Bullet weight variance

[powderhombre]

I ordered some cast lead bullets from a company. One of those cowboy bullet places. I ordered 500 LRNFP in 250gn. I weighed 25 or so just to see what I got. The lightest was 251.9grn. Not too bad. The rest weighed 255.6, 255. 9, One weighed 261.6. I guess shooting BP would be no big deal, but I imagine loading smokeless would indeed be a problem. I guess I'll have to weigh and segregate all 500. Any thoughts?

[Kent Shootwell]

At cowboy loads I'd give it no notice. Looking at Lee load all reloading tool instructions each bullet weight is in a weight range span.

[Abilene]

I would agree that it should make no difference for CAS, but that does seem like a fair amount of variance for a commercial caster.   I don't usually verify bullet weights over the years (hey, just CAS!) but when I have seems like there is usually less than 1gr difference.

[powderhombre]

Well I have a problem. I am new to loading smokeless. I am very careful. Except I loaded some test rounds and didn't catch the mistake in these bullet variance. I loaded some test rounds in 45 colt using Unique. Starting at 7.6gns 7.7grns 7.8grns 7.9grns and 8.grns I went back and weighed the finished cartridges (I know, cart ahead of the horse) The finished cartridges all are within a few grains of each other. I know the brass can vary some, However I have three rounds that are each 10 grns heavy. That would mean a double charge which I am positive did not happen or 260+ grain bullets which is more likely. In any event I don't want to shoot them. Now the problem, with my bullet puller hammer I can't get the crimp to expand to get them apart. Not sure what to do.

[DeaconKC]

Safety first, grab the bullets with a pair of those bullet pulling pliers and drag them out. That way you save the brass at least.

[powderhombre]

I did some math and everything looks good except these three rounds. Which brings me back to my original question How much variance is considered acceptable in bullet weight? I ordered 250 grn. What I got was after weighing them all, 500 bullets. maybe 35 that were 250g. 50 that were 258-262g. about a third were 252g. the majority were 253-257g.

[Dirty Dick]

IF you suspect even one round is a double charge.................................

[powderhombre]

No, I get that! I pulled the bullets in those three rounds..thank you youtube. Are ya all sittin down?? Happy to say NO double charged! I knew that, as I am a newbie and was very careful making only one round at a time. Anyway, All three of those , Ahem, 250grn. LRNFP bullets weighed 262. 5+- 1/10grns. That accounts for the 10 grains over spec. I only put up 12 rounds as these were ladder tests. I will be most careful to weigh the bullets from the bullet company who name starts with the letter "M" of a state and it ISN"T Montana!

[Dirty Dick]

I would think that unless you were loading on the edge of maximum a 10 grain variance in bullet weight would have very little effect on pressures. Several loading manuals list bullets with varying weights between styles and manufacturers with the same load data. An overweight weight spec bullet can be caused by a drop of lead between mould blocks which would also increase the diameter before sizing/lubing. I was a commercial bullet maker for ten years.

DD

[powderhombre]

Well thanks for that... I haven't even fired my first smokeless round yet so like I said I'm very cautious. I checked the alliant listing for a 300grn bullet and it showed less than the 8.0 gns  Unique I had loaded. So I got a little spooked. You know the old saying.."can't unring a bell".  But I have it under control at this point. I crunched the numbers on the loaded cartridges and came up with the weights of the bullets loaded and everything is within the parameters of the loading data. The 50 or so 262gners I'll load with BP. I will be checking verifying bullet weights until such time I am more comfortable at this game (serious business)