For "general" handgun reloading, do you sort by headstamp?

[johngalt]

I try to keep my brass sorted, but not because I think it affects accuracy. For .45 auto, I have Federal, Winchester, UMC, plus a few odd ones.

Federal brass is the thickest, and won't chamber in my 625 when loaded in moon clips.

UMC is so thin I have bullet setback issues when used in my 1911s.

So my Federal brass is 1911 only, my UMC is 625 only, and the Winchester works in both.

In .38 special, I have federal and UMC. I use mostly the Federal brass, because the UMC is so thin that the case mouths sometimes get bent in a little when seating the bullet, shaving lead. The Federal brass doesn't do this.

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
Unless I am loading a max hunting or special load, sorting is not needed.

 

[Papaw]

No, but I don't load maximum loads.

 

[straightshooter1]

Even many years ago, shooting Bullseye, I didn't sort the brass by headstamp.

I did use once or twice fired cases for matches, though, thinking they were just a hair more accurate.

But, I lost to guys who'd load their 38s and 45s with anything they could scrounge.

So, I quit worrying about it and lost with most anything I could reload.

With the advent of IPSC, it really didn't matter about pinpoint accuracy-the emphasis was on speed. While I continued to lose with some regularity, I did win a few.

Bob

 

[Grayfox]

Depends on what its used for.
General purpose ammo I don't sort.
Target ammo for the K-38, Gold Cup, Model 52, etc I do sort. In fact I keep seperate batches of brass just for these guns.
IDPA ammo I not only don't sort, but tend to use the worst brass I have. Mainly because I rarely get any of it back. It works just fine too.

Some years back Charlie Petty did an article for one of the magazines on this very subject. Batches of ammo were made up in several calibers. Some with new sorted brass and some with mixed used brass. The loads were fired over a chrono and for accuracy.
As I recall, the new sorted brass did win, but the differences were so marginal that for all practical purposes it didn't matter.

 

[James57]

I was taught to reload way back in the late 50's by an uncle. Separating by headstamp was the way he was taught and that is the way he taught me. I am now retired and have as much fun loading as I do shooting, so I still separate by headstamp. I do a complete prep of every case that I load. I haven't shot enough "mixed" ammo in the past to know whether it matters.

 

[VonFatman]

Nope.

I do try to sort OUT certain brands that slow mw down...for instance S&B and MilSurp .45 ACP brass seem to have a tad smaller primer pockets which can be a pain on my progrssive press...since I have about three or four lifetime supplies of .45 ACP brass...I cull those cases out of the heard...

Same with .38 Special.

Bob