lancetkenyon Report post Posted February 5, 2016 Lance, you should open a reloading university. Im amazed at your technical knowledge. I have no idea what your even talking about most of the time, yet I'm completely interested and always waiting for you to add to your posts. Thanks for sharing this stuff. The reason for weight sorting brass is for brass content of the case. When you resize a case, you SHOULD get the same outside case dimensions with your die. If the case has more brass content (heavier case), you will have less case volume inside the resized case. Meaning less room for powder, meaning more pressure with the same powder charge weight and bullet seating depth. Meaning higher velocities too. The opposite is also true. Less brass content (lighter weight) will have more available case capacity inside the case. Meaning more room for powder; less pressure with the same charge weight, and slightly lower velocity. So weight sorting brass might not be really important across same headstamp brass for most people. Especially with some brass manufacturers, like Lapua and Norma. They are usually a bit better at consistent brass weights. But I have still weight sorted and cut some from the herd with them too. Usually within a grain or two though. I was just surprised that the Winchester headstamped brass had a 10+ grain difference in brass content. Not great for consistent velocities or pressure, meaning different POI at distance. Most people would never notice the difference for reasonable hunting ranges. But some of us anal retentive people will. As an example, in my .25-06 Ackley, I had a 30+ grain difference in brass content over a couple different headstamped brass. Remington and Nosler were within 1 grain average of each other, on the low end of the weight sorting. But I had a lot of other .25-06 brass from various manufacturers (Winchester, WW Super, Frontier, Hornady, and Federal) that were way different from each other. I worked up a load using Remington, and when I loaded the same charge weight in the Federal (Heavier b 30 grains of brass content), I got pressure signs with the first shot, and velocity went up almost 70fps. So they got pulled apart and tossed the brass in the trash. Why not Nosler 7 mag brass Lance? My nosler 280 Ackley and .243 stuff is really good... I have some Nosler brass for half of my .25-06 Ackley brass, as the content is within 1 grain average with the Remington I started with for load development. I like it too, but I still cut 8 of 100 (8%) due to brass content vs. about 9% for Remington, and 50% for Winchester). Since I am only on my 3rd loading with it, it is holding up well at fairly hot loads. But I have always had good luck with Remington brass, and I can usually find it easier and cheaper. I have some Remington headstamped .25-06 brass on their 5th loading. It just takes more initial prep than new Nosler brass does. I have some of my Remington headstamped 6.5 SLR cases that are on reload #8, and doing well. And some of my Remington headstamped .300RUM cases have 6 loadings on them. But I can get 50 Remington headstamped 7RM brass for about $30 vs. $60 for Nosler. I doubt Nosler would last twice as long as Remington headstamped brass. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted February 5, 2016 10-4... I also think R-P brass quality is lot and cartridge specific, just like most brass... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FB67 Report post Posted February 6, 2016 Lance have you had an experience with Hornady brass? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted February 6, 2016 Yes. In my .25-06 Ackley. They only lasted 3 loadings before the primer pockets were toast. Granted, they were hot loads, but Remington have lasted a long time with the same loads. Also with a .270 Win. Nothing to complain about with that rifle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted February 7, 2016 I got all 232 brass resized, tumbled, primer pockets uniformed, and trimmed. Got about 130 of them finished, chamfered inside/out, and annealed. Loaded up some for 5 shot group testing off the ladder test results with the 180 Hybrids. I also loaded up a few batches for some 3 shot groups with 168 Berger HVLDs and 175 Sierra Game Kings I had left over from previous load development for other people. It was not the best day to go shoot for groups this morning, as winds were pretty strong, and not consistent. 15-20mph fluctuating from full value 9:00 to full value 3:00. And it was blowing the target frame forward and backwards, so the target was moving up and down as it shifted. So I had to try and time my shots. It took me about 5 hours to shoot groups today. But it beats yard work! I swapped on the Kahles K624i with the SKMR reticle for some precision work. Man, I feel like buying another one now. Bad news for my CC. The good news: With 7 different charge weights for the 180 Hybrid, 4 charge weights for the 168 HVLD, and 4 charge weights for the 175 SGK, I did not have a group over .800". I will be tweaking some of the loads up or down .2 grains, and play with the seating depth a bit. But I am pretty happy so far with a 9lb. 2.5oz. hunting rifle pushing a 7mm 180 bullet at nearly 3000fps into a .350" group. Not a single sign of pressure today. 180 Hybrid @ 2856fps Bottom shot is on a cold/clean bore (I cleaned the rifle last night before heading to the range). Top "hole" is 4 shots. 180 Hybrid @ 2961fps. 5 shots. 175 SGK @ 2970fps. 3 shots. 175 SGK @ 2978fps. 3 shots. 168 HVLD @ 3038. 3 shots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cactusjack Report post Posted February 7, 2016 that thing doesn't group worth a crap! Whenever you want to unload it, let me know. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted February 8, 2016 I think you found your load. "180 Hybrid @ 2856fps Bottom shot is on a cold/clean bore (I cleaned the rifle last night before heading to the range). Top "hole" is 4 shots." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted February 8, 2016 I will be playing just a bit more with those loads. A bit of charge weight adjustment and seating depth to see if anything happens. But yes, I am really happy with those. I don't know if I will even pursue the 168 HVLD or 175 SMK. But nice to know that just throwing something together still netted under .800" with no load development. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted February 10, 2016 I was in Bruno's yesterday, and picked up some of the new 183 Sierra Match Kings for the 7RM. Should be fun to see how they do. Berger twist calculator says plenty stable in my rifle. Sierra says minimum 1 in 8" twist, but I think my 1 in 8.5" twist should work fine. We shall see. With absolutely no load info yet, I started out comparing the 180 SMK and 180 Hybrid load info, and started just below halfway up and went up from there. I hope to get out this weekend and finish my 180 Hybrid load development, and start on these too. I seated them .0010" off the lands to start with. With a BC of .707, I hope they fly well! Unicorn Tears! The 183 SMKs are long....1.628" according to my calipers. 180 Berger Hybrid on left, 183 SMK on right. If they fly, I might have to look into opening up the meplat a touch....180 Berger Hybrid vs. 183 SMK Here is how they seat when chambered in my rifle touching the lands. Still fit in the magazine @ 3.5xx" (I don't have my note pad handy) L-R: 140 CT NBT, 140 Barnes XLC BT (Obsolete), 150 Barnes TSX, 175 SGK, 168 HVLD, 180 Hybrid, 183 SMK. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CraigK Report post Posted February 11, 2016 I'm glad you got ahold of some! Pretty curious to see how they do and what velocities you get out of them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjl2010 Report post Posted February 11, 2016 Your 7 mag dang near pushes 180s better than my stw... Depressing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted February 11, 2016 I'm glad you got ahold of some! Pretty curious to see how they do and what velocities you get out of them. I will hopefully get to the range this weekend again, I will post results. Your 7 mag dang near pushes 180s better than my stw... Depressing What are you getting with your STW? My old STW only really got 160 fps better than a buddies 7RM, and I am sure a bit of that was the extra 2" of barrel length. It was kind of a let down for me back then too. But accuracy was better from my Sendero vs. his M77. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjl2010 Report post Posted February 11, 2016 The ballistic programs have it at 3050.. It's a backed off load from what the guy that helped me do my load development says Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted February 11, 2016 It has been a while, but I think I was something like 3160fps for a 175 SGK w. 77 grains of RL22 in my 7STW Sendero. It had a short throat, so I could not seat the bullets out at all. SAAMI COAL was about it, so the lighter bullets actually worked and shot much better. I actually ditched the heavy bullets and shot 140s at 3450fps. I only ever shot one deer with it before I sold it. A big 3x3, about 25" wide but really tall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STOMP442 Report post Posted February 11, 2016 Wow that 183 is an impressive looking bullet. Nice shooting lance and beautiful rifle. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
