Any experience reloading with PRVI brass?

[MTsmith]

Just looking for anyone who can comment on the quality of PRVI brass. Looks like I can pick up some PRVI brass relatively inexpensively for my 9.3x62. Just a little worried that I may be "getting what I pay for." Any info on anyone's experience with this will be appreciated.

 

[RT2506]

I have worked with PRVI brass in 7.62x54R and 7.5 Swiss. It is very good brass. Weight is very consistent and I match prepped it by de-burring the inside the case flash hole and reaming the pockets which did not need much. I have loaded some very accurate loads with it and it has lasted very well. Have maybe 10 or so reloads on some of the 54R and it is still going strong.

 

[adiredneck]

I have used it in 7mm-08 and I would say it compares to the Federal and Remington Brass that I have used.

 

[mattri]

Bought 100 cases of 30-06 to form to 338-06. Found the weights to be uniform and had multiple firings with no issues. Not Lapua but better than WW/RP.

 

[morcey2]

I've reloaded PPU in 7x57, 8x57, 7.62x54r, 30-06, and 9x18 Mak. It's not the same quality as Lapua, but it has worked great for me. It's as good, if not better than Remington and Winchester and much better than Federal. I don't have more than a couple of reloads on any of it, but it has worked well so far. I've used brass from both factory rounds that I've bought and from virgin brass. There can be some variance between lots, but within each lot the weight has been consistent enough for me. There was about a 2 grain average weight difference between the virgin brass and once-fired brass from factory rounds in 7x57 ( 3 x 20 rd boxes, all with the same lot number) so I keep them separated. The once fired brass was lighter. I don't know if that's enough to make a difference on a 180-ish grain case.

Lapua is better as is Nosler, but PPU is good enough for me. Now if they'd just start making some 257 Rob +P brass, I'd be a happy camper.

Matt

 

[Trnelson]

PPU is decent brass, IMO. I have accumulated about 60 pieces of 7mm remington magnum. Weights are +\- 2g once prepared. I expand it to 30/338 and then fire-form it. I have found it to be heavier (thicker) than remington, Winchester and federal. It demands four (4) grains less WC 867 to find maximum safe pressure and replicate the velocity of the WW 338 win mag brass I normally use. YMMV. IMO it certainly merits it's own load development, just like any other time a new component is brought into the mix.

 

[stevesmith]

Just looking for anyone who can comment on the quality of PRVI brass. Looks like I can pick up some PRVI brass relatively inexpensively for my 9.3x62. Just a little worried that I may be "getting what I pay for." Any info on anyone's experience with this will be appreciated.

i have 60 pieces from 3 box's for my 338 lapua that i used for shoot one and clean.. i have reloaded them 3 times..including first firing they have been shot 4 times now. i full length resize and they have worked flawlessly..i have several hundred pieces of lapua brass also. the PRIVI brass isnt as good as lapua but as i said ive loaded it 3 times and it will at least go another. lol cause its been cleaned and trimmed ready to load again..i dont have a problem with it..
hope it helps some..

 

[westcliffe01]

I have found PPU and Hornady brass to be a little soft. You will likely not be able to run similar pressures as you would with Lapua brass, but unless you are pushing your load really hard, you may not notice. Primers pockets may loosen quicker but then it is exactly the same with Hornady brass in my opinion and PPU is a lot cheaper.

Make sure to verify the length of the brass. I have seen some cases that were not trimmed for length and had necks a LOT longer than the remainder of the batch. Other than that, my experience has been fine.

When I get a rifle with a new chambering, often PPU loaded ammo is the first thing one can get your hands on. Just about any loaded ammo has been in short supply the past few years and I have shot my share of PPU ammo and then started load development with the brass.

 

[stevesmith]

I have found PPU and Hornady brass to be a little soft. You will likely not be able to run similar pressures as you would with Lapua brass, but unless you are pushing your load really hard, you may not notice. Primers pockets may loosen quicker but then it is exactly the same with Hornady brass in my opinion and PPU is a lot cheaper.

Make sure to verify the length of the brass. I have seen some cases that were not trimmed for length and had necks a LOT longer than the remainder of the batch. Other than that, my experience has been fine.

When I get a rifle with a new chambering, often PPU loaded ammo is the first thing one can get your hands on. Just about any loaded ammo has been in short supply the past few years and I have shot my share of PPU ammo and then started load development with the brass.

yes it is softer brass and i trim my brass ever time before i load it on any kind but i have some hornady brass with 5 loads on them and are still in good shape..i fls everytime and i have no bolt lift or extraction issues at all..i dont run a hot load so i think that helps my brass last longer. ive got 300 rounds of lapua brass 200 of it never used. i just refuse to use it until my (cheap brass) IE: ppu, hornady, federal has ran its course but i have had real good success with all of it..i have read dozens of people with bad and horrible luck out of ppu and hornady brass but so far i have to call it a descent case because i havent even annealed it yet and it still sizes well..the hornady brass is ready for load #6 and sized as good on #6 as it did on #2..i had some store bought hornady (custom) with 250g sp bullets in them that shot as horrible as a bullet with .010 runout in it..i had 8 box's total of 160 rounds i pulled the bullets saved the powder for what im not sure yet cause i dont know what it is but i even removed the primers so i have 160 pieces of new hornady brass thats worth more to me as brass than it was a loaded round. no fun shooting a bullet that want shoot..the bullet for my gun was seated .180 off the lands im guessing thats why it wouldnt shoot well out of my gun..

 

[trazman]

A really good caliber you have! I use 9,3x62 for wild boar driven hunts and for blood trail searching. I also use prvi brass, I don't keep track of how much times do I reload a single case, because this is a hunting rifle which is used up to 100m and I don't need special accuracy. I usually loose my brass during bolt cycling, but those that I am able to find are still good for reloading. I guess that some cases have been reloaded without problems for 5 or more times...

 

[Blwebster]

Bought 100 unprimed brass in 8x57 to make some 7x57 from it.
Neck sized, with 7x57 die, trimmed to length, then outside neck turned. Then
Full length sized then trimmed to length, outside neck turned.
Fire formed using 5 grains Bullseye, filled case to neck with corn meal, lightly placed paper towel to seal neck and shot. Used Lyman primer pocket uniformer, no issues.

Neck sized, trimmed primed and loaded all 50 to a starter load.

In doing the latter i used Federal 210m primers, and four of the brass primer pockets were very tight but got it done. So far -20 temps have held up my little foray, but so far as i can tell, the brass seems to have taken the torture well enough. The guy who sold them to me uses it a fair bit and says it is tough. I did note the case necks came with a good annealing job.