Accuracy from loading mixed brass?

[Driftwood]

I have quite a bit of brass saved up with the intention of eventually getting into reloading once it was cost effective due to already owning the brass.

Will the rounds be consistent if the primers, bullets, and power match but the brass came from different manufacturers?

Thanks

[koehn,jim]

i have found that in most instances i dont notice a real difference. if i am shooting in competition i match everthing up to be as close as possible,but even different batches of brass from the same maker will have minor differences. it boils down to a smaller differnce than most of us will ever notice.

[Exodus343]

for plinking I just load em up
for accuracy, that's when the OCD sets in

[joelogic]

Consistent, yes
Precise, maybe.

[mark501w]

It's good reloading practice to use the same manufacturers case especially if your pushing to max.

[J-cat]

It depends on the caliber. In low pressure large capacity application it doesn't matter. In high pressure low capacity applications it does matter. In the 9mm, for example, case capacity varies by as much as 30% sometimes. WW cases weigh 50 grains. WCC+P cases weigh as much as 65 grains. If you mix the two you'll get different pressures, velocity, and point of impact so your groups will suffer.

223 cases range from 88 to 103 grains in weight. 308 cases range from 150 to 180 grains in weight depending on brand.

I'd sort them by head stamp.

[Bill Steele]

I have quite a bit of brass saved up with the intention of eventually getting into reloading once it was cost effective due to already owning the brass.

Will the rounds be consistent if the primers, bullets, and power match but the brass came from different manufacturers?

Thanks

I think it depends solely on what you consider consistent.

[GeoffLinder]

I have quite a bit of brass saved up with the intention of eventually getting into reloading once it was cost effective due to already owning the brass.

Will the rounds be consistent if the primers, bullets, and power match but the brass came from different manufacturers?

Thanks

For 9mm and .45ACP pistol cases, probably won't make much diff.

For rifle cases, it depends a lot on their weight difference. OD of cases will be similar, so weight variance mostly means internal volume changes. If they weigh the same, they will most likely shoot the same.

[Driftwood]

It'd be 223 and 308, for hunting & target 0-350 yrds. No competion.

[Bill Steele]

It'd be 223 and 308, for hunting & target 0-350 yrds. No competion.

I sort by headstamp even with hunting rounds, but I don't sort by case volume, etc.

When I am punching paper and I am trying for personal bests, I start with an annealed fire formed case and load the same one for a five shot string, that is my definition of consistent when shooting in that mode.

[ireload]

Plinking or informal paper punching mixed cases are ok. For a more precise application then uniformity.

[RandyD]

You will get more consistent results if you use the same lot of brass from the same manufacturer. However, other factors will be more important such as your ability to hold a tight group, your firearm's ability to hold a tight group, and the necessity of having a tight group.

I have never tried to keep my brass separate for pistol shooting. I used to shoot High Power matches and used mixed brass cases for the 200 and 300 yard lines, but used cases from the same lot for the 600 yard line.

[Wrangler John]

Read an article in Guns Magazine (iirc) where the wag tested various brands of brass for accuracy. Then he fired 5 shot groups with five different brands of brass. The mixed stuff came out slightly smaller .42" if I recall, then any of the groups of single brand brass. Now that's a contradiction, but it was a .223 Savage varmint type rifle and they'll shoot anything.