Sorting Bullets

[horseman]

I've been loading a few 223 rounds lately just for S's & Giggles and have had a confusing time of trying to maintain some sort of BTOG length. The bullets I'm using are a "generic" 55gr FMJ I bought a few years ago in a box of 1,000. They have a cannelure that you load to. Using my calipers with a size 22 bullet comparator I was getting some pretty broad swings between loading days. The seating die is RCBS and I set it for a cannelure depth and locked it in and didn't change it from the beginning several days ago. I DID however move it to a different place on the turret head a couple times. (Not a Lee turret) but the depth was still within the cannelure. At this point I did a test on the press by SIZING 5 rounds on each die placement using a size .330 case comparator and came up with three of the holes 1, 5, and 6 all within .001 of each other. 2, 3, and 4 were within .001 of each other but .002 shorter. The relative numbers were 3.445 vs 3.443 on average, pretty darn good in my opinion for this press and my use. That wasn't the issue, so I started measuring the bullets (something I have never done) and was quite surprised. I grabbed a couple handfuls from the box (turned out there were 67) and started with the same size .22 bullet comparator. The results were 1 at 1.405 22 at 1.410, 13 at 1.415, 26 at 1.420 and 5 at 1.425. If you throw out the one at 1.405 as an anomaly you still have a difference of .015 from base to ogive with the others. Funny part is these will all seat to some part of the cannelure at the same seating depth on the die. Bad bullets ? yes. But they seem to shoot ok out to 50 yards where I tested them. Clay pigeon groups anyway. Measured some Hornady 55gr fmj and they were with a couple thou. of each other. This is just something I found interesting and had never done before but will probably continue to at least to the point of checking a few of any new bullets I purchase. I actually did this out of boredom sitting in my reloading room trying to come up with something to do. Maybe some of you may find it interesting as well. I also have a hunch that you won't find this type issue with "quality" bullets at least not to this level.

[RBHarter]

Weigh brass some time .

Any time there are multiple tools or stages involved net dimensions will wander add rotating machines with sealed or oil bearings and it gets worse but well inside a .020 window.

I don't know how lathe will cut what it cuts as long as they do without tapered bearings and being able to remove the wear .