from the same production lot (or orignal box) so maybe that is why my components are so much more accurate over plain lead bullets that others are using? I know I went through a box of 1000 locally cast wadcutters and they did vary a couple of grains.

Chris

The process of weighing rounds after completion is an act of "inspecting quality in". It's a step that doesn't add value if you can insert other checks into your process earlier. You're weighing rounds to ensure that you have a correct load of powder. However, between bullet, primer, casing, and the inherent margin of error in your scale, I'd bet you're damn close if not past the four grains of powder in your load. So, right off the bat, the method is suspect as you can't guarantee that something out of spec is under or over charged. It could be a heavy casing or bullet or a combination of those. That means you'll have to undo most of your work to examine a reject and have to do it all over again. Do that enough and you'll realize your process is flawed and needs improvement. Do it too little and you'll realize that you're inspection doesn't add value because you're not finding errors.
Reloading is simply a method of manufacture. When it comes to quality control, the best method you can employ is a set of standards and procedures that doesn't allow for errors to be made. Many already exist. You can choose a larger volume powder that won't allow for a double charge and a proper bullet seat. You can use a powder cop. You can visually inspect. All of these are methods of building quality in which doesn't cost extra time.
Having said all that, whatever makes you feel more comfortable about loading your rounds is your business. I don't think, however, that the rest of us are nuts for employing other steps to ensure production accuracy.

 

[Gammon]

Variations in bullet and brass weight will prevent you from accurately determining the actual weight of the powder charge. You are wasting your time. I set my powder measure (Dillon) and check a couple of charges, then start loading. I don't do any further checks but I do have a powder checker on the 1050. The real problem is not a variation in the thrown charge but rather a double charge or no powder at all.

 

[Gammon]

That's about 7K rounds.

ETA: The ones in the 50 cal cans are mixed brass 'plinking' loads. The ones in the 30 cal cans are 'accuracy' loads made with sorted brass (all once-fired RORG brass sorted by year).

I weighed a bunch of the sorted brass for match loads (not in the picture) and found that the cleaned and prepped cases weighed 97 grains +/- about 3 grains. There's no way you could verify charge weight by weighing the completed cartridges unless you first sorted all of the empty cases by weight.

What sort of groups do you get with your match ammo at 300 yds?

 

[EddieCoyle]

The real problem is not a variation in the thrown charge but rather a double charge or no powder at all.

This is a very good point that I think we all kind of overlooked. If your powder measure is inaccurate enough so that you feel the need to weigh the completed cases, you should get a new measure or change powders.

I can only recall one time where my powder measure started throwing light charges, and that was when I was using surplus powder that somehow got a bullet mixed in it (not one of mine). The bullet ended up wedged in the cavity of my powder measure, causing it to throw charges that were light by the volume of a 62gr .223 bullet. I saw it when I looked into the case when placing the bullet. I pulled the round immediately before it and it had a full charge, so I got it before I loaded any light.

What sort of groups do you get with your match ammo at 300 yds?

I use it at 200 yards, and I get 3/4" (3/8 MOA) groups. Sometimes a little smaller.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Case feeder worth the money? Also, what do you prefer for swaging the 5.56 brass?

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the part of the case feeder that feeds the case into the shell plate sucks. I've had mine for a few years, and was finally able to get it running right a few weeks ago.

 

[fortitude42]

This is a very good point that I think we all kind of overlooked. If your powder measure is inaccurate enough so that you feel the need to weigh the completed cases, you should get a new measure or change powders.

I shake all my rounds and listen for the powder. This is done during final inspection right before they get stored into boxes. After awhile you can feel and hear if the powder is off a little bit (in rifle rounds) but I did catch a light charge in a .40 round once...

 

[M1911]

I've never weighed a loaded cartridge. I look into the cases as I load them. That is harder to do on .38 Spcl, but I still do it.

 

[The Goose]

I have never weighed my reloads, but if it works for you then what can it hurt. On the other hand about 95% of what I reload these days is black powder cartridge. It is impossible to over load a case and since I use a slight compression it is also virtually impossible to underload. It is very easy to look into a 50/90 case and see a full load of black powder. This passing fad of smokeless powder will never last. LOL!

 

[highlander]

I've weighed some of my rifle brass and get more than a 2 gr variation between cases. Never weighed pistol brass though. Just finished up casting some 250 gr bullets for my 45 Colt and 45 auto rim and find a variation of 2 grs and that's including the lube. I'm not ocd on the bullets I'm just curious on how good my casting technique is.

 

[*chris*]

I think this thread has reached its logical end. I will jump back in the closet!

 

[Lopro]

Check about every 20 rounds or so ( Hornady Progressive ) to see if the throw is on but never completed rounds , load 9mm 40 cal , 223 , 380 . : )

 

[n1bsbri]

Check about every 20 rounds or so ( Hornady Progressive ) to see if the throw is on but never completed rounds , load 9mm 40 cal , 223 , 380 . : )

What do you find when you check you powder drops after every 20 rounds? I'm using a Lee auto-disk, and it's always within .1 gn. I check about every 100 rounds (when refilling primers). If things are running well, maybe after 200 rounds.

 

[SeanT]

What do you find when you check you powder drops after every 20 rounds? I'm using a Lee auto-disk, and it's always within .1 gn. I check about every 100 rounds (when refilling primers). If things are running well, maybe after 200 rounds.

I'm loading 9mm on a LNL with the case activated powder drop. With a check every 20-30 loads, I'm finding it's usually spot on. The only variance I've seen as been within .1. If I get the .1 difference, I do a best of three series which has always (so far) ended up with the average being closest to the correct charge.

 

[Steve Marshall]

One time long ago, for reason or reasons that are unfathomable to me now, I weighed 219 9MM cases. Low weight was a Rem UMC at 50.2 grains. High weight was a PMC case at 63.1 grains. For the math challenged, that's a difference of 25% or so and way, way, way beyond your limit. Afterwards, I weighed 150 new Remington 9MM cases. They went 52.3 grains to 55.0 grains. OOPS! That exceeds your limit also. (the OAL of those 150 ranged from .744"-.747". So, unless you are segregating your brass by weight prior to loading, you are plainly wasting your time. Or your scale sucks. If you aren't segregating prior to reloading, you are clearly wasting your time. And/or your scale sucks.
CONSENSUS: You are wasting your time. Or your scale sucks.

 

[Gammon]

This is a very good point that I think we all kind of overlooked. If your powder measure is inaccurate enough so that you feel the need to weigh the completed cases, you should get a new measure or change powders.

I can only recall one time where my powder measure started throwing light charges, and that was when I was using surplus powder that somehow got a bullet mixed in it (not one of mine). The bullet ended up wedged in the cavity of my powder measure, causing it to throw charges that were light by the volume of a 62gr .223 bullet. I saw it when I looked into the case when placing the bullet. I pulled the round immediately before it and it had a full charge, so I got it before I loaded any light.



I use it at 200 yards, and I get 3/4" (3/8 MOA) groups. Sometimes a little smaller.

I'm impressed. I get 2.25 in five shot groups at 300 yds using once fired military brass and 69 gr HPBT Sierra bullets. The powder is surplus (WCC 844). Perhaps a change to a more expensive propellant such as Varget might help.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I'm impressed. I get 2.25 in five shot groups at 300 yds using once fired military brass and 69 gr HPBT Sierra bullets. The powder is surplus (WCC 844). Perhaps a change to a more expensive propellant such as Varget might help.

I've been using 77gr Sierra Match Kings, a max charge of Reloder-15, and Wolf SRM primers. I spend a lot of time sorting and prepping the brass, then do one extra sort step after the rounds are made.