Unfired Brass, how much effect on accuracy?

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Unfired Brass, how much effect on accuracy?

Post by sbd3927 » 18 Dec 2014, 8:25 pm

I'm in the process of working up a load, but also have unfired brass.

So I'm wondering if varying the powder charge will still help narrow down charges to look at closer later with fired brass, or if its a waste of time until the brass is fire formed.

I expect brass will have some affect, but no idea if its a significantly greater affect than incrementing powder 0.3gn

Anyone have an idea? Perhaps results from a known load with new brass?

My brass source is actually 120 rounds of ADI Outback ammo, which has a nice temperature independent powder. Seems a shame to waste it on fireforming brass, and it gave me an excuse to fiddle. So I've made up an aluminium collet which works great with a pair of vicegrips, and disassembled 50 rounds. I'll save the proj & powder for later, once the brass is formed and I've an idea of optimum load. There was a fair variation in factory charge too, avg 46.3 gn, with max variation 45.9 to 47.0, all lightly compressed. I was surprised to see a full grain of variation.
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Re: Unfired Brass, how much effect on accuracy?

Post by deye243 » 18 Dec 2014, 9:38 pm

i have a Remington that if very fussy about this kind of thing but all my other rifles are fine with it including my rem long range 7mm so just like a lot of things with rifles you will just have to suck it and see
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Re: Unfired Brass, how much effect on accuracy?

Post by brett1868 » 18 Dec 2014, 9:55 pm

Run the empty cases through your reloading dies so they all start out the same shape. This will give you a good start on load development as every round you load should start out the same. If you're wanting to fire off the loaded rounds then as deye243 said, it's a suck it an see approach. If you're going to get serious I recommend investing in a chronograph and start recording your velocities and spread. I bought some Federal .308 rounds just to get the cases but to my surprise they shot .5 moa at 100m which is only a fraction worse then my reloads. If the factory ammo works well you can load to a similar velocity go from there.
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Re: Unfired Brass, how much effect on accuracy?

Post by ebr love » 21 Dec 2014, 6:52 am

brett1868 wrote:Run the empty cases through your reloading dies so they all start out the same shape.


That full length dies too, not neck sizing ;)

You probably knew but mentioning just in case.
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Re: Unfired Brass, how much effect on accuracy?

Post by Tiiger » 21 Dec 2014, 6:56 am

sbd3927 wrote:So I'm wondering if varying the powder charge will still help narrow down charges to look at closer later with fired brass, or if its a waste of time until the brass is fire formed.


Doesn't need to be fireformed specifically, just consistent.

Full length sizing it all before hand will achieve that.

Once fired, there could/would be some infinitesimal increase in case capacity, but hardly enough to be 'wasting your time' doing the load developments. If you've even notice it at all that is...
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Re: Unfired Brass, how much effect on accuracy?

Post by RDobber » 21 Dec 2014, 6:59 am

Don't waste all that ammo just to fire form the brass.

For your Steyr yeah? Hunting?

I just use brass as it comes. Some new, some once fired, some more, some in other rifles....

It all shoots sub-inch groups all the time in my Tikka. 3/4 or better if I'm on my game at the range.
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