I ran up on a good supply of Winchester Brass yesterday and bought it all. I already have 500 pcs of Hornady brass in 7mm WSM. My question is for the guys who have used both in specifically 7mm WSM, which brass holds up better, has better quality, and gives better accuracy? Trying to decide which to keep and which to sell. Thanks in advance.
7mm WSM Brass
- Thread starter CEB
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
D
Deleted member 107796
Guest
Straight up, I hate Winchester brass due to poor quality control, on the order of 4-5 pieces bad per 50. It sucks because I have 4 WSMs to load for and I have to rely on something other than Win brass. I find the Hornady of very good quality and wished that I had 500 pieces! On another note, Federal Fusion makes a 7WSM 150gn round that is priced about the price of brass alone and shoots great as well. Just a thought as Federal brass is not bad.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Hmmmm - my experience has been the opposite. I have been using Win brass for quite some time. With a little prep it has been pretty good. I paid a stupid amount of money to get the brass from whomever was willing to sell it but I was desperate.
My 7WSM easily shoots .5moa in a custom rifle with Win brass. I have more than I need for the next 2 barrels.
My 7WSM easily shoots .5moa in a custom rifle with Win brass. I have more than I need for the next 2 barrels.
therifleman556
Well-Known Member
Recently bought a bag of Winchester WSM (270) brass from Cabela's for $36. Not only was every piece perfect, I got 51 of them.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Was on Midway and noticed this. Hornady brass @ $43.99/50.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019543367/hornady-brass
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019543367/hornady-brass
sable tireur
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2010
- Messages
- 3,394
Tough question.
Normally, the Hornady will react faster to increased pressure than other brands. Federal is similar. You will not get as many reloads from the batch as you might from the Winchester or Remington brass let alone the custom makers on the market currently.
But the solution to this comes from finding an accuracy node where you are not at the very top end of the pressure curve. Slightly milder loads will extend the life of your brass. I lump Nosler in with Norma since Norma makes the brass for Nosler and the quality is similar although expensive (Nosler) beyond what I will pay.
Unfortunately, the custom makers haven't seen enough documentation of demand to put the WSMs into production. Well, there's Bertram but I can't put them in the 'custom' category.
Test a sampling of the brass you have and let the results tell you which is best.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
++ to sable. Accuracy node and highest velocity node rarely seem to merge where you want velocity. I know my brass last a heck of lot longer when my load is <1.0 gr below what I think is max before pressure signs. Reality is what are you losing in velocity anyway? Gee that elk notice he was killed with a bullet 50 fps slower than he thought it would be.....
When brass became scarce years ago I looked hard at ways to prolong brass and it became simple for me when I started to accept the best accuracy node to velocity. Not the other way around.
I am definitely looking hard at the salt bath and probably will get one once I am done rebuilding a 300WSM and funds become a little more available. Retired, fixed budget so you tend to take one step at a time on these things.
Muddy
When brass became scarce years ago I looked hard at ways to prolong brass and it became simple for me when I started to accept the best accuracy node to velocity. Not the other way around.
I am definitely looking hard at the salt bath and probably will get one once I am done rebuilding a 300WSM and funds become a little more available. Retired, fixed budget so you tend to take one step at a time on these things.
Muddy
TwoMore
Well-Known Member
I also use Winchester brass. I do turn necks with a .316 neck and I run mine at 3084 with A 168 VLD. other than annealing after 4 or 5 rounds I would be able to burn the barrel out with 100 pieces of brass
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
I also use Winchester brass. I do turn necks with a .316 neck and I run mine at 3084 with A 168 VLD. other than annealing after 4 or 5 rounds I would be able to burn the barrel out with 100 pieces of brass
I've got a few hundred pieces that are new in the bags. I would be willing to sell some but I'd like to recoup what I paid.
TwoMore
Well-Known Member
luckily I bought several bags myself, I also have a few hundred bertram.
D
Deleted member 107796
Guest
Thanks for the info. I nabbed some as well as some 7mm-08 for $22.50.
Here's a pic from my last loading session with Win 44mag brass. 5 of 50 pieces showed this wonderful placement of the flash hole. The flaws I consistently find in its bulk packed rifle brass, are indents as if pierced by the tip of a SS xacto blade. I wouldn't hesitate to use their premium brass, but the bulk stuff is low quality, IMO. Nosler stuff is very good but a bit expensive.
