sort mixed headstamp brass?

[ck867]

I'm in the process on doing my first reloads so bare with me as I am a newbie. I have 9mm and .45acp brass that has been separated from each other and they have been tumbled and clean. The brass for both caliber are a mixture of WWB and Blazer brass from walmart.

My question is.....how different are the brass from WWB and BB?

Should I be sepparating the WWB brass from the BB brass and with all other things being equal (powder, primer, bullet), work up a load that may work for one brass over another?

Does my question make sense?

EDIT: Forgot to mention that the reloads will be for plinking/target practice at the range.

[1moa@500]

For the most part I never seperate pistol brass. The exception would be a straight walled case that I will be applying a heavy roll crimp to. All my 45, 9mm,40, etc I never trim shoot till it splits or gets lost. 45 is IMHO the most forgiving auto round there is. Good Shooting. By the way if you have reloading questions always ask first. The things you could lose like eyes, hands, friends eyes and hands or just a cherished weapon are to precious to let pride get in the way

[krzgoat]

9mm you should be ok. The 45ACP i have been noticing lately that some of it has small pistol primers in it and not large so I have been sorting out all the ones with small pistol primers since I use a progressive press. Plus the loads I have worked up have been with large pistol primers so I don't want to go changing primers just yet.

[sirgrumps]

I agree, for pistol brass, unless you're shooting at Camp Perry, don't bother.

[freakshow10mm]

If you plan to load to the low to medium end of the data, I wouldn't worry about it. For upper end loads, you might see some difference.

[bruceflinch]

9mm you should be ok. The 45ACP i have been noticing lately that some of it has small pistol primers in it and not large so I have been sorting out all the ones with small pistol primers since I use a progressive press. Plus the loads I have worked up have been with large pistol primers so I don't want to go changing primers just yet.

You might be getting 45 GAP brass. It has small pistol primers in a slightly shorter 45 case.

All my pistol reloads are mixed headstamp. Over 50K of them.

[ck867]

thanks everybody for the help. So when is it important to separate when it comes to pistol AND rifles?

[freakshow10mm]

For plinkers on the weekend brass is brass. For target loads and ultimate accuracy, accuracy is the product of uniformity.

[buffybuster]

For Action Pistol (IDPA, USPSA/IPSC, Steel Challenge) there's not need to sort brass, though I do know people that do. But I don't have that much time on my hands.

For Bullseye, Hunting, Any Serious Target or LR shooting, then sort.

Cavet: Some 45ACP have been produced with Small Primer pockets (I think Win NT) that should be sorted out, especially if you progressively load.

[krzgoat]

You might be getting 45 GAP brass. It has small pistol primers in a slightly shorter 45 case.

All my pistol reloads are mixed headstamp. Over 50K of them.

I'll have to check that out and see if the case is shorter.

[krzgoat]

For Action Pistol (IDPA, USPSA/IPSC, Steel Challenge) there's not need to sort brass, though I do know people that do. But I don't have that much time on my hands.

For Bullseye, Hunting, Any Serious Target or LR shooting, then sort.

Cavet: Some 45ACP have been produced with Small Primer pockets (I think Win NT) that should be sorted out, especially if you progressively load.

Win NT is what they are stamped with. And there are some with *I* on them. I haven't looked up the headstamp yet.

[freakshow10mm]

*I* is Independence Ammunition. It's good stuff.

Speer has some small primer ammunition as does Fiocchi, Federal, and Winchester. Winchester is usually NT stamped but not always.

[ck867]

For plinkers on the weekend brass is brass. For target loads and ultimate accuracy, accuracy is the product of uniformity.

thanks for the help and clarifying.

[Country Boy]

My 2 cents (sense I hope?). I haven't started reloading pistol ammo yet, but will be shortly. But, for years I've been using factory reloaded 45 ACP ammo, mixed brass, once fired out of Les Baer, Wilson Combat & Ed Brown 1911s with no reliability problems. Also, for defensive/combat style shooting out to 15-20 yards (mainly IDPA) I can't tell any real difference in accuracy from premium match grade ammo.

[7x57]

You might be getting 45 GAP brass. It has small pistol primers in a slightly shorter 45 case.

I have cases with small pistol primer pockets and .45 ACP headstamps.

All my pistol reloads are mixed headstamp. Over 50K of them.

That's a lot of brass.

F
Cavet: Some 45ACP have been produced with Small Primer pockets (I think Win NT) that should be sorted out, especially if you progressively load.

Yes, the small-primer 45 cases I have are range pickups stamped Win NT.

7x57