Weighing cast bullets?
- Thread starter johnnyjr
- Start date
fiver
Well-Known Member
i sort my jacketed bullets by core and jacket then match them together.
kind of a waste of time with good jackets since they only vary by about .1gr
the run of the mill meh brands might go as high as .3gr. or more [+3%],,, those are the ones to worry about since you know right off the quality is gonna give results about as good as a high quality FMJ without the extra effort.
so you either sort cast by total,, or by the components and do your best to hit a mean average.
under about 2-K it doesn't make a lot of difference other than removing most of the flyers.
however if you suck at casting, sorting is your best bet at getting the good ones out of the pile.
kind of a waste of time with good jackets since they only vary by about .1gr
the run of the mill meh brands might go as high as .3gr. or more [+3%],,, those are the ones to worry about since you know right off the quality is gonna give results about as good as a high quality FMJ without the extra effort.
so you either sort cast by total,, or by the components and do your best to hit a mean average.
under about 2-K it doesn't make a lot of difference other than removing most of the flyers.
however if you suck at casting, sorting is your best bet at getting the good ones out of the pile.
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
I sort my PB and GC bullets as-cast. I use a digital scale and my limits are +/- 0.5 gr. The culls get tossed into a bucket and then they later get sorted in a similar fashion. Since I use 4 cavity molds, I suspect that different cavities cast slightly different weight bullets. I rarely have oddballs that do not match up with other bullets to get 60 within specs for a match.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
I sort my linotype match bullets first by sight, then by weight. One lot is an afternoon's work, about 225 bullets. Then sort into 0.1 grains on an electronic scale, and get a bell curve of maybe 1.2 grains total. Then all that weigh 210.3 grains go in one batch, all that weight 210.4 grains in another. Needed 180 rounds for match day and all the rest are for weekly practice.
If you are going to weigh bullets, it is just as fast to sort by 0.1 grain as anything into plastic cups.
If you are going to weigh bullets, it is just as fast to sort by 0.1 grain as anything into plastic cups.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I only sort Rifle and do so when they are ready to load.
I buy small durable ziploc baggies that can be labled.
I buy small durable ziploc baggies that can be labled.
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
For the way I shoot; I sort my cast & PC'ed bullets out to .1 grain weights ( I do not use gas checks on any of my bullets except hunting bullets at full velocities) and do what CW does by using Small portion ziplock bags or if I will be shooting them soon, I use small plastic containers on my reloading table.
Because I shoot Low Node exclusively, I try to remove every variable I can! But then again I'm a "hard ass" when it comes to accuracy in Low Node !
Because I shoot Low Node exclusively, I try to remove every variable I can! But then again I'm a "hard ass" when it comes to accuracy in Low Node !
JonB
Halcyon member
I don't weigh sort, unless I were to be shooting in rifle competitions, then I'd weigh sort bullets "as cast."
But it is a good practice to do once in a while, to check the results of your casting technique.
I recently posted the highlights about my casting technique for rifle bullets in post #21 of this thread and they shoot good enough for my offhand shooting range fun.
www.artfulbullet.com
But it is a good practice to do once in a while, to check the results of your casting technique.
I recently posted the highlights about my casting technique for rifle bullets in post #21 of this thread and they shoot good enough for my offhand shooting range fun.
How Good is Good Enough?
Casting a good bullet isn't about how well you cull, but about how well you cast. If you're culling more than 5% it's time to figure out the problem and fix it. Cast Rifle Bullets: I wasn't gonna comment on how good is good enough? Because I don't really cull very many. But in the big...
www.artfulbullet.com
For the most part, this is the way I do it too. Sometimes I just get curious (like my recent binge weighing a run of 429421), other times I weigh bullets to see if I have the mould figured out (the Lee 405 hollow base for my 45-70 took some tuning/individualization of my technique to get things worked out). Mostly though, I weigh when I get curious for one reason or another.
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
For handgun I only inspect for visual flaws and got straight to coating. I haven't shot competition for awhile but I did match weights for silhouette in my earlier days. My standard for that was to only use inspected bullets that were within 1% of the median as-cast weight of that particular batch. The highest and lowest weights were always discarded. I also processed matched lot handgun cases to my rifle brass standards. I had a post deleted on another board because I posted my case prep procedures and the mod sent me a message that I was off topic and we were discussing pistol brass, not rifle brass. I never really did much rifle cast bullet work at all, come to think of it, only hunting bullets for deer and I used the same procedure as above.
Elpatoloco
Active Member
I use any kind of old jars( with Lids) to store my sorted slugs.
I sort soon after casting.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I like Mayonnaise and Peanut Butter plastic jars. I have many people
Saving them for me! My small baggies fit inside!!
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
Elpatoloco
Active Member
I have to show this pic to the wife. She thinks my Casting is a bit overboard! You Win Sir!!!!!!
And I have learned the hard way about Glass Jars. They will Bust even if you hold the bottoms of them. Wife doesnt even ask anymore if I want to save a container.
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Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
We alway keep Planters Dry Roasted peanuts in the house and our camp. Wife buys the big clear plastic jar and they have become my go-to container for cast bullets. Because they are square, I can put one on its side and reach inside the giant mouth to grab bullets when I'm weighing out a bunch for an upcoming match. It's almost like Planters designed these for cast bullet guys.
CW, think how much more efficiently you would use the space on your shelves if you had all your bullets in these containers? No gaps between jars.
Initially, I would soak the lables so I had a nice plain and clear jar. That got old quickly and I'm okay with the label staying on. Seeing what is inside is not a problem.
CW, think how much more efficiently you would use the space on your shelves if you had all your bullets in these containers? No gaps between jars.
Initially, I would soak the lables so I had a nice plain and clear jar. That got old quickly and I'm okay with the label staying on. Seeing what is inside is not a problem.
Elpatoloco
Active Member
I use the generic store brand of those when Dad calls and has an empty. We dont eat them here at home.
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CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
Im a equal opportunity plastic jar horder... 
I have square oval and round. I have sine of those square ones up on the top shelf!
CW
I have square oval and round. I have sine of those square ones up on the top shelf!
CW
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
Don't eat peanuts. Why you crazy old duck!
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
The key word is "Here" He puts back a pound at the local watering hole
