Sorting headstamps

[Alamstutz]

As a recreational pistol shooter and hand loader I am wondering how important sorting headstamps is. I have read comments saying it is necessary and others saying it doesn't make any difference. I have loaded a few thousand 9mm cartridges without paying any attention at all to head stamps. More recently I have begun sorting and loading like headstamps into batches. Since I am in northwestern Michigan I have not had a chance to do any shooting in the last 4 months to test results with my chrono. My range is STILL under the snow. I am interested in people's opinion on this topic.

Thanks from a new forum member.

[Sarge]

Did you try a search? There is a lot of discussion here on the topic.

Bottom line, as a "recreational" shooter I would not waste my time. As a serious competition shooter who wants consistency out of the guns and ammo, and who wants the press to run as smooth as possible for many thousands of rounds, I recommend it.

Here is one thread from 3 pages of results I found:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=106422#entry1210743

[razorfish]

Sorting by head stamp is real pain, but if you have the patience it absolutely makes loading go much smoother. Some brands of brass simply reload more consistently with my setup. All head stamps have their "quirks", but dealing a big batch of matched head stamps makes a loading session go much smoother.

I suppose it also makes more consistent ammo. Anyone can prove this by taking a batch of mixed brass and another of batch of matched brass and shooting it over their chrono. The difference may not be dramatic, but the match ammo is generally more consistent. The difference may or may not be worth it to you depending on your situation.

Your time can only be valued by you. I believe a bit of extra time spent on inspecting and sorting my brass saves me time and frustration on the press.

YMMV

[SilverBolt]

As a USPSA shooter/loader I don't sort head stamps. I go through ammo at rate of 1k/week and have 20k rounds of brass on hand now. Not a chance I have the time to sort it. That said I do believe you would get a more consistent round if you did sort. For my purposes not sorting works just fine.

[razorfish]

As a USPSA shooter/loader I don't sort head stamps. I go through ammo at rate of 1k/week and have 20k rounds of brass on hand now. Not a chance I have the time to sort it. That said I do believe you would get a more consistent round if you did sort. For my purposes not sorting works just fine.

I too am a USPSA shooter. I load for myself and my two sons (also USPSA Shooters). We average about 3000 rounds per month for the three of us.

I never bothered sorting brass either, but as my "stash" of brass increased into the ten's of thousands, I realized I had two resources to sort the brass for me. So, my sons went to work and pulled out a couple of head stamps.

I was amazed how much better loading sessions went when loading a single head stamp, so I stuck with it. I suppose my ammo may a bit better, but for me the consistent head stamps simply make my loading easier.

BTW, I still keep the majority of my brass as mixed brass, but it's now just used for practice ammo.

Also after many years of using no lube on my pistol loads, I've learned a bit of One-Shot lube makes loading go much smoother. (Learned this on Brian Enos forum). Yet another one of those things I things I thought was unnecessary that really makes my loading sessions much smoother.

[Steve RA]

I just use Winchester for 9mm, Federal SP for .45 and Lake City for .223/5.56. Sell all the rest.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Steve RA

[Alamstutz]

Thanks everyone. Helpful answers. I will do some sorting when time permits but not worry about "needing" to sort

[Alamstutz]

Thanks Sarge. I read the thread. Seems to be no consensus among shooters so the individual choice is ok for everyone.

[jcc7x7]

I don't sort 9, 40 or 45

10mm, 44mag and rifle I do.

But

the info above about EASIER reloading sessions may give me a reason to try it

[JohnnyD]

The most I sort is stuff with possible primer crimps and junk brass (AMERC, etc) in 9mm.

The junk I toss and crimped stuff I put in a separate bucket and deal with it when I get enough.

[Reshoot]

General handgun ammo and USPSA competition ammo - never sort.

Handgun hunting loads - always sort.

Long range rifle brass - sort, weigh and dimension.

[DC730]

i try to keep mine sorted . for me it make loading go a lot smoother on the dillon 650.

to me i can feel the difference between the resizing of some different brand brass and it just throws your pace off when one goes super easy or really hard. have had a brand also not flare the case mount as much as another so when your loading if you may smash some cases if not holding bullets all the way up into the die.

i use case lube as well so that isnt the problem of feeling difference in sizing.

to me it not a huge deal just do a little every once and a while grab a bucket of clean brass and a towel and just start making a pile between win ,rp ,federal , starline everything else goes into a bucket to be sold as range brass

Edited April 14, 2014 by DC730