Using brass from a different rifle…

[TheViking]

I’m going to ask a dumb question, I’m a noob to reloading, forgive me.

I’ve searched and got a lot of mixed results, hence the post.

I have piles of once fired brass but they have been shot out of multiple different rifles. I had a Seekins PH2, than a Tikka Roughtech and now a Seekins PH3 (yes, I have a problem haha).

Are there any issues reloading them into my current rifle? Obviously every chamber is slightly different.

I’ve been wanting to reload for years and years, but didn’t have the time, or could justify it by the amount I would shoot annually. As I dive deeper into longer range stuff, the more I want out of my ammo, particularly speed variance.

 

[MuleyFever]

FL resize and you will be fine. People pick up brass at the range and use it.

 

[Woolley Bugger]

Emphasis on FL resize. Some die sets come with a neck sizer, which should only be used from brass fired from your own rifle and, technically, not for hunting purposes where you might need a quick followup shot and don't want to risk a sticky bolt.

 

[Vern400]

Matching head stamps is important as you want to increase precision. I shot a 3-inch flyer from point of aim at 300 yards. Three other shots already on target were grouping 1.5 in. After trying to figure out what went wrong, I found ONE S&B case in a 100 box of Hornady! I sent two more and the group ended up at about 1.6 in or 3.1 in depending on how you look at it. I'm calling it a 3.1 inch group because it was my fault not looking. Anyhoo, that's the thought.

Additionally, if you really wanting to shoot small things way out there, ideally your brass only goes in one rifle. Set your resizing die to give you 0.002 + headspace clearance after sizing and roll with it. I have found that for me, annealing the cases helps the shoulder dimension stay more consistent since the brass is a uniform hardness so the spring back is a little bit more consistent. But you don't have to do that and you can shoot some awesome freaking groups without doing it so don't worry over it.

If it is a 223 I would use small base dies.

 

[wind gypsy]

There can be issues with sticky extraction if they were shot in a larger chamber previously. They also might work perfectly. I'd give it a shot and if everything runs smooth you should be good to go.

 

[Lawnboi]

Where you run into issues is if it was fired in a rifle with a larger diameter web area of the case. Thats where it’s going to stick if it is. You can push the headspace back where needed but unless your die is specifically cut to resize the base small enough, you’re never going to get rid of that issue.

You can also get some false pressure signs from this even if it does fit, guys will call them clickers.

If it’s for a plinker, give it a go and see what happens.

For a precision rifle, If your a new reloader, I would avoid the headache of dealing with brass fired in another chamber, I’d also not even mess with mixed lot brass. You’re just setting yourself up for some head scratchers down the road.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

As mentioned, F/L resizing is needed. I reload for several different 30-06 rifles. One has a tight chamber and one as the opposite, a loose chamber. What that means is chambers have a nominal size with larger and smaller sizes within an acceptable range (these sizes are measured in thousands of an inch).
The rifle with the maximum sized chamber, the fired empty if only neck sized and reloaded and put in the rifle with the minimum smaller chamber, the bolt will not close. This is acceptable, but the reloader needs to know it.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Easiest is start with some new good brass, if not that start with some new more budget friendly but decent brass (starline for instance) to limit head scratches as you learn to load.

As noted if its for plinking you can use mixed brass but you'll get mixed results, if you want to reduce the mixed results you can sort by headstamp but that still isn't going to be as consistent as the same lot of brass (I have had head stamped brass vary alot from old ammo to new ammo).

Anyways when the time comes to set up your die use a round fired from your current gun to set up the headspace bump.

 

[sbeduckman]

It seems neck sizing is something most guys around me aren't doing anymore, even the competition shooters. Most guys just FL resize everything. As most have said, if you FL resize, it simply isn't an issue.

 

[wind gypsy]

Id want to keep it sorted by lots and by which rifle it was previously fired from.

If I recall prior posts, i'm guessing this is 6.5 PRC? Which is a cartridge more prone to clickers and the tightness at the web @Lawnboi referred to.

 

[Chris in TN]

I'll scrounge range brass for 9mm or .45acp or maybe .38 special.

For rifles I want to shoot groups with, no. It's a false economy to not just start with decent new brass. Doesn't have to be Lapua.

The thing is, sometimes it works - I do have a double handful of 6.5cm brass I picked up, all on the same day, YEARS before I had a 6.5cm rifle. And I've used it. It's fine for 200-yard practice with lighter loads with my youngest child. I've done the same with other calibers. But, yeah - sometimes it works. Other times you get brass that's not 1x fired but is already practically worn out - you don't know - and other times you get brass that was fired in a chamber larger than yours. This can be especially bad in belted cartridges and I once bought a bunch of .300Wby brass at what I thought was a steal, then most of it wouldn't even chamber. I decided to start with new brass rather than buying the specialized collet die to 'fix' the issue. I just don't like overworking brass outside of the case neck/shoulder that can be annealed.

ETA: Also, case capacity variation is absolutely a thing. I'd just prefer that all of my brass for shooting past 200 yards, all be similar in case capacity, and the best way to do that is to just start off with at least 100 fresh cases for a new rifle.

 

[Hydra6]

I buy once fired brass (Alpha) regularly from buddy who does not reload and use it my rifle - full size resize - no issues.

 

[TaperPin]

Full length dies reduce the brass, but not all the way back to where it started, especially the web near the base. Small base dies are full length dies with smaller dimensions to get the case closer to unfired brass.

Usually it’s cheaper to toss brass that doesn’t fit rather than buy a small base die for cases that can’t be chambered when sized with normal full length dies.

I used to save money by reloading mismatched range brass for practice ammo. I’d keep new or once fired brass for hunting loads and mismatched brass for practice. If you ever hunt with range brass just make sure to chamber every round before the hunt. Even range brass for practice loads should be checked before loading or you’ll have to pull bullets from oversized cases.

 

[huntnful]

If you’re new to reloading, I’m assuming all this different brass is probably factory ammo. Hornady possibly?

I would absolutely just start with a new batch of brass. The $180 you save isn’t even worth the potential headaches you could encounter.

 

[WSMHNTR]

If you don't already have a set I'd suggest a kit from Hornady that allows you to actually measure the shoulder at the datum line. They also have an expanded kit that includes this and the bushing for measuring off the ojive when seating bullet. As others have said the case head dimension may or may not give you issues.

 

[madcalfe]

FL resize and send it.
I have someone that picks up 300wsm and 270wsm brass from a range and gives it to me.
I have no issues whatsoever regularly shooting 1/4-1/2 MOA from my custom 300wsm with completely different headstamped brass..... i even open the necks on 270wsm brass and run it in my 300wsm.

people make brass for wildcat cartridges.... factory ammo also has never been fired from your chamber.

 

[TaperPin]

I don’t recommend this to anyone other than those who enjoy tinkering, but a small base die can be improvised to just reduce the web in front of the head by taking a spare full length die (any cartridge with the same body taper) and cutting some off the bottom and cutting the top of the die below the shoulder completely off so brass can be pushed in much farther than normal. Uncle Tommy the garbage collector is always finding odds and ends people leave in the trash and probably has a die, or cousin Jimmy enjoys garage sales and will keep an eye out for one if I was too cheap to get one on eBay. I’d use a small grinder with cutoff wheel followed by a sanding disk to square up the ends, and some ultrafine sandpaper to remove any burrs. The sides of the case have a consistent taper so the farther the case goes in the more it’s squeezed down. Sharpie on the brass will show where it is tight in the chamber.

With a 223 for example, the case taper is .0175” per inch, or close to .002” for every tenth of an inch the case is pushed further into the modified die. Yes it leaves the portion up by the shoulder a straight wall for a short distance and the case still needs to be full length resized - if you want perfection buy new brass.

If different brands of fl dies are measured, some will be tighter and some looser, so if you only need a small amount of extra squeeze borrowing a friends die set can sometimes solve the problem, but this is a fun kitchen table science project.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

The problem with full length sizing is it stretches the brass at the base just forward of the rim. My Dad used to insist he f/l sized every piece of brass every time he loaded it. If you f/l size your brass, inspect it for cracks at the base. One time hunting my Dad shot a deer and when he extracted the fired piece of brass the head pulled off leaving the remains of the case in the chamber. We were on a wilderness hunt and my Dad couldn't use his rifle the rest of the hunt.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

The problem with full length sizing is it stretches the brass at the base just forward of the rim. My Dad used to insist he f/l sized every piece of brass every time he loaded it. If you f/l size your brass, inspect it for cracks at the base. One time hunting my Dad shot a deer and when he extracted the fired piece of brass the head pulled off leaving the remains of the case in the chamber. We were on a wilderness hunt and my Dad couldn't use his rifle the rest of the hunt.

Do you know how many rounds were on that particular piece of brass?