New Brass Powder charge vs once fired

04 October 2003, 13:38

I have worked up a load for my 22-250 that shoot well with brass that has been fired in my gun & has been full lengh sized. I just bought some new brass same brand and am wondering do you guys reduce you load a little and hope they still shoot well or use you favorite load and hope it's not to hot?? I am hope to shoot chucks and Coyotes while getting this brass sized. How do you all handle new brass?? Thanks

04 October 2003, 15:21

Bigdaddytacp

quote:
Originally posted by BossMoss:
I have worked up a load for my 22-250 that shoot well with brass that has been fired in my gun & has been full lengh sized. I just bought some new brass same brand and am wondering do you guys reduce you load a little and hope they still shoot well or use you favorite load and hope it's not to hot?? I am hope to shoot chucks and Coyotes while getting this brass sized. How do you all handle new brass?? Thanks

I check the new brass after I prep it to see how it matchs the weight of the fireformed brass.....and part of the prep is checking the wall thickness...if the weight is the same and the neck walls aren't thicker I have loaded the new brass with a known safe load with the bullet seated out to get a good fireforming action with the new brass...I don't load super hot and don't have a great temperature difference to deal with and haven't had any problems....if possible I like to check a couple of new cases and fire them before loading the whole new batch......HTH..good luck and good shooting-loading!!

04 October 2003, 15:57

4bambam

Suggest to use a lower load first time with new brass, don't give it the all at once first time [Wink]

04 October 2003, 16:03

Bob338

Actually your velocity is HIGHER with used brass. If you wanted exactly the same performance, all other things the same, including the weight of the cases, you'd likely want to INCREASE the load by maybe a half grain to a grain. You'd have to test and chronograph to see for sure, but the higher velocity with fireformed brass is a given. I've tested it many times.

05 October 2003, 07:47

bartsche

When you fire form brass you are useing energy to do so that normally in an already formed case would be contributed to the velosity of the bullet in the form of higher pressure.Your exhaust pressure will be a smidge lower becuse the gas has done some extra work when it formed the brass. When you fire the new case it is taking the new form ; that of your chamber."ALL ELSE BEING THE SAME AS YOU NORMALLY LOAD" your pet load will be just fine as far as safety.( If your pet load was safe to start with using it with new brass is still safe.)

05 October 2003, 09:27

NotRicochet

Thanks, bartsche. That makes sense. I'd been scratching my head about WHY used brass should giver higher velocities and pressures, as the new brass starts with a slightly smaller internal volume.

05 October 2003, 11:46

BossMoss

Thanks Bartsche. I was thinking it would be safe but wanted to here it from someone else. I know it might not be quite as accurate but coyotes at a 200yds and under should be doable.

06 October 2003, 02:03

beemanbeme

First time that question has come up. I've been loading up new brass of all sorts with my favorite loads for 40 years without a mishap. Your groups with new brass might not be quite as tight as groups with fire formed brass but in a 22-250, that just means a slightly bigger raggedety hole. [Big Grin]

06 October 2003, 02:22

<mike elmer>

Another consideration is this ... "Are you going to load all the new brass you bought, or just take about 20 at a time from the bag of 100?" If I am going to load through the whole bag, I would adjust the load to fit the new brass, then work the load back up for the once fired cases.