So I took 60 rounds (2 mags) of .223 reloads to the range Thursday before last. The range is kept very clean. Almost no brass to scrounge. But I had it all to myself so that was nice. Anyhoo, I forgot to zip up the bottom of my brass catcher and ended up dumping half of a mag of brass onto the ground. Then I had a few "miss" the catcher mouth on eject anyway. Thus I ended up picking up about 1/3 of my own cases. When I got home I found that I had 61 pieces of .223/5.56 brass. Apparently I found the ONLY other piece of 5.56 brass that hadn't been scrounged by the time I got there. OK, free brass is nice, but how am I going to know which one isn't mine when I look for signs of pressure, stress, stretch, or unusual wear dangit? No, I didn't leave one in the chamber. Action open during transport. Two full mags (30 rds @) separate from the rifle. So do you mark your brass somehow? Different colors of fingernail polish on the base? Horizontal or vertical marker lines on the mouth? Custom made die-impression on the rim? Not really a HUGE deal, but just one of those, "why didn't I foresee this possibility?" things. Peace favor your sword, Kirk
Years ago when I shot competition pistol I marked my brass. Well, the 9mm and 45 acp anyway. Usually used either a blue, green, or red sharpie and marked straight line across primer end of case. A lot of competitors did with varying colors or patterns of marks to distinguish their own brass.
I mark my brass only if I'm loading special rounds for accuracy. For general plinking loads I just clean, size, trim if necessary, inspect and load.if shooting at the farm we spread a tarp to collect the brass. At the club or range I use a brass catcher. For scrounged brass I sort clean and inspect. If I'm working up a load I usually start minimum and work to max, load in increments, 5 rounds per charge. I use my hand press and charge pre sized and primed cases at the range. This keeps me from having to pull bullets as maximum accuracy is usually achieved before maximum loads/velocity. I make sure I catch each case as it is ejected.
When I'm looking for pressure signs, I check the brass immediately after firing. Then I don't have to worry about what my pickup brass is looking like. If I were to mark my brass, I might take a file and just put a shallow groove on the case head, no deeper than the usual headstamps. It's easy, permanent, and recognizable.
I start marking mine after the first reload.. Second reload gets one line through the case an primer with a sharpie.. Third reload gets another,, making an X.. Fourth reload,, case and primer are colored with a large marker,, and usually left at the range..
Curious as to what you are loading? I have some straight wall cases, namely 38 spl and 45-70 that I have been loading for years. Some rifle cases might only get 2 or 3 reloads before they are trash. Most of my semi auto cases I lose before I get a chance to wear them out. I typically lose about 10% - 20% at each range session, the brass fairy gets them!
Gotta agree with you. No marks and wear gloves during the total reloading. And mole can't csi that crap after his gold and silver go missing
I actually load my SHTF rounds while wearing gloves. Oils on your skin can cause minor corrosion over long storage. Almost certainly nothing to worry about, but it makes me feel a little better.
Wait. You guys wear stuff when reloading? Reloading naked while listening to Pink Floyd isn't the norm? I knew I shouldn't have gotten reloading advice from the skeezy looking guy wearing a rain-coat outside the LGS. Peace favor your sword, Kirk
Wait, that makes three, but I also listen to original Lynyrd Skynyrd. I only mark on the new load work ups. Inspect all the rest, I don't even trust me!
So taking a hit of X and listening to techno/dubstep while loading is a no-no? Well efffff, time to put away the whistle and glowsticks
