300wsm and 22-250 Brass - Norma / Win???

[britz]

Hey guys, I have been kicking around the idea of ordering 100 rds of Norma brass for my wsm. I think better brass may help me wring out the occasional flier that I get. Norma is very consistant from what I have read, but it is soft too. The current load I am shooting is 65 g of H4350 and 180 NAB so I am a little concerned that it may not stand up to the punishment. I use Win brass but I am a little discusted with the consistancy of the weight of the brass.

Will Norma brass be softer than Winchester? Am I better off purchasingthe win brass and sorting them out or just spending more $$ for the Norma brass?

The same thing goes for my 22-250 (too bad lapua doesn't make brass for these two cal's!!)

Thanks much, Mark.

 

[gbp]

I use Winchester for my WSM and Remington for my 22-250. The selection on Norma Brass will not necessarilly alleviate the need to weight sort them. You are right my preferred would be Lapua but since it is not available this is what I have settled on.

 

[britz]

have you ever used norma brass? curious if it is softer than Winchester, or if it is just softer than Lapua.

After posting this I found some information from Boyd Heaton and he seems to swear by Norma for the WSM.

However Ric Horst says he uses just win brass and doesnt' even weight sort them???

 

[Shortmagman]

I have used Norma brass for loading my 270 WSM and two 300 WSM's for some time. I think for the WSM 's Norma makes the best brass. I have compared it to Winchester brass, RP brass, and Federal. I have reloaded some of the brass more than ten times and I have yet to have a neck split or a loose primer pocket. It is heavier and has less volume, however.

The idea that Norma brass is too soft come's from some of the other calibers. I was so pleased with Norma WSM brass that I bought some for my 280 Rem.. I found that it was too soft. A couple of loads and the primer pockets were loose.

I love Lapua brass from the 308 Win. . I think that the Norma brass in 300 WSM and 270 WSM is comparable to Lapua.

I have had no experience with Norma brass in 22-250. I have use Remington and Nosler to load my 22-250. The Nolser takes less time for prep but other than that I have found no great advantage over the Remington.

 

[britz]

shortmag, thanks for the response! It seems odd that Norma would make wsm brass to a higher standard than they would make 280 brass or 308 brass (I've heard that 308 and if memory serves 300wm brass was "soft"). I can kinda understand that winchester may do a better job on their wm or wsm brass than they would on say a 280 or 2506 since it isn't one they designed. But Norma is much more well know for making precision ammo and componants than their line of Norma magnums if I'm to understand correctly.

Thanks again.
Mark.