Descreet38
02-01-2009, 12:54 PM
In the past 38 years of reloading I have successfully put together and shot close to 800,000 reloads. There is a huge difference in all of the components and I'll try to cover some of the differences below as well as when they usually come into play.
Case: Huge differences between manufacturers. The most usual difference will be in brass thickness. While the outside diameter and length of case are produced to meet SAMMI standards there is no standard for brass thickness. Of course manufactures must - or at least should ensure their product is thick enough to fire once without coming apart. With that said - think of it this way. More space inside of any object requires more volume to reach the same pressure so the difference - while negligible will still play a part in how any given round shoots and places on the target.
Powder: Lets see - there is flake, ball rod, mixes and a few other shapes I didn't mention. Remember the above on the cases having different thickness (= volume) between manufacturers. Well not so many years ago it was standard practice for pistol and rifle owners to tip their barrel up in the air before each shot. Hmmmm - now what is that all about?
Gunpowder is a very strange animal. We have different shapes (see above) but we also have different "burn rates". Where all of this comes together is - OK take exactly 5.5 grains (weight) of a "Ball", Rod, and Flake type powders and if you have a way to measure the actual volume each takes up you will discover drastic differences.
I do a tremendous amount of reloading for .357 magnum. One particular powder is close to filling up the available space (remember a bullet also goes in there) while with another powder only 1/3 of the case is used.
These two powders are only .1 grain difference in weight for the specified load but a great difference in volume. Now back to tipping up the barrel. Using the above example - don't really need to do that when most of the case volume is filled BUT when you have a load that lays down across the length of the brass you can get into trouble fast. Think of it this way. When the case is close to full and the primer shoots those sparks into the rear of the powder is will burn from rear to front. The key here is controlled burn - not a wild fire. Now think of the powder only taking up 15 to 40 percent of the case - when it is carried in a holster all the powder is up at the business end. You draw and the best the powder can do is to maybe lay down flat along the length of the case. Primer goes off and all of the sparks and flame are not only hitting the rear of the primer but also going above and consequently igniting more of the length of the powder as well as the rear - thus a not so controlled burn and will usually generate excessive pressure. This is why for any given caliber there is a MINIMUM as well as MAXIMUM load for a particular powder. This can be a tremendous difference in how the firearm shoots as well as how long it will last.
Primer: OK - here again we have standards but only in the size and the maximum heat specified for each primer type. Small pistol, small pistol magnum, "small pistol MATCH", large pistol, etc. Notice I said there is a SAMMI specified Maximum. This is kind of like where across this nation for years people referred to beer as either being 3.2 or strong. Well guys - how many of you realize that 3.2 was the maximum alcohol - not the average. Most of what was referred (still is) to as 3.2 will actually be in the neighborhood of 1.6 to 2.8% alcohol by volume. The law only stipulated it couldn't "exceed" 3.2.
Anyway back to the primer. I'll use the measurement of heat in my explanation. This is a case where logic actually is correct. The hotter the primer - the hotter (quicker) the powder will ignite. Faster burn rate = higher pressure and so on. Notice how I capitalized the word "MATCH" as one type of small pistol primers. They are not only produced to match closer tolerances to each other for consistency but they are also produced to work as perfectly as possible in loads that have been perfected by people for shooting in competitions.
Projectile: again - another variable. Weight - exact outside dimension, etc. Dimension of the actual portion of the projectile that goes into the case, etc. As a US Army Special Forces sniper I have went to great lengths to stay within certain tolerances for every component. I usually picked up at least 5 cases within the same lot so that I could ensure my M1D (all the way through a Barrett I used in 91 - DS/DS) was perfectly set up for that specific lot of ammunition. The remainder of that lot was safe guarded to ensure I had mission critical ammunition. Reason! Zero a scoped rifle at 1000 meters and then shoot several different lots (same manufacturer) from a bench rest and see where your shot will be on the target compare to point of aim. They ca (and some will) be all over the target except for the lot you zeroed with.
AND Firearm: Every have a friend let you drive his brand new car. You love it so much you go to the same dealer and test driver the same car only to not really love it after all. Well that is the same love/hate relationship between different guns and different loads. It makes no difference whether the loads are reloads or factory. You will find one manufacture and particular load that shoots great and a bunch that do not.
This is where reloading REALLY pays off. Sure most shooters reload so they can shoot twice as much for the same amount they spent on factory loads. Trust me - if you get into reloading you only think it will be cheaper. Well yes and no. Cheaper per round but shoot 2 instead of one and the cost is about the same. The true reason most professional shooters reload is to work up (a lot of testing) that one load that consistently works great for a particular gun.
Wrap Up: As an example - I have one S&W 4006 .40. I consistently hear about the same as most of us remember about the M1911 series. Couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn even when standing in the barn! Well after a 14 month period of testing - loading and reloading and re-testing I worked up a round for MY 4006 that has been a consistent winner in local and regional competitions. I have had many shooters believe it was more luck until they consistently see me with the winnings.
I just pulled up my .40S&W loads on the computer and how is this for a difference.
1st load - Win Brass, Win primer, Win 155 JHP, exact grain of powder (sorry but for safety I cannot be specific) and at 25 feet my average is .98 inch 5 round groups. Yes, this is my PET load for my 4006!
2nd load - all the same except a different amount and type of powder = 1.34 inch groups.
Now for the fun - take the 1st load above, as stated, my pet load - now load the same except substitute a CCI primer and the groups go to 2.6 inch average. Take the second load and go with CCI primer and the group tightened to 1.15 inch groups.
Such is the mysteries of reloading.
Take care and I hope I didn't put anyone to sleep while they were re-loading.
Case: Huge differences between manufacturers. The most usual difference will be in brass thickness. While the outside diameter and length of case are produced to meet SAMMI standards there is no standard for brass thickness. Of course manufactures must - or at least should ensure their product is thick enough to fire once without coming apart. With that said - think of it this way. More space inside of any object requires more volume to reach the same pressure so the difference - while negligible will still play a part in how any given round shoots and places on the target.
Powder: Lets see - there is flake, ball rod, mixes and a few other shapes I didn't mention. Remember the above on the cases having different thickness (= volume) between manufacturers. Well not so many years ago it was standard practice for pistol and rifle owners to tip their barrel up in the air before each shot. Hmmmm - now what is that all about?
Gunpowder is a very strange animal. We have different shapes (see above) but we also have different "burn rates". Where all of this comes together is - OK take exactly 5.5 grains (weight) of a "Ball", Rod, and Flake type powders and if you have a way to measure the actual volume each takes up you will discover drastic differences.
I do a tremendous amount of reloading for .357 magnum. One particular powder is close to filling up the available space (remember a bullet also goes in there) while with another powder only 1/3 of the case is used.
These two powders are only .1 grain difference in weight for the specified load but a great difference in volume. Now back to tipping up the barrel. Using the above example - don't really need to do that when most of the case volume is filled BUT when you have a load that lays down across the length of the brass you can get into trouble fast. Think of it this way. When the case is close to full and the primer shoots those sparks into the rear of the powder is will burn from rear to front. The key here is controlled burn - not a wild fire. Now think of the powder only taking up 15 to 40 percent of the case - when it is carried in a holster all the powder is up at the business end. You draw and the best the powder can do is to maybe lay down flat along the length of the case. Primer goes off and all of the sparks and flame are not only hitting the rear of the primer but also going above and consequently igniting more of the length of the powder as well as the rear - thus a not so controlled burn and will usually generate excessive pressure. This is why for any given caliber there is a MINIMUM as well as MAXIMUM load for a particular powder. This can be a tremendous difference in how the firearm shoots as well as how long it will last.
Primer: OK - here again we have standards but only in the size and the maximum heat specified for each primer type. Small pistol, small pistol magnum, "small pistol MATCH", large pistol, etc. Notice I said there is a SAMMI specified Maximum. This is kind of like where across this nation for years people referred to beer as either being 3.2 or strong. Well guys - how many of you realize that 3.2 was the maximum alcohol - not the average. Most of what was referred (still is) to as 3.2 will actually be in the neighborhood of 1.6 to 2.8% alcohol by volume. The law only stipulated it couldn't "exceed" 3.2.
Anyway back to the primer. I'll use the measurement of heat in my explanation. This is a case where logic actually is correct. The hotter the primer - the hotter (quicker) the powder will ignite. Faster burn rate = higher pressure and so on. Notice how I capitalized the word "MATCH" as one type of small pistol primers. They are not only produced to match closer tolerances to each other for consistency but they are also produced to work as perfectly as possible in loads that have been perfected by people for shooting in competitions.
Projectile: again - another variable. Weight - exact outside dimension, etc. Dimension of the actual portion of the projectile that goes into the case, etc. As a US Army Special Forces sniper I have went to great lengths to stay within certain tolerances for every component. I usually picked up at least 5 cases within the same lot so that I could ensure my M1D (all the way through a Barrett I used in 91 - DS/DS) was perfectly set up for that specific lot of ammunition. The remainder of that lot was safe guarded to ensure I had mission critical ammunition. Reason! Zero a scoped rifle at 1000 meters and then shoot several different lots (same manufacturer) from a bench rest and see where your shot will be on the target compare to point of aim. They ca (and some will) be all over the target except for the lot you zeroed with.
AND Firearm: Every have a friend let you drive his brand new car. You love it so much you go to the same dealer and test driver the same car only to not really love it after all. Well that is the same love/hate relationship between different guns and different loads. It makes no difference whether the loads are reloads or factory. You will find one manufacture and particular load that shoots great and a bunch that do not.
This is where reloading REALLY pays off. Sure most shooters reload so they can shoot twice as much for the same amount they spent on factory loads. Trust me - if you get into reloading you only think it will be cheaper. Well yes and no. Cheaper per round but shoot 2 instead of one and the cost is about the same. The true reason most professional shooters reload is to work up (a lot of testing) that one load that consistently works great for a particular gun.
Wrap Up: As an example - I have one S&W 4006 .40. I consistently hear about the same as most of us remember about the M1911 series. Couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn even when standing in the barn! Well after a 14 month period of testing - loading and reloading and re-testing I worked up a round for MY 4006 that has been a consistent winner in local and regional competitions. I have had many shooters believe it was more luck until they consistently see me with the winnings.
I just pulled up my .40S&W loads on the computer and how is this for a difference.
1st load - Win Brass, Win primer, Win 155 JHP, exact grain of powder (sorry but for safety I cannot be specific) and at 25 feet my average is .98 inch 5 round groups. Yes, this is my PET load for my 4006!
2nd load - all the same except a different amount and type of powder = 1.34 inch groups.
Now for the fun - take the 1st load above, as stated, my pet load - now load the same except substitute a CCI primer and the groups go to 2.6 inch average. Take the second load and go with CCI primer and the group tightened to 1.15 inch groups.
Such is the mysteries of reloading.
Take care and I hope I didn't put anyone to sleep while they were re-loading.