Sorting 357 Magnum brass?

ripvanwinkle · Mar 25, 2016

I am getting back into shooting and reloading after a very long nap. I have started sorting my 9mm brass by head stamp and then again by weight for my target pistol, to try to eliminate fliers. Everything else is loaded up for practice for my EDC. Does anyone do that for your 357 brass? My shooting is 30 yards or less.

growr · Mar 25, 2016

Total waste of MY time with no measureable improvement to justify it.

Randy

Magload · Mar 25, 2016

Wish I had enough 357 brass to sort it. Don't need a lot in a wheel gun so I get by. Do you think that is what is causing the flyers? I often wondered when I shoot a 5 shot group with any gun why 4 holes can be touching and then there is the flyer. As it happens with all my loads and all my guns even my less then 1/2 MOA AR15 I have started to blame it on my shooting. The fix for me is measuring the best 4 of 5 shots. lol

Erich · Mar 25, 2016

I sort by make, but even I'm not kooky enough to sort it by weight. Whatever floats your boat, though!

Qball · Mar 25, 2016

I sort by maker after i noticed that my .44mag brass volume vary up to a full grain.

X Ring · Mar 25, 2016

Long range rifle is one thing but not worth the time for handgun.

StakeOut · Mar 25, 2016

I've never trimmed or sorted pistol cases before or after 10s of thousands of reloads.

I do try to keep fired cases in groups that have been fired the same number of times.

I usually try to avoid nickle cases;they seem to crack after a few or even one reload.

I'm very strict with powder charges,primer seating,bullet seating and overall length.

Nevada Ed · Mar 25, 2016

A lot depends on the revolver's Cylinder..............

Have you tested them for "True" ?

I have weapons that have one or two cylinder holes that shoot better or worse than the rest, off of sand bags.

In my new 686, I have one cylinder marked with finger nail polish, since it out shoots the others, if used for game.

To me this is way more important than sorting brass................

rwsmith · Mar 25, 2016

There are all kinds of variables.....

if you have very high standards or are a competitive shooter there are all kinds of variables that you can tweak and adjust. Case wall thickness and uniformity probably has more bearing on consistency than the weight of the case. You can go as far with this as you want to.

Me? I take range brass and reload it. I don't even sort it unless I've got a good reason to.

BE Mike · Mar 25, 2016

Unless you are shooting long range, there is no need to sort to this extent. Keeping them sorted by times fired might be a good idea, so you keep the newer brass for heavy loads and use the several times fired for mild target loads. Once you find an accurate load for your revolver, you probably should be very happy for the distances you are firing. Revolvers are notorious for having one or two cylinder holes that shoot outside of the group. That would probably be more of a factor regarding accuracy than sorting.

fredj338 · Mar 25, 2016

I don't bother sorting handgun brass unless I am looking for ultimate accuracy, like my 44mag stuff that will go to 200yds. Short of that, not really worth the time. I have had to trim magnum rev brass, it does stretch if running well above midrange.

S&WIowegan · Mar 25, 2016

I sort ALL my handgun brass by head stamp to eliminate one source of variability and because I'm a bit OCD and have the time. Probably doesn't make much difference in performance. However, to prove I'm only mildly OCD I throw all cats and dogs brass I have few of in a bag to use in lost brass situations.

Many other aspects are more important such as accurate, repeatable powder charges, uniform bullets, good crimp, etc.

Calliope · Mar 25, 2016

I sort 357 by brand becuase you're more likely to get consistent case lengths, which leads to more consistent crimps.

I never weigh cases.

DWalt · Mar 25, 2016

Even most competitive shooters don't bother to sort brass. If I were to sort on anything, I would do it on case weight, not headstamps.

Magload · Mar 25, 2016

I hate to even sort by caliber had to do a bucket of range brass today.

M29since14 · Mar 25, 2016

I sort because it is just one easy thing to do and then you don't have to wonder if not doing so "might" have caused that wild shot.

I think almost all of us would have to admit that is not likely, but you do take that doubt out of your mind.

I agree that sorting is important for more uniform crimps (roll crimps), and probably not a safety concern with any sensible load. I suppose the modern way to think of the practice would be to say that sorting is a "feel good" thing.

DWalt · Mar 25, 2016

With a revolver, it is likely that the variations in shot placement on the target may be more a result of differing chamber dimensions than what the case headstamp is. If you are serious about testing ammunition for MV and grouping consistency, fire every round from the same chamber. I always get more consistent grouping and MVs that way than from firing sequentially from every chamber.

ArchAngelCD · Mar 26, 2016

Erich said:
I sort by make, but even I'm not kooky enough to sort it by weight. Whatever floats your boat, though!

Yup, same here. I like keeping same brand brass together on all my cartridges.

Dave · Mar 26, 2016

The only sorting I do for handgun brass is to separate nickel and brass cases. The only reason I do this is because mixed nickel and brass cases offend my sense of order in the universe.

Engineer1911 · Mar 26, 2016

Brass Quirks

I sort brass by caliber. All my 38 spl brass is brass, all my 357 mag brass is nickeled. Nickel 38 spl and brass 357 mag brass finds a new home.

I trim FIRED 357 mag and 44 mag brass to 1.265" +0.005" ,- 0 . I get uniform crimps and the brass will crack before it needs to be trimmed again. I trim the brass, do not deburr the mouth. The sizer die removes the outside burr, belling the case mouth removes the inside burr, and the square edged case mouth securely grips the cast bullet when the case is crimped.

I have never trimmed 9 mm, 40 S&W, or 45 acp brass.

Sorting 357 Magnum brass?

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