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Thread: Do you weigh

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Do you weigh

    Do any of you weigh your boolits?
    I don't for large amounts or for boolits I use alot of
    I do weigh (and I just started) my hunting boolits for my rifle
    namely my 45/70
    It has made a visible difference in my group size
    what is your weight range for those who do weigh exact or 1-2 grains?
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  2. #2
    Cast Hunter

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    I weigh my rifle bullets. I also started doing so with 45-70. When I was initially doing load development for my guide gun, accuracy was a bit lacking. When I started sorting +\- 1 grain, my groups improved noticeably.


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  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    Shooting for groups and deer yes. Shooting for fun and plinking no.

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  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Depends on how accurate you need to be. I don't weigh pistol bullets, but, I don't shoot farther than 25yd either.

    Rifle bullets I shoot for small groups. They are closely inspected and weight sorted, sometimes to within 0.1gn. But, I expect less than 1" at 100yd and less than 3" at 300yd.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master


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    For the bulk of my bullets, no. A lot of my bullets I don't even visually check, other than to keep an eye out during sizing. When I really want accuracy though, I do. Hunting especially, I do not accept less than near perfection. For bullets around 150-300 grains, I keep them plus or minus .2 grains. For heavier bullets 500+, I might accept plus or minus .5 grains. Yes, that leaves a lot of rejects, but I'm usually only sorting to get 30-40 perfect ones to test or hunt with.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Shopdog's Avatar
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    Just cast up some RCBS 22's. The dope on the mould says 55g but they drop closer to 60,and are once GC is added.

    So,just to check this new batch's weight compared to the last I weighed 30 before quitting. 25 of them were deadnuts the same,5 were a cpl tenths of a grain off but,were consistent there as well. And true to form they were very close to the last batch... give or take a cpl tenths as there was a very minor alloy change(toughened them up just a smidge).

    This is pretty much my M.O.... weigh until getting bored. Well,as long as they're dang close. Once in awhile will weigh if I'm working out a modification and want to isolate that issue,taking weight difference off the table.

    Good luck with your project.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master fastdadio's Avatar
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    What type of scales are you folks using to weigh? Are the budget model electronic ones sold calibrated in gains? I might like to give this a try if the buy in price is reasonable.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by fastdadio View Post
    What type of scales are you folks using to weigh? Are the budget model electronic ones sold calibrated in gains? I might like to give this a try if the buy in price is reasonable.
    This is the only time I like to use an electric scale. I use one that reads in grains sold by Ballistic Products. I don't like them for powder, but they are very quick for weighing bullets.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I have before and will again just to see how I'm doing. I do have MTM 100 round boxes full of .4585" 525 grain Paul Jones (mold) bullets to the half grain. I did this when the OCD hit real hard years back. The target at 600 yards said it wasn't necessary but it didn't hurt either. When I'm casting right with a PJ, BACO, or Brooks molds, they just don't vary enough in weight to matter. I have held a casting session to 1.5 grains not counting the few culls for imperfections. These are very good molds.

    I will weight 10 or so from every casting session with any of my revolver molds, but they are all Accurate or MP molds and also cast very consistent bullets. I'll pay more attention to any defects than worry much about weight.

    I believe that it never hurts to weigh them, but make sure if you're going to take the time, have containers to store the bullets in afterwards.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    I weight sort bullets if I am shooting for groups. My electronic scale displays in tenths of grains but with a two tenths resolution. I count the heaviest bullets #1s and they have to be plus or minus 0.3 gr. This last batch they were between 163.6 and 163.0 gr. I label the ones that weigh between weigh between 162.8 and 162.2 gr. as #2 and anything lighter are for fire forming, plinkers or fowlers. Not many go back into the pot very few have visible defects. I have yet to see the #1's shooting smaller groups than the #2s but as my technique improves that may show up.

    Tim
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    used to weigh them all now i just weigh a few from each batch to check ,as long as they are within a grain or two im happy.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy gnappi's Avatar
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    Yes and no. Home cast, no. Factory bullets? Generally no, but when I have needed extreme accuracy, I weigh every cartridge component (except the primer) that's brass, powder and even the jacketed bullet.
    Regards,

    Gary

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    Plinkers and short range applications don't get weighed. Other stuff does. I segregate and shoot them in lots with max variance of .3 grains.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    pretty much same as others. For my action shooting 3 gun and steel challenge I see absolutely no need . I only shoot lead in my pistol in these events. In my rifle right now it is 55 FMJ, but I would like to use my 300 blk here soon. I will be using a 115 grain cast for that, but due to level of accuracy needed ( or lack of ) I am good with 2-3 MOA , which means no weighing for this.

    cavet I do not shoot long range accuracy like F class. I have shot at 1000 yards and only hand weighed bullets and charges, but I would be shooting at a MINIMUM sized target of 12" x 18" at the VERY smallest. Usually larger and just need to hit it somewhere . I then group them by 1/10 of a grain

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I weigh all my cast boolits and separate them within one grain increments. I like to shoot groups like my avatar so I want “weigh” out all the variables. The only thing I didn't worry to much about was my first batch of lee 255 grain boolits i casted up last year for my new vaquero because I used them for 25 yards and under test plinking...and I only casted up about 200 of them at the time. I finally got around to casting up and separating my 2nd batch I did for the vaquero in one grain increments the other day mainly because I did such a large batch(10 pounds). I did end up weighing my first batch but didn’t separate them. They were within 3 grains of each other and still shot extremely tight at 25 yards. To the point of stacking them on top of each other after I got use to the pistol. It’s just another easy variable to rule out so I can blame my self and not my boolits when groups open up. I don’t weigh jacked factory bullets. I don’t cat 45-70 so I don’t have a weight range for those. My lee 255’s PC’d with 50/50 alloy plus 2% pewter were mostly 257.9 to 258.9 grains I had a second batch of 259.0 to 259.9 that were almost as big of a batch. I mixed in my 256 to 257 grainers that were about 10 to 12 boolits and one more batch of 260 to 263 that were about 7 or 8 boolits. If I would not have PCd them first I would have re melted the two smaller batches. I will probably mark the primers with a marker when I load them up with the lighter and heavier boolits so i can see if POA shifts. I just set them on my rcbs pro light scale as fast as I can rotate them till my arm gets sore...and then I switch arms.
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 10-23-2020 at 10:13 AM.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master mehavey's Avatar
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    .....namely my 45/70
    what is your weight range for those who do weigh exact or 1-2 grains?
    No (practical) effect.... at that weight range/variance (less than 1%)


  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master
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    my batch of 45/70 25/1 alloy with my Hoch nose pour mold
    I loaded the ones for hunting @ 444.5 and 444.8 grs. 5 each
    \when I do this way the groups and my confidence with the load and gun
    are high
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Never have.........never will. As long as they fit in the barrel like the mold/PC is supposed to do, I am must fine with whatever approx weight they are. I only watch for any serious voids and deformities that may creep in there.

    More shooting time.................because I don't waste that time weighing everything.

    banger

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    i make more variation than my boolits do.some days everything groups next day rubbish with same load etc.im the problem

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastdadio View Post
    Are the budget model electronic ones sold calibrated in gains? I might like to give this a try if the buy in price is reasonable.
    I had a Hornady one for awhile.
    It was calibrated to .1 gr.

    But watch it, and wear your glasses, it- and probably the others also weigh grams, and carets.
    Be sure its on the weight system you want to use, or you may get a big surprise.

    I kept a redneck check weight beside mine.
    I had a boolit that was a known 150gr.
    I get the scale going, and weigh it,,,, if it read something stupid- I knew it wasn't set on 'grains'.
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    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check