270 WSM Brass Brand?

[choprzrul]

I'm going to build a 270 WSM for my son and I'm contemplating which brand of brass to use. I'm hoping to get 3800 fps out of a 116gr Absolute Hammer....but that may be over optimistic?

Nosler
Norma
Winchester
Federal
Hornady
?

I have 100 pieces of unfired (factory ammo pulldown due to light powder charges) Nosler brass located for $175.

Norma still advertises 270 WSM, but finding it is proving impossible.

I can get Winchester brass on GunBroker.....or loaded Winchester ammo that would make fire forming easy

So....which brand should I go with/concentrate on finding? If I anneal each reloading cycle, what kind of brass life should I expect?

 

[Northkill]

Yeah, I've been looking for Norma brass too

 

[BillNye]

I would buy 300 wsm from ADG and size the neck down if you're after best available quality. They're otherwise dimensionally identical.

If you want headstamped brass I think the best currently available option is Bertram.

 

[Ross1147]

What BillNye said above. If you need correct headstamp I'd go Bertram. I was using it necked up to 300 WSM and really liked it. I was able to get ADG, so I switched, but if I run out if ADG and can't get anymore I'll go back to Bertram.

 

[choprzrul]

I would buy 300 wsm from ADG and size the neck down if you're after best available quality. They're otherwise dimensionally identical.

If you want headstamped brass I think the best currently available option is Bertram.

Just to confirm......you are saying the Bertram brass is better than the Nosler? I'm not arguing, just seeking info.

 

[BillNye]

Nosler brass is very uniform but is very soft. Nosler primer pockets last about 3-4 firings at the same velocities I get 10 firings out of ADG/Bertram.

Edit: for reference the load is 2960 fps with a 180 Hammer. Not even particularly hot

 

[choprzrul]

Does Norma make that 270 WSM brass for Nosler? If not, how does longevity of the Norma brass compare to the Nosler and Bertram?

 

[jjmp]

Mine's feed w-w-c and Norma , won't pay for nosler, stands to reason the hotter you load them you'll loosen your primer pockets ,cheers.

 

[BillNye]

Norma does nominally produce 270 WSM brass. I haven't seen it in stock in a few years and haven't used it. Someone else may be able to chime in

 

[Jspeed]

Have loved my Nosler….expensive as heck and maybe hard to find….others seem to bash it, but I've been very pleased

 

[choprzrul]

The basic ButterBean Hammer load development is to increase powder until finding pressure and then back off a grain.

Given the above, which of my brass choices will provide the most longevity?

 

[Jspeed]

$1.75 is pretty inexpensive- I've shot mine 5 times then recently sent them off to be annealed with an AMP-just started my 6th cycle and all is well

 

[coueskiller43]

I run the Nosler and have been pleased with it. I push it pretty hard and just retired a batch after 6 firings. Don't waste your time with the Winchester.

 

[comfisherman]

My first 270 wsm barrel started at 26 and we tested 85 grains to 160s (back then the normal range). Barrel ran a smidgen faster than both nosler and Barnes data, no spectacular but 25/30 fps. We used the Barnes data for the 85 e tip as well as whatever 85 mpg or tsx they had at the time. Think we did the adage for rl 17 of using 4350 plus about a grain for an estimated max. (At the time very little rl 17 data was out). The Barnes never cleared 3900, but the e tip di at 4400 but not closer to sea level.

Never got the 100 grain accubond over 3750 and the 110 had a had to pushed very hard to hit the mid 36s. 3800 even with the mythical hammer bullets would be a stretch unless your adding tube length over 26 inches.

I've taken a couple wsms over book, albeit minimally chasing a node that was just barely over with 4831sc and 4350. They seem to hide traditional pressure signs everywhere but the primer pockets.


As to brass, about 10 years ago a friend who worked at a range would collect left behind range brass and save ones that would work for me. I ended up with a little over 300 pieces from everyone,

Norma was good but batch size was small so could be skewered.
Nosler was 50/50 had 40 pieces and half survived and half lost primer pockets

Remaining several hundred were 70/30 winchester and federal. The winchester needed lots of trimming and turning but held up ok, lost a lot of necks around 5 until I started annealing the annealed went 8-9, before being called.

The fc seemed like ok brass, but primer pockets appeared to be made out of butter. After smoking the first 50 in 2-3 firings. I dedicated the rest to hunting loads for situations where I'm likely to not recover brass.

My current crop is worked over winchester that was bought from midway on a clearance sale in late 19. I'll convert adg if it ever becomes more common than unicorn steaks.