best brass choice

[Critter Picker]

I really like Lapua when they make what I need.
For .223 and .308 LC seems to work really well. Especially when you can get it off the assy line before the primers are crimped.
Starline makes great brass. Have never pushed it to the limit,but been close to max with good life.
Tried some PPU in both 30-06 and .243 and was pleasantly surprised with very low SD and ES. Would buy it again.

 

[Mike Matteson]

In my experience, both Remington and Winchester brass is not what it used to be. The older stuff (pre-90s) is higher quality. Especially the WW Super and Super X.

Growing up Federal was the "cheap stuff". It's actually gotten a little better.

Hornady brass seems cheap, but actually has been holding up for me. However there is a huge range in case weights. In 270 win the spread is over 15 gr.

I think most people make a big deal about brass initial quality. The higher end stuff just seems to take less prep work, but if you put in the time, midrange brass like PPU, Starline, Nosler can all be made consistent. It just takes your time to uniform the primer pockets, deburr the flash holes, weight sort, trim, anneal, etc.

Is that by case weight or volume weight? I use to use case weight,. but have turned to volume weight now. I have seen in the pass of more than 15 grs different. Just one more thing to do.

 

[Stammster2]

Is that by case weight or volume weight? I use to use case weight,. but have turned to volume weight now. I have seen in the pass of more than 15 grs different. Just one more thing to do.

15gr Case weight (172-187 gr) Quicker to determine.

H2O volume varied by approx 1 - 1.5 gr. But that's still significant when your talking only 67gr.

Although no strictly correct, a 2% variance in H2O capacity = approx 2% velocity variance. At 3000 fps, that's a spread of 60 fps. Enough to effect POI at short range and drop at long range.

 

[ARlife4me]

15gr Case weight (172-187 gr) Quicker to determine.

H2O volume varied by approx 1 - 1.5 gr. But that's still significant when your talking only 67gr.

Although no strictly correct, a 2% variance in H2O capacity = approx 2% velocity variance. At 3000 fps, that's a spread of 60 fps. Enough to effect POI at short range and drop at long range.

Not entirely true. 2% in charge depending on cartridge can vary from not much to a bunch

 

[Stammster2]

Not entirely true. 2% in charge depending on cartridge can vary from not much to a bunch

Agreed. But my example was specific to 270 Win. - and with the disclaimer it's not strictly correct but a good approximation.

I also didn't say anything about charge either - just H2O capacity, with everything else being equal.

 

[ARlife4me]

Agreed. But my example was specific to 270 Win. - and with the disclaimer it's not strictly correct but a good approximation.

I also didn't say anything about charge either - just H2O capacity, with everything else being equal.

I missed the lines I was supposed to read between.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I would try either Lapua or Peterson brass. The others brass I am don't know much in the top of line brass. Sounds like you are doing a lot toward your case management.
What I have read about tell me to use volume weigth.
Years ago I used case weight, here last year I got turned around on that here. Now it's volume weight. In case prep is one of the most important items to get done. What about case length. The match shooters are from what I am understanding are making sure the case length are the same. Annealing is another item too.
You got to love it to reload. To me it's quest to get that prefect group. Whether I get there I don't know, but working on it all the time.
I haven't use factory ammo except for 22, some shotgun and some pistol ammo. Center fire rifle I don't. I love producing my own ammo and using it.

 

[Huntsman66]

Lapua

 

[ObiWanKannoli]

Lapua or ADG, whichever runs better. Holding out to see if Alpha will make any 300 PRC brass.

 

[Mike Matteson]

That the biggest problem is not beng able to acquire brass of the type you want. Reloading has gotten to be a big thing. When I start some 61 years ago, not many reload that I knew of. That doesn't mean they were not out there, but where I came from not many did.

 

[shinbone]

(I've been on the road, and am just now able to provide more info regarding my experience with Lapua brass.)

This is a follow-up to my Post #6.

The summary is that some people opine that Lapua (and other European manufactures) brass tend to have a larger web diameter, which can lead to clickers in American-made rifles. This is only a problem when the rifle's chamber is on the small side of SAAMI spec, and so many shooters do not have problems with Lapua brass in their particular rifle. My personal experience was that Lapua brass gave me clickers at higher charge weights on the first firing with no other pressures signs even near. Winchester brass functioned just fine at the same charge weights. Apparently, my experience was not all that uncommon.

Other aspects of Lapua brass are great. I just wanted to point out that Lapau brass can have its problems, too. Something I wish I had know before buying 200 pieces of Lapua brass, instead of first buying just 50 pieces to test functionality in my rifle.

You are being redirected...

And, the results from looking for max pressure with Lapua brass. "clk" means I got a clicker with that load:




And, this is just my personal experience - different rifles, different methods, different goals, etc. will lead to different results and conclusions.

 

[L.Sherm]

This is only a problem when the rifle's chamber is on the small side of SAAMI spec,

Not necessarily true, look at the PRC problem with saami reamers and try to run Lapua brass or ADG.
Same thing if you spec a 20 vartarg reamer at the base with 221 Rem fireball brass and try to run Lapua 221 fireball brass

 

[Calvin45]

First pick Peterson, next lapua. Will try adg in a heartbeat if i find some but no experience so can't say.

 

[QuietTexan]

Not necessarily true, look at the PRC problem with saami reamers and try to run Lapua brass or ADG.

The problem there is the SAAMI spec itself is on the small side to start with.