Wet Tumbling

[Texas10]

Interesting observation regarding "fresher" ammo, M12lrs.

I recap my 223 brass, wet tumble, and store until ready to load. Then neck size only what I'm going to load and shoot within a couple of days.

Seems to work better to produce small groups. If I shoot the loaded ammo several weeks later, it doesn't seem to produce as good of groups.

I've read that worked brass tends to age harden fairly quickly, and while my experience is in no way a scientific approach, my confidence is higher that it will shoot to point of aim more consistently.

BTW: I am shooting a bolt gun, not a semi-auto, so no full length sizing is necessary.

Quick question: What is your "homemade dryer"? Mine is a cardboard box with a hair dryer stuffed into the side. Been using it for 30 some years and works great. Can get up to 170 degrees, with plenty of air flow, so dries the brass quickly. 5 minutes is about average.

[Mozella]

......... snip.................... I've read that worked brass tends to age harden fairly quickly, .......... snip..................

What you read is wrong. Cartridge brass does not age harden at room temperature to any measurable degree. I wonder if what you read was written by reloaders or other people who do not have an educational background which included the study of metallurgy.

I don't doubt what you say, but if the precision of your loads deteriorates with age, it is for some other reason than the cases age hardening. I have a 600 yd bench rest gun I shoot only once a month or less. It's not uncommon for me to load a big batch of competition ammo for the upcoming 6 months. The old stuff shoots just as well as the new stuff, so my experience is different from yours.

[m12lrs]

What you read is wrong. Cartridge brass does not age harden at room temperature to any measurable degree. I wonder if what you read was written by reloaders or other people who do not have an educational background which included the study of metallurgy.

I don't doubt what you say, but if the precision of your loads deteriorates with age, it is for some other reason than the cases age hardening. I have a 600 yd bench rest gun I shoot only once a month or less. It's not uncommon for me to load a big batch of competition ammo for the upcoming 6 months. The old stuff shoots just as well as the new stuff, so my experience is different from yours.

opinions vary

don't know what happens from a metallurgy standpoint but neck tension changes.

I do know my 6mm likes ammo loaded the night before and misbehaves with 3 month old ammo

In 100/200 yard Benchrest you will find most competitors load their ammo throughout the day. In 1000-yard BR you rarely see this. Believe it or not your gun will tell you whether it likes ammo loaded right before it is shot, or several days in advance. I load at least 48 hours before a match. One time I tried loading at the range right before a shoot-off. No dice. I went from an 8″ group to an ugly group with 12″ of vertical. Just by not loading ahead of time, I went from more than respectable to out of the running. I’m really not sure what the problem was, but now I always get my ammo ready well in advance.

[m12lrs]

Interesting observation regarding "fresher" ammo, M12lrs.

I recap my 223 brass, wet tumble, and store until ready to load. Then neck size only what I'm going to load and shoot within a couple of days.

Seems to work better to produce small groups. If I shoot the loaded ammo several weeks later, it doesn't seem to produce as good of groups.

I've read that worked brass tends to age harden fairly quickly, and while my experience is in no way a scientific approach, my confidence is higher that it will shoot to point of aim more consistently.

BTW: I am shooting a bolt gun, not a semi-auto, so no full length sizing is necessary.

Quick question: What is your "homemade dryer"? Mine is a cardboard box with a hair dryer stuffed into the side. Been using it for 30 some years and works great. Can get up to 170 degrees, with plenty of air flow, so dries the brass quickly. 5 minutes is about average.

similar

I took a large Tupperware container and put a jacked up colander inside of it for the brass and cut a hole in the side the snout of the hair dryer would fit tightly in. Drilled some holes in the lid. $20 in the whole rig. like you said. Fast! don't need to set that dryer on high.

[Rich]

Interesting observation regarding "fresher" ammo, M12lrs.

I recap my 223 brass, wet tumble, and store until ready to load. Then neck size only what I'm going to load and shoot within a couple of days.

Seems to work better to produce small groups. If I shoot the loaded ammo several weeks later, it doesn't seem to produce as good of groups.

I've read that worked brass tends to age harden fairly quickly, and while my experience is in no way a scientific approach, my confidence is higher that it will shoot to point of aim more consistently.

BTW: I am shooting a bolt gun, not a semi-auto, so no full length sizing is necessary.

Quick question: What is your "homemade dryer"? Mine is a cardboard box with a hair dryer stuffed into the side. Been using it for 30 some years and works great. Can get up to 170 degrees, with plenty of air flow, so dries the brass quickly. 5 minutes is about average.

Texas10 is on to something here..... Higher Confidence

Years ago David Tubb once remarked he liked his ammo fresh and always loaded as close to match time as possible....

As a past High Power shooter I once experimented with loading ammo well in advance but with a long OAL. Then the night before would run them through the seating die to the proper length. I would always feel a slight "crack" as the bullet began to seat deeper. You won't find that same "crack" when you seat a fresh round deeper.

My own results were that my scores remained the same with ammo fresh or old,,,,,,but I still seat them a little long until its time to use